From the Woods

I got myself out to my section of trail today to do some general cleanup. What I did was very easy- flicked sticks off the trail and clipped some encroaching branches. No problems to report. I have a few pix of interesting things from today, and a couple from the other day.

This is the bottomland hardwood swamp along one section of my trail. I know I've showed it to you when there is lots of water, and also when it is dry. But here it is in between all full of mud. The plants love it.

This small paper wasp nest must have come down in the wind we've had the last couple of days. Oddly, when I flipped it over, it's completely hollow- no hexagonal cells. I don't know if they somehow broke out, or the wasps never finished the nest.

This is wintergreen, Gaulthera procumbens, in bloom. Usually you see the red berries which last for months, so finding the flowers is nifty.

I found yet another blue/purple mushroom. I'm NOT a mushroom expert, but I think with the white gills and smooth stalk in the second picture that is has to be Purple Brittlegill, Russula atropurpurea.

Finally, this is just fun. Every once in a while a plant will produce variegated leaves. This is an oak sapling. I love it! Once, before digital photos, I found a variegated poison ivy. I wonder if I have a picture of it somewhere.

The trail work took all afternoon. I got some editing done in the morning, but didn't get out of bed fast again, so other things slipped through the cracks.

My dad would have been 122 today, and he died 50 years ago yesterday. I can hardly believe that.

Miles walked in 2026: 238.2
Hike 100 Challenge: 86 miles
Onekama Challenge: 50 miles.

North Country Trail, Lake and Mason Counties, Freesoil TH to Koenig Rd and back. 6 miles.

See Beauty in the Details

I've Got Tara!

It was a very good day to NOT hike all day. I picked up long-distance hiker Tara at Timber Creek. The rain that was supposed to be over during the night hung on all day. She was very glad to come off the trail and get dried out, cleaned up, and get some new supplies. We also looked at maps.

We've been talking trail stuff all day. It's such fun! We eat very similarly, so getting things for meals was really easy. We've also been comparing how we eat on the trail. She's working on hiking all the National Scenic Trails, and my next Ludington Daily News column will tell more about her.

It was WET. She had this black oak leaf stuck on the rain cover of her pack. Very artistic.

A few of the wildflowers are trying to put on spring faces, but they were crying today. Here is Wood Anemone.

Spring Beauty was also hunkered down waiting for a drop of sun. Maybe tomorrow.

I did get to walk out and meet her on the trail. Got in 2.5 miles

Miles walked in 2026: 148.9
NCT Hike 100 Challenge: 45.6

NCT Lake County, Michigan, Timber Creek TH south and back. 2.5 miles.

See TI Kidnapped Chris

Spirit of the Woods Hike- November

Although the morning started out chilly, it turned into a perfect crisp day for the NCTA Chapter hike. We had 22 people, but there were 7 dogs who came along this time. (1 person and 2 dogs didn't make the picture.)

We started at Upper Branch Bridge which is where the trail crosses the Pere Marquette River.

Gary leads us off into the autumn woods with rich brown oaks and yellow beech.

Two of the hikers completed their 100 Mile Challenge today. I didn't get a picture of Peg, but here is Sue.

There are still plenty of little gems to see. Northern Maidenhair fern grows along the banks of the unnamed creek there.

We were discussing whether these are quaking aspen leaves or big-tooth aspen. I've decided they are big-tooth, even though the teeth aren't huge, because the trees are tall and straight with ridged bark. Quaking will get ridged bark if it gets old enough, but I just have a feeling these are big-tooth. Anyway, I took the picture because I like how the water beads up on wet leaves. This is because the leaves have natural plant oils. (I'm a dummy- didn't check to see if the stems were flat.)

The oaks are starting to get involved in the fall color. Even though they don't get the really bright colors, I always like how rich they look. These are white oak.

We did hike a little farther than we usually go from this trailhead. To go to the next road and back is only 3 miles. We did the half-mile roadwalk (a pleasant dirt road), and partway into Bowman Semi-Primitive Area, so that the total miles would be more. I did five.

