Calhoun County Trailway

 I left Marianne's this morning. Always so much fun there. She thinks we hadn't done a picture of me with the NCT snowman, so we had to...

Of course, I wanted to stop and hike some NCT miles to break up the drive home. I forgot that this particular section is a wide dirt trail, the Calhoun County Trailway, but that's OK. And it's lined with junk vegetation, alien Tatarian Honeysuckle and Garlic Mustard. But I almost didn't care because things were starting to green up! Saw a big blue dragonfly, and another smaller one. I hiked in shorts and a t-shirt!

This is roughly parallel to the Kalamazoo River.

I went as far as this big bridge. Of course the trail goes into the woods just past here, but I needed to turn around.

And what is this bridge for, you ask? It carries the trail across a large, unnamed wetland (freshwater marsh) that drains into the river.

It's a premier day, because I identified a new-to-me plant. This little thing has been bugging me for a couple of years. It's alien, of course, but it's a cress. Hoary Bittercress, Cardamine hirsuta to be exact. It is edible as a salad green, so I'll have to watch for it around here. It's working its way north, and has supposedly been found in Mason County.

It has a dainty basal rosette.

The four petals convinced me it was a cress (member of the Brassicaceae- cabbage, mustard- family). But I needed a good picture of the rosette and the stem leaves to get the actual ID.

I'm saving half of this hike to share tomorrow. The road was closed to get to where I wanted to start, so I parked beside the road, walked one direction, came back and beyond, did the part I wanted to do, and came back to the car. The second piece is what I want to show you, but I have to do some research, so I'll save it.

I got off even the state highways as early as I could, to still make it home in time for bell practice. The trucks were just annoying me. Greening fields, farms, and small towns brought me joy. I did a modified version of one of my favorite activities. I didn't have time to not use a map and just drift north and west on any old road, so I used the atlas to stay on paved roads and not get "caught" on the wrong side of a lake or accidentally go through a large town.

Found myself crossing Hardy Dam. The water was blue, so I had to try for a "drive-by-shooting" picture.

I timed it perfectly. Got home just in time for bell choir practice.

Total miles hiked in 2024: 189.6 of which 69.6 is North Country Trail.

North Country Trail, railroad culvert bridge at Historic Bridge Park to wetland bridge in Calhoun County, MI and back. 3 miles

See Historic Bridge Park to Ott See A Visit to Hardy Dam

Finishing Calhoun County

  Another 8 mile day, but it was really easy. I finished Calhoun County and did just a little of Kalamazoo County. From where I started, the first thing I did was to cross the Kalamazoo River. A lot of the western part of the Battle Creek Linear Pathway isn't terribly scenic, but it's level and fast walking. Still much better than roadwalks. One little tilt of the head and no more traffic or industry, just the beauty of a blue and white sky. On the corner of the road where the trail leaves the Pathway is this lovely planter built into a sign. I enjoy this kind of scenery as much as the fully natural features. Both have merit. A little north from there, the trail goes onto the propery of the Fort Custer National Cemetery. This is a real privilege, to be allowed on the property. It also gives the trail 3 miles of lovely walking through woods and freshwater marshes. You know I'm a sucker for interesting patterns on the water. Tomorrow, I really have to go home. Sigh. I'm sure I'll live. Lots of projects awaiting me there! I'll have the Calhoun County Data Book on line in a couple of days.

Total NCT miles hiked 2020: 234

North Country Trail from Bedford Road in Battle Creek to Augusta, Michigan. 8 miles

See Truth is Stranger

Softshell Turtle

 
I stopped on the way north today and did some more checking of the North Country Trail between Albion and Battle Creek. This includes some nice riverwalk sections in Albion and Marshall. The river is the Kalamazoo River.



Some of it was a really nice raised boardwalk.



But the really best part was this sight. Can you tell what it is? Two logs with turtles on them. For right now, just look at the big ones.



I think this is the biggest softshell turtle I've ever seen. It's about 16-18 inches long.



For perspective look at the closer log. There are two painted turtles on the front of it- about 6 inches long. Then there are two softshells in the middle that are maybe a foot long. Then one of the monsters on the far end.



This is the closest look I've ever gotten at these guys! What do you think it's thinking?



I'm back at Chuck & Sylvia's tonight. Probably home tomorrow.

Total NCT miles for 2020- 205

See True Blue Gumby II

North Country Trail - Homer and Albion

 
Stopped and did a few more NCT miles in the small towns of Homer and Albion, Michigan on my way home. Both of these are urban pathways established after I had completed my miles through these towns.

In Homer, the trail follows the River Trail, and is also the Calhoun County Trailway and the Iron Belle Trail.



The river is the Kalamazoo River. Big water always looks nice, even in the brown seasons.



In town, there is a loop through Grist Mill Park. The huge mill used to be Homer's main historic attraction. But it burned down several years ago.



I thought this was interesting with a red-wing blackbird and a crow in the same tree.



Then I drove a few miles to Albion and followed the trail part way through town. It begins in the cemetery and curves north.



When it gets to Victory Park it becomes the Albion River Trail and curves along the Kalamazoo River, and past the Forks of the River where the North Branch of the Kalamazoo flows in.



I could have walked farther, but I was both starving and out of time. Got some lunch, and the timing was good because the rain began not long after that.

About 5 miles total... Hike 100 Challenge for 2020 is at 26 miles.

Home safe and sound. Now I have to get my head back in the "home mode."

North Country Trail in Homer and Albion, Michigan, about 5 miles

See Allegheny River Trail