Sunday Hike

I've been so busy lately, I haven't had much time for updating. Two weeks ago I hiked through White Water State Park 100 miles south of Minneapolis. It was a bit of a drive, but was quite enjoyable. I hiked up two different bluffs and got to enjoy some nice scenery. The only thing i wish is that there had been less people on the trail. It seemed quite busy. And there was a group of people at the park facility having some kind of party blasting music and it could be heard through most of the park.. Just a bit annoying. Not the peaceful hike I was hoping for.. but it did have it's moments of solitude. I'm hoping to return someday when it won't be so busy.

Last weekend I went back to the Minnesota Valley Wildlife Refuge Louisville Swamp Trail. I did a bit of drawing.. not as much as I liked due to ticks getting on me and my supplies. I was carrying far too much with me this time too. Backpack with two bottles of water, bug spray, two sketch books, art supplies, camera, large case of pastels, and my tripod. I'm not sure what I was thinking.. but it seemed like a good idea at the time. So after a short break of sketching, I figured I'd head down another path I hadn't previously hiked on. It was quite nice, a variety of prairie, forest, and swamp like land. Not a whole lot of wildlife other than a crane and some geese. After awhile on the trail I came upon glacial rock, a massive rock in the middle of a prairie. I really wish there had been some kind of information post explaining how it got there.. It really seemed so out of place. I continued down the path and noticed a sign mentioning the ones trails bridge was out, but I was on a overgrown road that seemed as though it were heading in the proper direction so I followed along this road. I traveled for about a mile and a half or so until I came upon someones private property.. I really didn't want to head back from where I came because my water was running out. I wandered through what looked like a path on the property... not a good idea.. but I thought it was the best thing I could do. I passed through some pine trees and over some barbed wire. I noticed an old broken down road that seemed to have been abandoned for some time and then I noticed a big run down house.. I figured I had had enough adventure for that day. I turned around and noticed a different road, so I walked on that for a while and eventually wound up by the interstate I had driven on to get to the trail. It was after midday and I was in the wide open hiking next to the interstate with the sun beating down upon me. My water unfortunately ran out, so I had to stop and rest several times. I was completely spent and I'm sure the people driving past me at 65/70 mph thought I was a crazy person. I traveled next to the interstate for nearly 3 miles and when I finally saw the road I turned off on to go the trail, I was almost unable to move. My left leg was locking up on me and didn't wish to move anymore. Other cars passed me by and eventually I just came to a stand still for about 8 minutes or so. When I looked down I noticed a rusty old coin. I bent down and picked it up. It was a rusty old quarter from 1985 (my year of birth) I just kept thinking of what are the odds of that? That I would take a wrong path and tire myself out and then happen to stop at this very point and find a quarter with my birth year. I felt there was something to it, so I pocketed it and then when I looked back down, I noticed a penny lying face down.. I decided that this other penny was perhaps for someone else... I know it sounds strange.. but that is just how it made me feel. I eventually reached my car and was really hurting. Luckily I always keep a few bottles of water in the car. After that I went home and passed out in bed. I'm still pretty swore. Turns out I hiked about 9 miles. It's my personal best so far... but for now.. I think 8 miles will be my max when I plan my hikes.. and no more taking fake "possible" trails for me haha. Though I did enjoy the adventure of it all.

Not sure where I'm off to next weekend. Time will tell.

Hope all is well with everyone else in the world.