Day Twenty-Two - Midland to Mackinac

 
Jumped the gun a little on the ending of the rain. Oh well. I walked in hard rain for an hour, but then things cleared up and the rest of the day was beautiful and warm.

Made it past the community of Aloha, and Aloha State Park.



This beautiful carving done in a stump is at the entrance to the park. Look at how even the roots are painted.


The trail swings by the shores of Mullett Lake, which is really large. After the rain cleared it was quite warm, so mist was rising from everywhere. It made the water and sky all swirl together, even with a distant shoreline.



I just liked this interesting little fungus on the end of a log.



In one place a large swath of white cedar needles had fallen across the trail. The pattern is fascinating.



Finally, both "tunnel" pictures I took today are inviting, with the sun shining through wet leaves. I think I like the first one better, but each has a unique feel.





My feet aren't crazy about these 14-mile days on the hard surface. Actually, the feet as a whole are fine, but the two toenails I'm losing are sore tonight. Neither one is quite ready to fall off yet.

People must have been waiting to pounce on a nice afternoon. By the time I turned around and started back, there were power boats on the lake, a kayaker, a bicyclist on the trail and another walker on the trail. She said she saw me go by her house in the rain on the way out.



Looks like the weather is going to cooperate tomorrow, but Wednesday may be a complete washout. I'm not walking in thunderstorms. We'll see what the sky actually produces. I'd like to try to pick up a bit of that missing section on the way home on Friday, but it has hardly stopped raining since the day the roads were flooded before. Probably, they haven't improved.

Forward progress: another 7 miles. Total miles walked today: 14 again. Total trail miles to date: 179. I haven't added up the total miles walked yet. I'll do that later.

	See Day Twenty-One
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Day Twenty-One - Midland to Mackinac

 
Today, I joined the North Eastern State Trail (NEST), a rail trail on the former Detroit to Mackinac railway bed. It has a crushed stone surface instead of pavement. I'm never sure this is really easier on the feet. Maybe. It wasn't heavy rain, but it rained pretty much the whole time. The damp air held the aromas close. Loved the smell of pine and hemlock, with an occasional spray of balsam.

Anyway, I had to switch my brain from paying attention to the trail to something else. How about this little stretch of beauty? (most of the trees haven't turned this much yet.)



Even though this is a developed trail, this section felt very remote (except for the dead straight line). I guess once you get on it, following the M2M trail, you aren't supposed to need much reassurance. I saw two or three trail markers the whole way.



There were actually quite a few interesting wetlands along the route, and I didn't have to wade any of them. You'll have to take my word for it that there's a kingfisher in this picture!



New England Aster is one of the nicest fall wildflowers.



And at this spot I disturbed a great blue heron both times I walked by.



I think I saw a coot flying, and I just listened to some voice recordings, and am pretty sure that's what I heard in another place.

Caught some ducks in flight, although it's a terrible picture. I'm posting it only because I don't think they are mallards. I think they are blue-wing teal. Love seeing less common things!



So, what does one think about while walking almost 15 miles in an absolutely straight line? I prayed for everybody I could think of. I figured out if it was going to be possible to finish all but the 17 miles of trail in the middle that I skipped because the roads were flooded. The answer is: I can get to Mackinaw City, but I'll have to come back to get those miles in the middle.

I was thinking about going home tomorrow, since I can't finish anyway. But I decided to ask the motel if they'd give me a discount rate if I stayed till Thursday. They did, so that helps offset the cost of another tank of gas to get all the way back up here.

But, no matter how you slice and serve it, 58 more miles (if I have to walk both directions) on a perfectly straight trail is kind of boring. When I got back to my computer I checked on public transportation from Mackinaw City to Cheboygan. That would be a really long walking day, but I could do it. I'm waiting for a response to my question, because their web app says you can only go from Cheboygan to Mac City. What? That seems too weird.

Forward progress on the trail 7.4 miles. Total miles walked 14.8. Total trail miles to date: 172 and a squirt. I'm happy to tell you I never lost the trail at all! But I am losing another toenail.

	See Day Twenty
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