Mecan Segment Part 1 - Flowers and Showers

While perusing the Thousand Miler Wannabe Facebook page I saw a post from Natalie about the wildflower explosion on the Mecan segment of the Ice Age Trail and decided that was the place I needed to be hiking on Saturday morning.

After a short day at work on Friday I headed north to the tiny town of Hancock and set up camp at Tomorrow Wood Campground.  I got a site for $25 a night, quite the sticker shock for the gal who is used to paying $12 or $15 for a site at a Wisconsin state park where I get a site as big as some folks' back yards.  However, the campground is nicer than the one run by the city and cheaper than the nearby KOA.  They have 170 sites but most look seasonal and some look kind of permanent.  Toward the back is where the short stay sites appear to be located, along with the shower building.  Most sites had a picnic table but mine did not, but I chose it for its location away from other campers and its openness which I correctly assumed I wouldn't have to be fighting off mosquitoes or ticks.  The tent sites are right next to the road, but there was no traffic so the only sounds I heard that night were cows mooing from a nearby farm.  The shower building that services the back 50+ sites is ancient and the ladies consisted of two toilets and two showers...and one outlet.  They were fairly clean but they should look into updating since one of the toilets was so decrepit I couldn't tell if it was clean or not and used the other one.  The owners were very friendly and free wifi was available down at the office where lots of folks came in and out to get ice cream cones.  Not a destination campground in my opinion, but overall it was good.

In the morning I was up early and in the parking lot trying to figure out what to take and what to leave behind.  I'd tossed out a comment on FB hoping for a shuttle back, but wanted to make sure I was adequately supplied if I decided to do the whole 7.2 miles and then have to walk the roads back.   I bought an Osprey pack almost a year and a half ago now in anticipation of doing an overnight hike (that still hasn't happened) and I brought it along to give it a test run.  I had plenty of room leftover for my Kelty air mattress and my tent even with tucking camera lenses into the outer pouches and the pack was very comfortable for hours.  Now I just need to plan an overnight hike...

Right away the segment switched from grassy to a more open sandy feel which left me free from worrying about ticks and mosquitoes for awhile.  I saw Hoary Puccoon, Yarrow, Hawkweed, Prairie Rose and other wildflowers but knew from Natalie's post that the big show was yet to come.

A big erratic on the side of the trail as I headed into the woods

The trail cut in to a piney woods for a short time where a bench big enough for an ogre was located outside of a dispersed camping area.  I'm hoping to get up to Cross Plains and the IATA headquarters soon and maybe they can help me figure out a good way to take advantage of one of these sites and plan that overnight hike...preferably when tick and skeeter season winds down.

When I emerged from the pines, this is what I found.

The hills were alive, not with the sound of music, but with wildflowers!  Hoary Alyssum, Tufted Vetch, Butter and Eggs, Clover, Hawkweed and more sprawled across the rolling terrain.

Butter and Eggs, just look, don't eat!

Each hill I topped showed a different array of color combinations and the trail markers led me on.

The sky continued to darken as I lingered with the flowers and I realized that the rain might be coming early.  Sure enough, as soon as I crossed the flower field the rain started coming down and I had to cover my camera, then myself, then my pack.  Onward I marched through a connecting grassland, the wet grass soon soaking me up to my hips but I kept my head down and plodded on.

When I crossed Chicago Road I entered the Mecan Springs State Natural Area but with the rain still coming down there wasn't much time for looking around.

I did pause long enough to pull out my iPhone and get a picture of the trail log, which is the first time I've seen one on the IAT.

Inside was an inscription from Natalie herself, which brought a smile to my face and I added my own entry behind hers.

The rain was winding down and a quick look at my weather app showed that I might be in the only section of Wisconsin that wasn't going to be nailed with storms all day so I relaxed a little.  Not so much that I took advantage of a mattress someone had tossed out next to the trail though.

Just dumping it?  Did someone come out and lay on the hillside to enjoy the views of the headwaters of the Mecan River below?  Who knows.

There were signs at the beginning of the SNA about ticks, and sure enough, when I stopped to take this picture three jumped on me looking for a ride.

Steep hillside

Luckily I spotted them and no more tried to join me as I continued on, well, at least not for a few miles since I exited the woods shortly afterward.

This guy wouldn't shut up!  Noisy!