This is the only section of the NCT that is along the Pere Marquette River. There is one place where you get an unobstructed view, and I almost always take a picture of it there. But today I decided to try to find another place for a glimpse of the water. This one through the trees isn't bad.

I managed to do some computer work before the hike. In the afternoon, I mostly worked on trying to get some computer coding to work. I've determined several things that DON'T work. I guess that is progress of a sort.

Miles hiked in 2025: 423

Miles hiked on the NCT in 2025: 241.3

North Country Trail, Lake Co, MI. Upper Branch Bridge into Bowman Semii-Primitive area and back. Total 5 miles.

See SPW Hike- October

Arboretum Trail Restored!

The other place I hiked Friday makes me very happy. This is a short trail created by the Forest Service decades ago through their Arboretum, which was a test plot for over 40 species of trees from around the world. However, over 10 years ago, they abandoned it. I had last tried to hike it in 2018, but there were too many trees down to even be able to get through.

In 2020, the Dublin Heights Sports Club contacted me to say that they were working with the Forest Service to re-establish the trail. I was preparing for my big hike, and sadly, had never gotten back to let them know I was excited to see this happen. The current interpretive sign says that it was a joint effort of the Manistee Conservation District, the Sports Club, the Manistee National Forest and the Manistee Community Foundation.

Well, they have done a great job, not to mention a tremendous amount of work. This is a typical current view of the trail.

Although there is a map to what was planted in the test plots, most of the planted trees have either died or failed to thrive. However, plot 19 had Eastern Red Cedar (which is really a juniper, Juniperus virginiana). This is native to Michigan, although you won't usually find much of it in northern Michigan. This is the aromatic red cedar of moth-proof closets and rustic knick-knacks.

There is an outer loop of about 1.4 miles. Along the back side is this lovely avenue of hemlock.

I thought this was interesting, and I'm glad they didn't just tear it down. The doors and windows are covered with fencing to keep people and larger animals out. I'm pretty sure this was the pumphouse where water was pulled from Pine Creek (wonder how many Pine Creeks there are in Michigan?). You can just see a sluiceway beyond the building.

This was not in the location where the test plot was, but that doesn't mean much at this point in time. Pretty sure this is a Northern Red Oak, Quercus rubra. Very handsome!

There is also an inner loop that is partly concurrent with the outer one, but the inner one is all wide and hardened with gravel. It would definitely be accessible for a sports wheelchair. Six-tenth of a mile

So, I managed about 2 miles of walking there.

There used to be possibly original signs there- at least from the 1950s. They were cute and humorous. The new signs are informative and will last well. I think I have pictures of some of the old signs, but they were probably taken on my first digital camera and I'm not sure I still have all of those pictures. At any rate, I'm not going hunting for them now.

This is just south of Wellston, MI, at the corner of Bosschem and Pine Lake Roads. The Pine Lake Campground is nearby (link below). I have updated my Get Off The Couch website with the Arboretum info, and I'll be writing more about it for the newspaper. Arboretum Trail.

This afternoon, Om and I went to an event put on by the church he attends called "At the Movies." It's always REALLY well done. They interspese clips from a recent popular film with life messages. The reason I don't go to church with him any more is because I can't tolerate the volume of the audio which is normal. But I said I'd see how it went, and the movie part was fine. The movie was The Boys in the Boat (an excellent film which we went to together when it came out). The live music portion, however, was intolerable, so I stood there with my fingers in my ears. But at least we did something together.

Miles hiked in 2025: 386.7

See Pine Lake

500 Species of Plants

Some of you know that one of my never-will-be-finished projects is to build a database of my photos so I might actually be able to find things. I keep working on it, usually a little bit each day.

One of the categories of pictures is, of course, plants. So yesterday, I hit 500 different species entered. This is out of a total of over 3000 photos entered so far. There will be lots more than 500 ultimately. I thought for today, I'd just pick some of my favorite plant pictures from the photos that are, so far, in the database.

I'll start with this bromeliad from the 2010 Philadelphia Flower Show. Of course, these are used in displays a lot because they are so colorful and showy, but that doesn't keep me from liking them. Genus Aechmea variety 'Blue Tango.'

