Earlier this summer when I met my new Ice-Age-Trail-friend, Rachel, we were talking about our favorite segments and I told her my absolute favorite was Grandfather Falls. She laughed and said that I hadn't hiked enough segments to know which one was my favorite yet. She was right about that! I have so many favorites now that I can't pick just one, but Grandfather Falls was the first segment I ever hiked on the Ice Age Trail and was my inspiration to continue hiking the other segments.
This past Sunday, Charlie and I had the luxury of having this segment all to ourselves and we completely soaked up the beautiful colors and peaceful vibes. I've hiked Grandfather Falls in all seasons now... so here is the fall photo tour of my "inspiration segment." Enjoy!
With the worst of Wisconsin's mosquito-season behind us, I decided it was time to revisit the Plover River Segment of the Ice Age Trail. Armed with the knowledge of this trail earned earlier this summer, I doused myself with bug spray just to be on the safe side although it quickly became clear this would be unnecessary. Instead of sprinting through the woods to evade swarms of mosquitoes, like back in June, this was now a leisurely and peaceful hike. The trail was so different from the lush, green tropical forest that I experienced at the beginning of summer, leaving me with the feeling that I was on a completely new trail, rather than one I knew.
The river was just as clear and beautiful as I remembered it, but this time it was framed by colorful trees. Fallen leaves floated past and river rocks were more visible with the lower water level. It's at once obvious why this is a Class I, high-quality trout stream sustaining wild-trout population - the water is unbelievably crystal clear!
The Ice Age Trail Mobile Skills Crew has done a fantastic job finishing up this segment. Now instead of wandering in circles trying to figure out where the trail was when I reached the river crossing, a newly installed bench across the river beckoned me to hop the river boulders to the other side. I took a break on the bench to sit and contemplate the sound of the water babbling over the rocks as Charlie went off in search of sticks for me to throw. As I sat there, I became aware of a buzzing sound nearby, a swarming buzzing sound. I looked up and saw that bees had made a nest in a knot hole in the pine tree above the bench. Not wanting to take a chance getting stung, we quickly moved on.
The fall colors intensified as we continued on into the forest to the top of the winding ridge of a moraine. We were surrounded by a rainbow of colors in every direction and the dwindling leaf cover allowed for wide open views. Even though the autumn colors aren't as vivid as they typically can be - probably due to drought conditions this summer - there is still a show to be seen.
It's a new feeling walking this trail after having gained so much hiking experience throughout the summer. I'm familiar with how to read my trail maps, estimating distances, understanding how temperatures and weather conditions will affect my hydration needs, and automatically watching for the yellow blazes marking the trail. It's funny how that yellow blaze has become such a familiar beacon; I hardly realize how often my eyes search them out and how much comfort they provide in knowing I am on the right track. The yellow blaze has become a friend of sorts.
As the trail winds its way back to the Plover River, rocks and boulders again protrude from the earth as tree roots twist themselves into fantastic shapes around them. With the loss of leaves and plants on the forest floor, these root sculptures are more easily seen. I began "seeing" shapes in them, just as a child would do with passing clouds in the sky. The tree on the huge boulder in the photo above was completely and unbelievably secured to the top of this rock, looking more like a pterodactyl skull or a giant flamingo head than a tree root.
Tiny islands interspersed throughout the river sustain trees, plants and shrubs, all covered in soft green moss. The river flows through and around these mini-villages, providing habitat for countless fish, amphibians and other forest dwellers. I noticed several small, black frogs near the riverbank and tried my best not to step on any of them.
Without the horrendous mosquitoes that we experienced last time we were here, it was such a relaxing feeling to slow down and have the opportunity to observe the landscape. Numerous and enormous rocks seem to pop up everywhere. The trees are undaunted by their presence and just grow around them. Sometimes I'm amazed that there is a trail to be found in the maze of tree roots and rocks, but then ahead I'll see a yellow blaze and know I'm on the right track.