I'll share the rest tomorrow, too many pictures for just one post!

Save Something For Our Children

I was watching TV this morning and happened upon a show called "Saving My Tomorrow".  The HBO series is a collection of songs, activism and tips on protecting the Earth, featuring readings and performances by Tina Fey, Lennon and Maisy, Ziggy Marley, Stephin Merritt, Liam Neeson, Willie Nelson, Susan Sarandon, Neil deGrasse Tyson, They Might Be Giants, Jeffrey Wright and more.

Mural in Reno park

Throughout the film, kids share their concerns about the damage that is being done to the planet, endangered animals, climate change and more. Saving My Tomorrow combines science, animation and music to celebrate nature and is a “call from kids to kids to help take care of the planet.”

Why am I sharing this with a kid themed mural from that long ago trip to Reno for Monday Mural today?  Because the episode we happened upon was talking about the coral reef and then went to a kid produced music video that slammed the oil industry.

Oh, yes.  You know I'm linking it in!  It might be one of the best things I've ever seen.

Good News, Sunny Days

Just a short one today to let the news out that I alluded to the other day.

A prairie wonderland 5 minutes from my house

Wayne's back pain has worsened again and he had an MRI to determine whether things had deteriorated further and surgery was necessary.  The good news is his spine is the same hot mess, no better, no worse.  The bad news was they found a spot on his liver and told him to schedule an ultrasound.

The summer bloomers are starting to emerge

He had the ultrasound today and the tech told him immediately that there was nothing to worry about, it was just a cyst.  A call a few hours later confirmed this.  Another bullet dodged.  This is why he is planning to retire at 55.  You just never know when your health might prevent you from doing what you want to do.

Sunny days ahead!

As for the situation with his back I will be calling the pain management physician on Monday to set him up for injections again.  I'm happy to report no new medical dilemmas for any one else in the family.  Do what you can to take care of yourselves and spend less time worrying about how clean your house is and get out and enjoy the world, Folks!  Wayne is celebrating tonight with a few beers with his friends and tomorrow no work so he plans to get the pontoon boat out on the water for the first time this season before he has to go back to work on Sunday...and of course I'm heading out to Hancock to tackle a new section of the Ice Age Trail.  What are you doing this weekend?

The Trail Less Traveled at Whitefish Dunes and Dreaming of Exotic Places

I've talked about Whitefish Dunes State Park on the blog a couple of times, and I'll admit to favoring it over the more popular Penninsula State Park in Fish Creek.

With all my hopping around the state lately I kind of missed the Trillium blooming so seeing them at Whitefish Dunes last week was a real treat.  They were at peak and there were a ton of them near the parking lot and nature center.

Also in abundance right at the trailhead was Early Meadow Rue, its tiny tassel-like flowers shimmering in the breeze off Lake Michigan.

I decided to take the less traveled Black trail which briefly passes through the neighboring county park.  Highlights included lots of Wild Sarsaparilla and slabs of limestone practically paved the trail.

Wild Sarsaparilla blossoms

There was also some ferns that were airy and delicate, a few Starflower blooming, and evidence of large patches of Wood Betony that have already shed their yellow petals.

This is the last (finally) of my recent Door County photos, but more Wisconsin wandering is on the horizon, including a trip in the fifth wheel to Hudson next week with Wayne.

Starflower

In my last post I talked about a seeming lack of adventure in my travels lately and Nickie mentioned exotic travel locations as a way to spice things up, which made me think of my exotic travel "wish list".  Since Wayne doesn't like to fly who knows when or if I will go to any of these places, but I do have a few places I'd love to explore if the opportunity arose and here they are in no particular order:
(Let me know if you're looking for a travel companion to any of the same places I want to go!)

Puerto Rico
Ireland, England and Scotland
Rome and Pompeii
Machu Pichu
Paris, Lyon and Carcassonne in France
Prague
Amsterdam

And I just discovered there is a museum in Chicago I've never heard of on the University of Chicago campus called the Oriental Institute which looks like it has some amazing pieces.  No airfare needed!  Katrina and her boyfriend are going to Chicago this weekend, but I'll save a trip to the city for cooler days.  I actually have concocted a plan to camp in a suburban area with easy access to a shorter train ride so I can explore some of the museums and architecture over a couple of days, and who knows, maybe by the time I get around to it Wayne will come along too!

