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Post by viggie on May 2, 2015 19:50:50 GMT
I've been toying the idea of making it a long term goal to do every segment of the Ice Age Trail and today I decided to start. I picked the Stony Ridge Segment that isn't too far away and was short enough for a day hike, when you double the distance considering I'll be walking out and back. It was going to be a hot day at 74 (hot is in comparison to 30s 2 days ago!) so I got an early start. This section starts in prairie and goes through forests. It's still early spring here so the trees just leafing out had such a delicate look and bright color. I learned that when the guidebook talks about eskers and kames, it means horrifically steep hills with loose stone to slip around on. I'd call my very first pair of hiking boots officially broken in now. The guidebook puts a round trip at 6.2 miles...my fitbit clocked 18555 steps for 7.62 miles, plus 37 flights of stairs!
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Post by elkhound on May 2, 2015 23:55:50 GMT
glad you are getting out and about..keep up the good work !
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Post by viggie on May 10, 2015 0:12:42 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 16, 2015 15:01:06 GMT
Wow, looks like some great hiking. I looked up the Trail and found that it is 1,000 miles long. Do you have a schedule for doing it or are you going to just work on it as it comes?
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Post by viggie on May 16, 2015 15:24:19 GMT
I am just going to do sections as I'm able. I have a map where I can log them as I go.
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Post by viggie on May 19, 2015 18:59:47 GMT
Finished the Scuppernog Segment yesterday. The map calls it 5.5 miles, but we took sidetrips to visit the campsite, a spring, and the Ottawa trailhead for a water/bathroom break. The fitbit counted it as 22,445 steps, for 9.22 miles. This one was the most challenging so far with tons of hills. The guidebook described them as a "rollercoaster of hills", which makes them sound way more fun than they really are. The fitbit called this an additional 94 flights of stairs. Gooey little spring Perties
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Post by viggie on May 19, 2015 22:11:15 GMT
Pretty columbines! Are you finding many ticks? All of the hikers are complaining that they a very bad this year. My mom found a couple on her clothing when she went with me. I must not be very tasty because all the time I've spent in shorts in the woods I've never picked up a tick.
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Post by Woodpecker on May 19, 2015 22:45:27 GMT
Thanks for sharing this with us, such beautiful pictures too.
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Post by Deleted on May 28, 2015 15:54:55 GMT
These are wonderful pictures! I hope you'll keep sharing. Have you always been a hiker or is this a new thing? And when you're done will you have actually walked it twice?
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Post by viggie on May 28, 2015 17:38:39 GMT
These are wonderful pictures! I hope you'll keep sharing. Have you always been a hiker or is this a new thing? And when you're done will you have actually walked it twice? Not quite twice. I'll be doing some of the longer sections in my moms neck of the woods with her. Then we are able to park at each end rather than walk out and back like I do when I'm alone.
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Post by feather on May 28, 2015 19:37:02 GMT
Viggie, thanks for the awesome pictures. You have an eye for composition!
I've been to some of those trails--parts of the Ice Age Trail. It felt good to see them pictured so nicely. Those were some of the most comfortable and peaceful moments in my life, walking them. (sometimes with kids or friends) The smell of the forest, especially the pine forest, the berries, the mushrooms were interesting, butterflies, birds....
What a really cool thing, that you want to walk the entire trail!!!!
At one point in my life, (which I'd like to get back to), I had to break in some shoes. If you cover your feet in Vaseline--not a little, then socks, then shoes or boots, it does give a little buffer. It helped me make it through the first 30 miles or 50 miles (a few weeks of walking).
There is a recent movie, Wild, '15. A woman walks the PCT Pacific Crest Trail. Viggie you are the WILD woman! I mean that in the most adventurous, encouraging and kind way. It is so contemplative. In '78 there were books and movies about "walking across America", then later, Forrest Gump, again walking walking walking.
Enjoy the trail. Thank you for the pictures.
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Post by feather on May 28, 2015 19:37:35 GMT
PS. the ticks are terrible this year.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 20, 2015 1:21:06 GMT
Love this thread and the pictures. Grew up not too far from Kettle Moraine.
Tim
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