A Tritute to Sweet Jade

 
I've had the computer running for a few hours now. Did critical things like writing and combining the parts I've written with various technologies (some pencil and paper) into a cohesive narrative.

So, in case it craps out again, I've done the priority things, so will try a blog post.

Ester's sweet dog, Jade crossed the rainbow bridge on Wednesday. We had some good times together.



They helped spot me for a number of hikes.



This picture was taken soon after she came to live with Ester.



Jade stayed with me off and on a few times. She wasn't big on walks, but we went outside at least.



She was not intent on being an alpha dog- she just wanted to be friends.



Rest in peace, Jade.

In other news: errands, car fix, computer fix (maybe), worked at Shagway, melted in the heat.

	See I'm a good girl I am
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Friend Fun

 
Short visit this one, but we will maximize the fun as much as possible around work.



Went for a not-so-colorful tour of some back roads today. A few places have some nice trees, but this year really just isn't very good for autumn splendor.

We stopped at the South Branch of the Lincoln River, on a road that no longer goes through.



Also snapped a shot of Lincoln Lake, where the river flows to.



The actual destination? Food. Like a Hot Fudge Double Cherry Cherry Fritter Sundae at House of Flavors. We split one and brought half home anyway!



Jade's treats were less spectacular. They weren't even treats! Just dog food kibbles hand fed, but she was happy.



Accountability Report:
Worked all day.
Figured out another needed transition for Dead Mule Swamp Druggist but did no writing.

	See North Branch Lincoln River
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My Kind of Crazy

 
Ester and I are those two about whom people say, "What the heck are they up to now?"

This visit must come to an end, but with the next one already planned it's easier to say a temporary "so long." Jade likes to come too. Look at that smile!



It was nice that Ester stayed through most of today, but I had to work in the morning. She came for a tour and liked seeing the machines. We had a few more hours, then I had to go to handbell practice and writers' group. That got her on the road at a good time so she was home before dark.

I know I've shown a lot of sunrise and sunset pictures lately, but today's sunrise was spectacular. (I watched it while hanging clothes on the line- are you impressed?)


Work in the morning. Since the last sleep was short I think I need to get to bed soon.

	See Making Hay Despite the Sun
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Too Much Fun to Blog

 
Ester is here. We are just having fun, even though it was too hot to move. We went out for burgers, and had ice cream at home.



We watched a movie and Jade watched us.



I know this isn't a high quality post, but having Ester here IS high quality, so I'm going to stop writing and get back to enjoying our friendship.

	See Saved by the Clouds and Ester
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Some Favorite People Pictures of 2016

 
It will be obvious that I didn't take two of these, since I'm in them. And there were some events where I didn't get any pictures.

But these are some of my favorite people events of 2016. I actually, for a change, can pick the very best of all. This happened in September, when I got to hike with my good friends Dan and Ruth as they finished walking the entire North Country Trail. This was in North Dakota, and you can sure see how happy they were.

After that, the rest are presented in chronological order. I can't really rank them.

In June, Marie and I took my little camper to make our continuing section hike on the Buckeye Trail a little easier. I like this picture because it's a look forward to when I hope to be able to spend more time in the trailer, and I'm always super happy doing anything with Marie.

In July, Ester, with sidekick Jade, began spotting me to hike more miles in Ohio. I love this picture taken at a park in Cincinnati. Ester says she's happy to get to play with me even if she can't walk. Jade loves the trips and attention, and I get to walk and see both of them.

In August, Ester and I went to Ohio again. It was hot, hot, hot, but on the last day we happened to run into a Buckeye Trail volunteer who had also helped me a number of years ago in southern Ohio! Neither of us is going to win any beauty contests here. My hair was soaked with sweat, I was one mile from finishing that whole section and my feet were killing me. But I think you can tell that it didn't matter. We were also happy, happy, happy.

Later in August, I attended a bridal shower for a young friend, Valory. Some of her guests were too young to know what it was all about, but they were having a good time. The girl on the left is the granddaughter of another long-time friend of ours. Tempus fugit.


Finally, a favorite work photo from September. This was the day we were all sent to the park to help set up for the boat show, and we were feeling goofy. This was the result.

I'm not much of a people person, but some of them mean a lot to me!

(Once again, if your picture isn't here don't make ANY assumptions except that I didn't end up with a picture I really like. Maybe you'll get lucky next year.)

Although I couldn't catch its picture, an eagle flew over our field today. Perhaps it's a good sign.

	See 2016 Pictures Month by Month
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12.5 for a Total of 57 Miles

 
Today went quickly. It was warmer, but not uncomfortably so. There wasn't as much of interest to look at, so I just have a few pictures.

We did have one interesting people interaction. More on that tomorrow. But the people we met took a picture of us.



The best wildlife picture was a pack of turkey vultures. Not terribly scenic. They were guarding something run over by a soybean harvester.



The house of the day is a barn. Nicely kept up, but you can tell it's old. Look at the slate roof.



Finally... just for a chuckle. These arrows were painted on the roads quite frequently. Something to do with underground lines. But it could just as easily be the hiker's dream for the end of the day- turn it 90 degrees... a wine bottle and a roof.



We are now back at Ester's. It started pouring about an hour ago, so we snuck this hike into a perfect weather slot.

