My Fantasy World

Found another fantasy map. Definitely an island with one access road. It has small peninsulas with cliffs jutting over the mainland on the right. Maybe the dark areas are swamps (I'll have to explore them) and I also see an ancient forest line. I think I'll just disappear into that world for while.

Maybe this is another island where things have begun to green up. Or maybe it's just an old dry turkeytail fungus with moss growing on it.

The red pines were wet from all the recent rain. It really makes them RED.

And another fungus that I've learned the name of. This is Crowded Parchment fungus, Stereum complicatum. It's supposed to be very common, although I don't think I see it as often as I see turkeytail.

So, what was I doing in the woods yet another day in a row? I shuttled Chris back to the trail this morning, and then walked with him a short way before turning around. I really need to get some work done here! But we had a great visit- getting acquainted a bit.

You know in my fantasy, I would have just kept walking.

But I did come home, and I got a lot done. Serious editing, some work on the lawn. A few more things are starting to bloom. The Tete-a-tete daffodils in the rock garden are looking good. I walked around all my garden spaces to see what's happening. Stay tuned.

Miles walked in 2026- 141.2
NCT Hike 100 Challenge- 43.1

North Country Trail, Lake County, MI. North from Timber Creek (AGAIN), 2 miles and back.

See A Great Day

What a Great Day!

  I worked hard in the morning, and then headed out for an afternoon on the trail. The North Country Trail, of course. Can a shadow look happy? I think this one does.

Almost immediately there was this lovely treat growing right beside the trail. Flowering dogwood, Cornus florida. The brach is arranged so gracefully.

The flowers aren't all the way open yet. I haven't ever caught pictures of it at quite this stage.

My next call to adventure was this interesting map. I haven't yet explored this world. OK... it's just a cut birch tree. But doesn't it look like a map of some ancient land with a sheltered bay and two small pointed hills?

There were four creeks I crossed. This is Bear Creek.

And Tank Creek. I actually camped over beyond the upper left corner in 2016 when I did a short backpacking trip here.

Speaking of backpacking, I met one fellow, Loren, who is hiking the whole Lower Peninsula. It's so very, very cool to find that there are more than a handful of people who are doing longer hikes on the NCT now.

I walked until I reached the mileage I wanted, and took a short rest on this log. And look! The sloth hiking team has been there. (You know, the ones who say, "We will get there when we get there.")

Mostly just came directly home, but I did take one little mile of new back road. Talk about a dream day! The temperature was just warm enough for no long sleeves, but not too hot. Things are really getting green. The sunshine made the water blue. Pretty darn wonderful!

I walked 10 miles, collecting info for the data book. Just 5 more Newaygo County miles to go (so 10 to hike them out and back). Total North Country Trail miles for 2021 is at 276.

In other news: I edited in the morning. I'm a little tired tonight- I didn't get to sleep until about 2 am, so I'll probably fall asleep early.

North Country Trail, Newaygo County, MI. Oak Savannah to north of Tank Creek and back. 10 miles total

See So Wrong About the Dogwood See another sloth face