Not all of the favorite plant pictures are going to be exotic things. For example, here is a large white oak tree, Quercus alba, that is found along the Finger Lakes/North Country Trails. It's named for the family that owns the property it's on, the Yorski Oak. With few of the leaves out yet, you can see the great bones of this tree that is probably 200 years old. Picture taken in May 2010 on the hike on which I finished all of the NCT in New York.

This one is last fall in my rock garden. This is the Sedum 'Dazzleberry' making a large bumblebee very happy. See the full pollen baskets?

This is also last fall with late afternoon sunlight on Ostrich Ferns, Matteuccia struthiopteris, Near Round Lake.

This one is a little more exotic in that it's not commonly found, but I did find some very near my house in 2010. This is a Grape Fern, sometimes this group is called Moonworts. But those are both just names for a whole group of ferns. The Genus is Botrychium, and I think this is matricariifolium, or the Daisyleaf Moonwort. It's one of the more common ones in the group. That said, I've only ever seen two of species in real life. I'm pretty pleased that I found this one on my own. You can see why they are called "grape ferns" because the fertile leaves look like a small cluster of grapes getting ready to ripen. This whole plant is maybe an inch-and-a-half tall.

I'll end this collection with another from last fall. In the database, I've been alternating entering more recent months with older pictures, so the dates are all over the place. This is just Virginia Creeper, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, in full autumn color, with berries, and contrasted with some ash leaves.

Aren't plants great?

Today I found out that I can get the dental work I need started tomorrow! And that I have to only eat very soft food for two weeks. So, I went shopping because I don't want to have to face that if I feel really bad when I get home tomorrow.

Worked on all the usual projects. Vacation from DMS is up to 41,630 words.

See Best Photos of 2020

Loving the Green!

This was my last chance for a real conditioning hike before the Adirondacks. (I'm leading a hike on Saturday, but it's shorter).

I'll start by saying that I'm just loving the GREEN woods. Yeah, it's nice to see the topography when the leaves are down, but the greeen just makes my heart sing. Wild thing.

Four of us hiked all ten miles (Shannon, Colette, Kim, and me). Gary and Marge hiked in from the end point and back for a shorter walk. Then they took us back to our cars.

I chose this hike location because it has a fair amount of elevation change for this area. It starts at 730 feet and climbs to 1130, goes back down to 1030 up to 1100 again, and ends at 900 feet.

We started at Wingleton Rd on the NCT and hiked north to McCarthy Lake.

Just north of Wingleton is where the microburst occurred in 2018. I was totally surprised to discover that the area has been replanted. Every white tube has a baby tree in it. The tubes protect them from being eaten until they are bigger.

And what was planted? Maybe a variety of things. This has been done extremely recently. Most were still bare twigs, but this one identified itself as a red oak.

We hiked to McCarthy Lake, one of my favorite spots on the local NCT. Kim had never been there before, so she got to ooh and ahh. Actually, we all did. It was a wonderful location for an ending.

It got a little hot in the afternoon, but basically the weather was lovely. I'm not exhausted, but I confess to not doing much else today.

Miles hiked in 2025: 206.8. Hike 100 Challenge: 93 miles (and the hike Saturday has only a little NCT, so I'll get to finish my 100 in the Adirondacks!)

North Country Trail, Lake Co, MI, Wingleton Rd to McCarthy Lake. 10 miles

See 8, with Day Pack

New to Me- Gorgeous

 Some of you know that our local state park, literally the most popular one in the state, is mostly closed for the next 10, yes ten, months for some major renovations. The area south of the Big Sable River is still open to walk in. This is in the same general section as where Cathy and I often walk, but west of those trails.

The other factor is that the weather was more like early September today. 74 degrees. Sunny, but windy. I wore shorts! So after a frustrating couple of hours in which I determined that the lawnmower fix is beyond me (pay attention, all you people who think I can do anything), I decided to bag it and take a hike before bell practice.

