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Tuesday, February 8, 2022

Oddly Fun! - Day 70

  Today did not go as planned, but we did some miles.

For starters, we tried to stage a car in Tar Hollow State Forest. I may have either traumatized Floridian Denali for life, or transformed her to a person who can deal with winter driving! We made it 3 miles up the road in Tar Hollow, weaving our way around fallen and partially removed trees in icy snow. Then there were trees completely blocking the road. We tried to take a better road out of there, but it was blocked too, so we had to drive all the way back out.

We picked another section of trail that seemed do-able, but weren't hiking until after 10 am. This section didn't sound too apealing. It consists of an active "haul road" up and down a hill, then some road walk, then another climb and a descent on a 4WD road that "frequently runs in a creek bed." OK.

So the first part, up and down the haul road, was a little challenging, but it was only a 200-foot climb. I'll give it that. We can testify that it is "active." Some large wheeled vehicle had clambered over the hill since this storm. And it was something really big, based on the size of the treads and the depths of the ruts and rocks it had to traverse. This is just the beginning. road in a gully

All we really have to say about that is that we don't have to do it again. Then we did the little road walk and climbed the next hill on a gravel road. We were rewarded with some nice views at the top. I think Pretty Run is at the bottom of this view. Pretty Run View

And the view west on the power line is toward Salt Creek Salt Creek View

We kept following the road, but it forked several times, keeping us on the main road. So we thought we would go straight at this junction. snowy road

However, the "traffic" had been turning down this gully. I was just saying, "Who would drive down that not knowing if you might have to back out again." road in a gully

Denali was looking up which way to go on the app, when I turned around and saw this. Down the gully it is! Lady Run road

The creek bed part of the description was real. This is the road. snowy road in a creek bed

But it wasn't very deep and there were almost always stones just at the surface to walk on.
walking a creek bed


I found it to be a lot of fun! Goofy, I know, but I'm still smiling.
walking a creek bed


Hocking Hills and Boch Hollow Trails are still closed. Tar Hollow says they aren't even going to send their trucks out to clear the roads until Monday. We are doing whatever pieces we can in between. It's short miles, but at least we are not sitting around all day not hiking at all.

Miles today: 8.1. Total miles so far: 918.3

See Scioto Smiles and Miles

2 comments:

Ann said...

You sure did have some fantastic views.

Sharkbytes said...

Ann- the benefit of hills!