As we made our way back to the parking lot, I was delighted and amazed to find the same small skull next to the trail that we had seen back in June. In the four months since we were last here, the skull, sticks and debris were completely untouched - just as we had left it. It's admirable that other trail users have respected the "do not disturb" policy of the trail and have left things just as they found them so that others can enjoy the wild beauty too.
Skull - October 2013
Skull - June 2013
It was another awesome hike on a trail that was at once familiar but also new and different. Changing seasons, rotating vegetation and weather can make even the most familiar trail feel like a new adventure!
Charlie and I have been making the most of my vacation this week, hitting all our favorite places to catch the fall colors before they're gone. Wednesday we headed over to the popular Dells of the Eau Claire River to enjoy probably the best spot to view colors in our area on what I hoped would be a quiet week day without too many visitors.
We always stay on the less-used Forest Preserve Trail side of the river, but there were already two cars in the parking lot when we arrived at noon and several older couples were strolling along the main section of trail. Charlie and I stayed close to the water's edge away from other hikers, where the reflection of trees and sky were so vivid, and Charlie could play with sticks in the water.
After walking past the bridge, we took a short break at our usual spot - a flat outcropping of striated rocks jutting into the river. I found the remnants of a turkey that some wild animal had eaten for dinner the previous night while Charlie warily sniffed the feathers, bones and foot that were scattered about. She quickly forgot about the turkey foot and went off to find some more sticks. As I made my way to a flat rock near the rapids to sit and breathe for awhile, I found a pothole! Ever since I learned about these fascinating geological formations, I've been finding them in places I never thought to look. So cool.
Small pothole in the bedrock.
For some reason, I spontaneously decided to take a different trail back to the parking lot. Perhaps it's because I had nowhere I needed to be, but I figured it would be a fun adventure to take a new path and wander in the woods for awhile. I was pleasantly rewarded by finding an Enchanted Forest that I never knew existed. There are many possible reasons for this feeling of enchantment: beautiful fall colors, warm breeze stirring the leaves, the "new-ness" of a trail I've never been on before or maybe, just maybe, it had something to do with finding the quaintest little stone picnic shelter.
This sweet, little shelter was built into the hillside out of the very rocks scattered about this entire area - the 1.8-billion-year-old bedrocks, I might add. We had a great time exploring the building and surrounding area while enjoying the view of the colorful woods.
The narrow, leaf-strewn trail continued to wind around massive stones and rock walls that jutted up straight out of the ground. Rocks of all shapes and sizes, covered in all different types of moss and lichen covered the ground everywhere. Parts of the trail were even paved with them and occasionally short stone bridges spanned over tiny creeks.
Tenacious trees grew along the tops and sides of some of these rock sculptures, defying gravity with their acrobatics as they clung to whatever scrap of dirt they could hold onto, twisted into impossible shapes. As we moved further away from the river, the forest grew quiet except for the leaves crunching under my boots and the occasional tweet of a bird. I was at once enlightened by the bright, uplifting scent of pine needles carpeting the forest floor and grounded by the deep, earthy aroma of decaying leaves; wind swirling the competing but complimentary fragrances around me, saturating my clothes and hair with the essence of the forest.
Today is your 3rd birthday! I can't believe you're three years old already... where has the time gone? I still remember the day I brought you home on January 18, 2011 and had no idea how much you were about to change my world. You were a blur of energy, bouncing from one room to another. Having never learned bite-inhibition, you nipped at my hands, feet and legs whenever you could. Watching you grow and tending to your needs helped me through my post-divorce depression and healed the pain of losing everything I had worked my whole life to build.
You changed me forever.
VIDEO: Charlie's 1st birthday ~ Swimming in Leaves
Without you, I would have never started the Kanine Kitchen Dog Treat Bakery. I learned how to bake healthy dog treats to cure your sick tummy and we found a dog food that didn't make you vomit. Although you were skinny and underfed when I adopted you, you quickly gained weight with the proper nutrition. Now, because of you, other dogs get to have delicious and nutritious treats from the bakery! You gave me the chance to start my own *small* business, gaining confidence in my abilities and widening my social circle. I learned how to introduce myself and my product to complete strangers, handing out free samples wherever I could and talking to people about why my treats could help their dogs. You're more than just the bakery mascot - this is your bakery.