All of Northern Ohio on the Buckeye Trail is complete. All I have left to do are 60 miles in the southeast. Those will be hiked in the spring. Tomorrow it's back to work.

	See 14.9 Miles
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14.9 Miles and a Stong Opinion

 
Day three did not feel very good, but I got 'er done! My legs were very tired in the morning, and one stretch in the middle did not help. More about that in a minute.

The day was mostly overcast, but a little warmer than yesterday. Still mostly through farm country. Largely soybeans and corn. The soybeans are being harvested. In fact, as I write this a huge combine is clearing the field right in back of the campground. Hope he finishes before we want to go to bed!

But I did pass a few typical farm animals. Good old Holsteins... the standard cow of my childhood.



And some quakers are always good for a chuckle or two.



The day gave yet another bonsai offering.

And my faithful support crew decided to come meet me one stop before the end, so I slack packed the last mile and a quarter with only my camera and belt pack. Pretty cushy!



That last mile was one of the nicest of the day. It went through Spencer Lake Wildlife Area. The color is just beginning on the shores of the lake, and it was very pretty.



I thought there wasn't going to be a house of the day, and it isn't actually on the trail. But as we were driving back to camp this beauty appeared on a corner. It's even for sale. I'd like to buy every wonderful old house in the world like this and fix them up. I know... totally unrealistic, but I love old houses. Please notice I accidentally captured myself taking the picture not once but twice in the lower left.



Now for the middle of the day. It was only two miles (plus a detour), but it wasn't much fun. That's not something I'd usually say about off-road trail. It was through Findley State Park. I've talked myself into giving them 4 points out of 10, but until I got almost all the way through it was only going to be 1 point.

That first point is for allowing the Buckeye Trail to come through and be off road. That's good.

The trail from the road into the park was terrible. It had been slash logged and the debris just run down with a bulldozer and left. That makes terrible footing... all you can do is stumble through. Then I got to the first parking area. Nicely marked, good signage and blazing. That's the picture I put on Facebook earlier today. Wrong. You follow that trail to the right (as it says), and it leads you to a valley where there is no blaze anywhere. So the map said the trail goes south. There was a trail going south, so I took it. After two disc golf cages and one tee, without a single blaze, I pulled out my phone and got my location on Google. Sure didn't look like I was on the trail I was supposed to be on. I considered bushwhacking east to the trail I wanted, but I'd already been in knee-deep poison ivy and the terrain looked like there was another valley between me and where I wanted to be. Could have been a swamp in the bottom of that. So I backtracked. Hunted the area where the blazes ended even harder, but there was no other blaze.

Went right back to the sign where the blazes said turn right. But now I knew that the trail I wanted was to the left. So I turned left and found that in just 10 feet or so. Not marked as Buckeye Trail, but it matched where I should be on my map. I took it.

It is also the park's mountain bike trail. OK. In the first place, mountain bikers aren't crazy about having to watch out for hikers. Hikers aren't crazy about having to watch out for bikers. It was a great trail for the bikes. Lots of steep hills, curves, roots and bumps. Not so nice walking. I suspect it was the bike trail first. The BT should be given a different route.

Next issue. The park had nice new trail maps at every junction with your location labeled, etc. But they don't match the map on the Buckeye Trail maps. And, the park has named two trails "Buckeye something else" that aren't the Buckeye Trail. If you took those, you'd end up somewhere completely wrong. Finally made it to the crossing of the creek that drains the lake. Here's where they started to pick up the extra 3 points I'll give them.

Point #2 was for two good bridges. One across the creek and one across a swampy area.

Point #3 was for getting the Buckeye Trail off the bike trail and having it pretty well marked on the east side of the park.

Point #4 was for having the turn to leave the park well marked.

Anyway, by the time I got through that little section it was past my lunch time and I still wasn't halfway for the day. This does not make me a happy hiker. So I had a snack, walked another hour and then had my lunch. Ester and Jade drove by, and cheered me up. Then I walked the last five miles of the day.

Oh yes, and had to plastic bag the clothes I was wearing and wash up really well when we got back to camp. Ivy is pretty dried up for the season, but I don't dare chance ignoring it.

So, there you have today's long saga. Only one more day for this trip. That always makes me sad.

	See Day Two
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The Next Adventure Begins

 
Ester, Jade and me in her house sized tent. In Ohio. Stay tuned.



We have now survived three tests of a relationship in two trips- first trip we set up a brand new tent in the rain and did not kill each other.

Tonight we set up the tent in the dark.

True friendship is grand!

	See It's Ohio Again
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The August Visit to the Creek

 
I used to walk down to the cemetery creek almost every day with Maggie. Then a big tree fell across the gully I use to get down to the water level. It's too big for me to clear by hand. And then there wasn't Maggie any more. I haven't been going down there much at all lately even though it's so pretty.

But Jade's stamina is improving and I decided we should make a longer loop today that included the creek. It was a bit of a challenge with her on a leash, but we made it to the water.



The deer, of course, visit all the time.



What did Jade think? She got a drink like any sensible dog. She wasn't prissy about getting her feet wet, but she didn't feel the need to lie down in the water or roll in the mud. As I keep saying, she's a really good dog.



So our loop today had to be pretty close to a mile, and she didn't poop out near the end at all.

More yard work, especially in the evening when it was cooler.

	See Sinuous
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