Truth is Stranger

  Today I was hiking a section of the North Country Trail. I was on a small piece of sidewalk that connects a couple of prettier segments. A woman came up to me and asked my name. Well! It turns out that she is Gail "Chosen" Lowe, who has hiked the entire North Country Trail. This is still a pretty small group (only 19 people). She thought she recognized me. It took me a minute to recognize her. We hadn't actually met before, and last I knew she did not live in Battle Creek, so I was very surprised. She picked me up at the end of my hike to take me back to my car, and also treated me to dessert and a cold drink. Trail magic! The temperatures today were wonderful, and most of the trail was lovely. I started where I ended on Thursday, at the Ott Biological Preserve. Next was a bit more on the Calhoun County Trailway, where a four-legged hiker was sharing the space with me. Then the short sidewalk connection, including a bridge over the rail yard of the Canadian National line. That is where Gail spotted me. Very shortly after that the trail joins the Battle Creek Linear Pathway which winds through the city along the Kalamazoo River. Except that it's a lot of miles of pavement, this is mostly a beautiful walk. One really neat sculpture commemorates the Underground Railroad. On one side of the wall are the people walking away from the south toward freedom. As they are passing through the "secret" door, they enter the north and meet those who will help them along the way. Gail is going to spot me again tomorrow, so I'll not only be able to finish Calhoun County, but I'll get a start on Kalamazoo County.

Total NCT miles hiked in 2020: 226

North Country Trail, Ott Biological Preserve to Battle Creek Bedford Road parking, 8 miles

See Four NCT End to Enders See Meet James See Luke Jordan See Dan & Ruth Dorrough