Practice What I Preach

OM, I can't believe it has been so long since I posted, I even forgot I had started Blogger and I was thinking I would start up a blog.

The joys of being old I guess. I still hike, my big old dog finally passed away, but I still have my little cocker spaniel. I got a new computer that I hate, hate, hate. I can't get to Microsoft word because I don't remember my pass word and it keeps sending me another password on my phone that doesn't work, argh, I hate computer.

My favorite place to hike is now, Le- Aqua-Na State Park which is just north of Lena, Il. I think it's a hidden gem. Next year it will be closed for repair, for a whole year, but I can't wait to see it when it's done. There is some great mushroom finds there too. Try to see it before it closes for the year, and then you will get to see how it improves. My favorite little day hike is on this map, as D 1 through D 4. There seems to be hidden trails here and there, and they join up with horse trails at times too.

I am now 71, and really have trouble with one of my hips. At about 1 to 2 miles, I am in a lot of pain, and then it settles down, so I can only do about 3 miles now. Sucks getting old, but I know things can be much, much worse. My husband, now 81, can't hike with me at all anymore. So goes life. I am including a map for you all!

Visiting Cemetary and Gr. Gr. Grandparents

While on our way to Colorado, we stopped at Panora, Iowa where my Gr. Gr. Grandparents, Thomas and Nancy (Tilton) Auner are buried at the Bretheran Cemetary. Thomas in 1888 and Nancy in 1918. It was soooo windy, but glad I finally stopped there.

Hike Colorado November 2010

A trip to Colorado for the month of November 2010, made some room for some more nice hiking. It' s been a bad year for me to hike, just because I started this blog!! I won't give up, I don't think anyone reads this anyways, but here are some photos of us hiking at Red Feather, Colorado. It started out gray and gloomy but turned into a beautiful sunny day.

Update

Nothing I hate more than to get to a blog and find it is really outdated, so think I will just add something today.

What happened? My hiking really slowed down this summer, it became a misierable hot, hot summer here, with too much rain, lots of flooding in some of my favorite hiking spots. But, fall is here and I have started up again, I have been doing some hiking, but not as much as usual. I will post a few photo's. The new bike trai is now done between Spring Lake and Thomson, I heard it is really nice.

The pictures of the dogs are of mine, Duke the big Greater Swiss Mountain dog and Lacie my Cocker Spaniel. Both had a great time in the water and hiking at Thomson Causeway, in Thomson, Il. today, we did about three miles.

Keep hiking!!!

Side Trip Trails

If you want to tire yourself out, go to French Bluff Trails. They go forever and are very hilly, there is always one more hill! I use to think that some French Voyager must have stayed there, overlooking the Mississippi River valley, but found out that the people that donated the land, their last name was French.

The trail starts out by going up hill, and continues up hill until you get to the top of the bluff, you will hike about a 1 mile when you come to a large opening in a fence. At first I thought I could go no farther, but then learned that the No Trespassing signs is only the property to your left or west, and that is technically the side of the bluff with no trails. There are signs for you to follow, you can go straight or to your right, either way, it is one really big loop and a second loop at the end, that is all up and down. So it is a straight hike up the hill, then two loops in the woods on the top of the bluff. There is a small stream that flows over part of the trail in wetter weather when you get back into the woods, my dog appreciates it. There is one trail that goes off and crosses over another stream, if you get on that one, it is really a dead end, at least I haven't figured out how to get out of it. French Bluff is between Thomson, Il. and Argo Fay, Il. You can see signs for it off of Rt. 84 between Savanna, Il. and Thomson, Il. Going south on 84, French Bluff would be east. During hunting season, I won't hike there.

Construction Trail

This next stretch is not open for hiking. I hope to do this stretch later this summer or fall when it is done. The last photo was taken where the trail crosses over Riverview Road between Savanna and Thomson, Illinois. The new section will travel behind the Ingersol Wildlife Refuge Learning Center. What a great place to visit while on this hike! The people are so friendly and helpful. The kids will like the hands on activities and the taxidermy of our local wildlife spieces. It's a very nice building with modern bathrooms too. It is closed on the week-end.

GRT - Next Leg

The Great River Trail from Spring Lake near Savanna, Illinois to new construction. The new construction begins right near the rail road tracks. This section, is really very much the same as the first few miles. There are many dead and wind blown weed trees on either side of the trail here. This stretch runs pretty close and along side Highway 84. Photo's include, the trail and where this section is interupted by the new stretch which is in the process of being paved. At this point (construction) you would have to ride your bike (or walk) along the road, but there is a lot of parking area where you could walk or ride until you get to the next section of trail.