Brownie Sets the Pace - Day 17

  I started out the day with Julie and Brownie. Brownie has lots of energy, and we were walking at 3.5 mph!

We headed into Ott Preserve, passing Hall Lake (not the same one as a few days ago). Notice what's different? Sun!

This bridge has a story to tell. Local hikers who walk with me can give me the inside scoop. Lousy picture into the sun, but you can see it's a big bridge. Would you believe that earlier this year it was under a foot of water?

The culprits? Beaver, who plugged up this culvert under the railroad line. It flooded that entire low place. While we were resting on a bench there, a county employee came by. Julie asked him how they unplugged it. He said they used jet-pressure hoses to blow the mud and sticks out of the culvert. The rail line is Amtrak, owned by the state of Michigan, and they participated, since the culvert is really theirs.

Speaking of culverts... this is the same rail line, but this beautiful double arched underpass is in Historic Bridge Park. I was there two years ago, and shared more pictures then. The small arch on the left is passage for a creek. The afternoon was a lot of roadwalk, but it wasn't all unpleasant. There was one nice curvy dirt road.

Later, I encountered a sad story being written. A row of large, old oak trees by the road is being taken down. I don't know why. Perhaps they were diseased, but it's going to make that corner very plain and boring.

It was extra sad because, look, there is a blaze on the tree they had just cut.

Julie also explained to me that some of the nice recreational facilities that have been built locally, a couple of which are along the trail, were provided by Enbridge to help mitigate the effects of their oil spill here a number of years ago. One of them is here at Saylor's Landing on the Kalamazoo River. Bathrooms (not in winter), picnic tables, boat launch, parking. Very nice amenities.

The day began by moving the trailer to its next location. Then Sue headed home for the weekend. Another nice location with people helping me everywhere!

Miles today: 15.7. Total so far this hike: 246. I have now hiked farther in a single hike than ever before. I also crossed I-94 and I-69 today. Will I feel epic soon?

See Battle Creek