at homeMay 2014 To try to be ready for high places, which terrify me, I clean the windows on the third floor of my house, leaning out one sash window to get to the adjacent one. I’m not sure I’m getting the hang of it, this going up high stuff. I have to ask my… Continue reading Practicing
Author: asiwentwalking
Proper Camping
Great Smokey Mountains National ParkTennesseeJuly 1998
Mount Kaboom
Mount MagazineArkansasJune 2012 The origin of the name Mount Magazine comes in a rather uninspired way. Seems that in the old days, French explorers were making their way around this area when a landslide occurred. One of the Frenchmen exclaimed, “Great leaping toadstools! That sounds just like an ammunition magazine exploding,” or words to that… Continue reading Mount Kaboom
The Cheaha Shuttle
Cheaha MountainAlabamaNovember 2013 None of the hiking trails on Cheaha Mountain take you to the summit. They all bypass it or end on a road which requires at least a half mile of pavement walk. The best hiking route I can find is the Lake Trail. Since this is a linear trail, out and back,… Continue reading The Cheaha Shuttle
A Preponderance of Dogs
Mount FrissellConnecticutMay 2014 Continuing, we are not even a quarter of a mile in on our summit hike and already we have encountered a number of dogs, a preponderance of dogs, one might say. A pack of dogs. If they were emus, I would have to say a mob of emus. Or eagles, as sometimes… Continue reading A Preponderance of Dogs
Lots of Snakes
WikieupArizonaMay 2018 I read a report about Wikieup, Arizona. I quote the author. “Wikieup is famous for being the rattlesnake capitol of Arizona, but this fact is not advertised much …” To which I say, “If it’s not advertised much, then it’s not famous for being the rattlesnake capitol of Arizona.” Wikieup however, may not… Continue reading Lots of Snakes
What to Do With an Alligator
Myakka River State ParkFloridaFebruary 2002 Here we are on the Myakka River State Park on the Gulf coast of Florida. We’re on a five-day backpack trip. To get here we drive across the broad peninsula of the Sunshine State on a highway ribbon called Alligator Alley. We are treated to sightings of crane, egret, pelican,… Continue reading What to Do With an Alligator
Trail Hog
Theodore Roosevelt National ParkNorth DakotaMay 2015 There are four trails I wish to do today, each under three miles in length. My first two hikes go swimmingly. It is during the third hike, on the Jones Creek Trail in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, that I run into an impediment. I hadn’t intended to end my… Continue reading Trail Hog
She Can Dance If She Wants To
Rachel Carson TrailMay 2019 Here is Lisa, breaking it down on a bridge on the Rachel Carson Trail. There was the time we were on the North Country Trail and she almost stepped on a snake. Her reaction was totally unplanned, and entertaining. She danced, oh yes, but this was no ordinary dance. Rather… Continue reading She Can Dance If She Wants To
Rabbits
Cerbat Foothills Recreation AreaArizonaMarch 2019 We have bunny rabbits back home, cute, furry little hoppers. Today’s hike is on the Monolith Garden Trail, some distance up the road from Wikieup, Arizona and Nothing, Arizona. Here we find black-tailed jackrabbits, giants compared to our hometown bunnies. I’m told they grow up to 13 pounds but I… Continue reading Rabbits