Charlie's 2nd birthday ~ hiking & playing with sticks
Because of your endless energy and enormous exercise demands, I was inspired to start this blog detailing our adventures. Without you I never would have explored new trails and experienced the extraordinary beauty that was literally in my backyard. I am thrilled that we've been to so many places! Packing up for a hike seems like a normal routine now, but you have no idea how lucky you are to have access to all these natural resources. I'm so grateful to be able to give you this special and beautiful life. You have given me so much, it is the least I can do in return.
Baby girl, you are my everything and I can't wait for all the adventures yet to come!
Just a little over two weeks ago we spent a warm Saturday afternoon at one of our favorite beaches... yesterday we returned and found fall colors surrounding us! Hiking along the shoreline trail was quiet on this week day ~ a vacation day from work for me ~ and we enjoyed the solitude.
Fallen leaves crunched under my shoes while the strong wind showered us with pine needles and colorful leaves. The wind caused waves to lap along the shore and shook the dry leaves in the treetops into a loud chorus. Charlie was happy to be blissfully off-leash today ~ my carefully-made decision due to the lack of people here on a week day. Luckily we never met another soul on this hike and had the park all to ourselves.
Charlie leaped over logs, raced through the underbrush and chased squirrels and chipmunks up tree trunks, barking gleefully at this fun game. She'd run ahead up the trail and then turn around to come back to check on me, constantly trying to figure out what was taking me so long.
When we got to the point in the trail with easy access to the water, Charlie was in heaven. She zipped down the side trail and sprinted to the shore, where she scurried around looking for pieces of driftwood for me to throw for her. The first few pieces she brought me were duds - sinking immediately under the water's surface, nowhere to be found. After a few minutes of snorkeling for lost sticks, we moved on to some drier pieces that would still float.
Charlie never tires of playing fetch. She agilely dodges the field of rocks on the beach (and in the water) and reliably retrieves every throw. Sometimes I get lost in thought as I gaze out over the landscape and am suddenly jolted back to reality by a loud bark from Charlie to let me know she's brought the stick back, it's lying at my feet, and I need to pay attention!
As we strolled along the beach, enjoying the sunshine and warm breeze, I wondered if it would be possible to walk all the way back along the shoreline due to the low water level. Giving it a shot, we made our way around the crop of reeds and started heading back, only to find that the somewhat soft sand of the "beachy" area gave way to slurpy muck that threatened to remove my shoes with each step. I quickly turned back before I started sinking into a mud pit, never to escape.
Charlie brought her stick along as we made our way back to the forest trail, just in case I changed my mind and decided to throw it for her again. The woods were alive with the strong breeze, branches rubbing together and leaves rustling. Canopy colors changed with the passing of a cloud; dappled sunlight faded and disappeared, only to reappear brightly as the cloud scuttled past. Each colored tree tinted the light in its own shade as I passed underneath - yellow, then red, then dark green of a pine tree. As the foliage slowly gives in to the changing season, more light filters through the forest and everything seems brighter, more vivid.
At the trail head, we walked out to another beach area to swim and play fetch some more. I let the wind blow my hair as I breathed in the new smells of fall - sweet leaf decay, rich pine needles, and the faint fishy smell of the water. Charlie couldn't get enough of playing fetch in the surf of the lake and I indulged her longer than normal, in no hurry to be anywhere. When I started feeling tired and ready to head home, I'd turn around and walk away from the water's edge, only to see this sad face staring back at me when I looked back:
How can you say "no" to that face? I tried leaving three times and each time she looked at me with those sad brown eyes and I couldn't tear her away from the fun we were having. Finally, as the sun got lower in the sky, we headed back to the parking lot. Charlie was like a kid at the beach - having too much fun to leave, but bone tired.
Frolicking in the sun and sand on the first day of October is a special treat that we were both grateful for. These fleeting last days of nice weather won't last long. We stopped at Briq's Soft Serve on the way home for Charlie's "pup cone" and a raspberry milkshake for me; the proverbial cherry on top of a perfect day.