I knew there were a couple of ponds back there. I suspect they are former sand pits from the Sargent Sand mining company. But I'd never actually been there. I parked off Piney Ridge Rd, and took an unmarked but well-used trail. Came over the ridge to be greeted by this.

Pretty sure it had vistors earlier in the day, but I had it all to myself. A trail went up along the edge.

Soon I was bushwhacking. Loose sand and dune grass. Lots of hills. Very pretty.

Love weathered roots.

Some of the area is wooded, and so I was walking through that for part of the way. Found the other pond- not quite as pretty, although it might have been if I'd had time to go closer. There were occasional bits of old road or trail-ish things that might have been made by animals or visitors. But I was bushwhacking more than trail walking for sure.

The view of that first pond on the way back, from the top of a dune was really nice. It's good size- about 42 acres. It would be fun to walk around, but that isn't all state land, so I don't know if I'd get in trouble for doing it. The other pond is totally on Sargent Sand property.

And just so the maple leaves don't get too uppity from being the only ones featured this fall, here's an oak leaf. Probably black oak. It's sometimes hard to tell when all you have is a leaf. They can be rather variable.

I edited, wrote 680 words in Vacation from DMS, worked on pictures, got groceries. A good day with things accomplished and some fun.

So, the walk was only 2.1 miles, but I think the difficult footing should count for something. It was a lot of fun exploring somewhere new.

Miles hiked in 2024: 514.3

See Piney Ridge Hills

Shiawassee Wildlife Refuge

 Driving home today, I made a stop at a place that I can write about for my next "Get Off the Couch" column in the paper. Did you know there is a national wildlife refuge over near Saginaw? It's the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge.

Some refuges have more hiking trails than others. This one has multiple choices. I did all of the Woodland Trail (almost 4 miles), and sampled the Fergusen Bayou Trail. It's over 4 miles long, but I went in as far as the first observation platform and back out. The two areas are quite different. The Woodland Trail is through a wet woodland. The Bayou Trail is on dikes through a marshy area with wildlife observation decks.

This will just be a sampler. Of course I came home with too many pictures. For you, I have 2 trees, 2 flowers, and 2 wildlife picture.

The Swamp White Oak, Quercus bicolor is supposedly found in Mason County, but it's a lot more common south of here. It's easy to spot. The leaf is much wider at the tip than at the stem end, and the leaves are very white on the back side-- "bicolor."

Another one I don't see too often is Red Hickory or Pignut, Carya glabra. The odd thing is, this is pretty much an upland tree, but it was in this bottomland hardwood area. But the bark and everything I can see at this time of year makes me fairly sure of the ID. Anyway, another cool find I don't see locally.

Flowers in abundace were the Canada Anemone, Anemone canadensis. This is a really handsome late spring flower, and it will agree to grow densely enough that it could be used in flower beds.

And yet another wild rose that I have trouble sorting out because I can't seem to remember what to look for. However, I'm pretty sure this is Smooth Rose, Rosa blanda. Ha! The U of M Herbarium says R. blanda does not grow in Michigan. Well... it has very few thorns and the leaves are very blunt at the ends. The wet habitat makes me suspect it's Swamp Rose, Rosa palustris, which would make sense here. But the leaves aren't right, and of course I didn't look for other key characteristics when I was there. I can definitively say, "it's pretty."

There was the requisite spring picture of a family of Canada geese. Actually, I saw several families, but the babies were smaller and cuter in this group.

I saw a number of birds, but getting pictures of those was illusive. The birds were pretty active for mid-day. Several great blue herons, a pileated woodpecker, a brown creeper, and all the usual suspects.

Here's another typical spring picture. Mama was there, but stepped out of the picture. The baby stood completely still, as they are "supposed" to do.

I think there is a particular kind of beauty in wetlands, sometimes even the places that some people might not find so attractive. Here are two examples.

Busy day. Chatted with my host, took two walks, drove 3.5 hours, unloaded the car. Tomorrow, another adventure is planned. Stay tuned

Miles hiked so far in 2024: 243.7.

Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge, Woodland Trail and part of the Ferguson Bayou Trail, total 6.3 miles

See Montezuma Wildlife Refuge