What exotic locations are you dreaming of exploring?

Repeating Scuppernong Springs?

I'm playing catch-up on blog reading (AGAIN) and a post that Mark wrote struck a chord with me.  In it he asks is it just him or are RV blogs being more like fruit cocktail, a little bland and repetitious?

White Campion, Scuppernong Springs

Same places, same observations, little new to say, I have been struggling with this phenomenon myself and have been blaming it on the fact that my "adventures" have lacked in true adventure lately...but I've been distracted by personal family issues that always feel too personal to share with the whole world also.  No lack of excitement there, but not necessarily the kind that makes for interesting reading.  No one wants to hear about our doctor appointments or petty arguments, it's about as interesting to those not involved as grocery shopping or laundry.

Hoary Puccoon and Spiderwort make good companions

Of course there has been no end to the array of adventures I've had in losing things lately.  Did I mention I lost a brand new Columbia hoodie when I recently went to Door County?  I'm not sure whether to blame the sudden string of disappearances on advancing age related memory problems or the fact that it's possible I'm just carrying too much crap around with me these days.  Remember when I was content to have a sleeping bag and a tent and a lightly packed camera bag?  No wonder I keep losing things, the list of gear I'm toting around now is kind of embarrassing.

The lovely Pink Prairie Rose was a new one for me

I didn't bring anything except my iPhone on a recent trip to Scuppernong Springs with my co-worker on our day off.  I might have just walked the trail 2 months ago but it felt like I was somewhere completely different with all the different plants, especially in the hilly area above the springs. I was extra careful when we got to the spring where I had dropped my iPhone just two months ago.  That bit of carelessness ended up costing me $150.00.  And my recent hike where I lost my car key resulted in a lot of water exposure to its replacement so hopefully I won't be repeating replacing it.

Recent news in the blogosphere from others has me thankful that these are the kinds of things I have to complain about.  Aside from some minor aches and pains I have my health and am grateful for it and want to continue to capitalize on it while I can.  Money is not something that is an issue for us at this time in our life either.  The unsung benefit of not being "young" anymore!


Finding fresh inspiration is tough, which is a reason I started reading more again.  Hopefully I'm inspiring someone else at least until mine kicks in again.  Anyone know what the flower colony above in the middle of the springs is?

Purple Coneflower Majesty

This morning I wanted to go for a run (for the first time in almost 3 weeks) and I remembered the kame at Glacial Park just across the border in Illinois.  The loop trail out and back is about 2.5 miles which was perfect.

I was only a little out of breath when I reached the top...but then I saw the side of the second "hump" in the kame was covered in Coneflower and what little breath I had was taken away.

I didn't have my camera with me so tonight I dragged Cory out there with me to get some shots in the late day light.

It was a really good day today, temps just barely 70F with low humidity and a light breeze.  After my run I couldn't bear to go in the house so I finished moving some plants around in my garden.  When you live in the Midwest you've got to enjoy it while you can, the humidity will be back with a vengeance soon I imagine.

I fertilized a few weeks ago with a natural fertilizer from Gardens Alive and it really seemed to make a difference.  This week when I transplanted I mixed some peat moss in to break up the clay and sprinkled a little composted manure around too.  It's been raining a little almost every day for a week and everything is so lush.

Of course that means the housework I keep putting off still isn't done, but thanks to my new washer and dryer I'll never be behind on laundry again!

Cory and I timed our walk perfectly and got to watch the sunset as we drove back home.  And when we got back there was a pot of beef stew on top of the stove for dinner.

Last night I watched the season finale of"Games of Thrones" and finished the new season of Netflix's "Orange is the New Black".  They both had pretty amazing finales, anybody else out there watching?
I've got a couple of library books on my Kindle that I've got to get busy reading...any excuse not to get around to that housework!

Author! Author!

For my contribution to Monday Mural here's one from back when Katrina was still going to school in Eau Claire.   There was a bookstore with this author themed mural.

I've read Kurt Vonnegut and Mark Twain, but nothing by Jane Austen.

I've been reading a lot on my Kindle lately including "Revival" by Stephen King, "Sisterland" by Curtis Sittenfeld. "Passage" by Justin Cronin, and the "Wayward Pines" trilogy too.  What have you read recently?