100, Not 100

Took advantage of the beautiful weather to get in a little hike today. Went to the all-too-familiar Timber Creek trailhead on the NCT. Closest to my house.

It's way too early for any signs of spring. Best I can do is some signs of wildlife. At least one pileated woodpecker has been going nuts. Several dead or dying trees were totally shredded. I'm identifying the culprit by this distinctive pattern in one of the trees.

Evidence of Yellow-bellied Sapsucker presence with these parllel lines of holes in a piece of bark. Also a woodpecker. I saw a Downy woodpecker but got no picture. Only other wildlife was a squirrel.

The trail was almost completely clear of snow. There was some yet in the bottom of the "bowl" the trail passes.

I did find one fungus on a stick. It's probably amber jelly roll, Exidia recisa.

My goal was to walk 6 miles- on my way to increasing the mileage this spring. This is just proof that I made it to 8th St, the three-mile mark before I turned around.

So, this puts me over 100 miles for the year, but not 100 on the NCT. No worries; I'll get there.

Miles walked in 2026: 105.9
Hike 100 Challenge 2026: 17.6

North Country Trail, Lake County, MI. Timber Creek north to 8th St and back. 6 miles

BONUS SECTION: Today is Palm Sunday, my most favorite Sunday of the Christian calendar. I had a YouTube playlist with a lot of music specific for the day, but guess what? It's gone, of course. Very strange. My Christmas list is there, but this one and Easter are gone. I managed to recreate most of this one.

If you too like Palm Sunday and the Triumphal Entry, here's the link (I hope) to my list. Palm Sunday Music. There are 17 songs (one is repeated because I like both recordings, although neither is the one I had in the old playlist).

See 1.4 Miles, Two Counties

Miscellaneous

I kept myself motivated and working on all the small and generally annoying tasks that needed to be done by allowing myself 10 pieces in the jigsaw puzzle after each item I got to cross off my list.

Then I took a walk. It was 50° out! The first picture is from today. Paper birch branches against the clear sky. Lovely, lovely, lovely!

And I have something to share from my walk on Sunday. Look who was so busy on a tree he let several of us take pictures. Usually the pileated woodpeckers are skittish. Not this one! This picture has a good silhouette, but the branches are in the way.

This is a clearer picture, but it's the back. Maybe not as interesting, although it's also not a view you see all the time.

These are possibly the best pictures I've taken of a pileated. I did get some good ones in Ohio once, but if I put them on the blog the search is not finding them. Those were unusual because the woodpecker was finding something to eat on the ground and was totally focused on getting it so it didn't notice Marie and me sneaking close. Maybe I'll find and share them some time.

The sky on Sunday was also gorgeous. I have to say that it's much easier to be cheerful when the sky is blue.

I am in good shape to finish the last things on my list tomorrow and pack the car. May put a few more pieces in the puzzle and take my book to bed.

Miles walked in 2026: 45.5

Road walk 4 miles.

See Snow Mushrooms and Other Events

Invitation to the Hike

One of my favorite pieces of light classical music is Inviation to the Dance by Weber. It's under 10 minutes long, and you can hear it on YouTube if you want.

Another of my favorite things is to receive an invitation to a hike that would not normally be available. This hike takes place on a private trail in Hamlin Township. That's about all I should say. But I was invited by one of the property owners to hike it with her as a guest.

For starters, the drive in to her home was spectacular.

One of their homeowner members has restored/built this trail. One end is anchored at Hamlin Lake. Always worth a view on a sunny day.

The trail is completely in woods, some if it gorgeous. Most of it, actually.

One section passes through some higher land where selective cutting was done, leaving this great treeline against a perfect October sky. Yes, the trail even has a moderate amount of topography.

This tree is one of my friend's waypoints. The pileated woodpeckers have turned it into a swiss cheese tree.

I found this "lane" along a row of Norway Spruce pleasant, although there was too much contrast for the camera to take a good picture.

The other end of the trail ends at the road, and then we walked back to her house.

I've included this picture of a past-prime geranium from her porch because it is Marie's favorite color!

Worked on projects, went for this hike. Yada, yada.

Miles hiked in 2025: 418

Private trail in Hamlin Township. 1.8 miles

See Color in My Kingdom

To McCarthy Lake

 Cathy and I set out to hike 10 miles today, and we made it. I'm tired, but not as sore as I expected. We hiked to McCarthy Lake, a beautiful favorite spot on the NCT. There were bufflehead ducks, but my pictures are all poor.

We started at 5-Mile Road, crossing the Vince Smith Bridge over the Big Sable River.

It was cool, but it was also a blue sky day. Really perfect for hiking. This picture catches some of the hills of the area.

Hard to believe, but I found something I'd never noticed before. This is a perfect little bowl. Most of the depressions like this are only three-sided, with one side open. But this is a complete dimple.

Best find of the day? A red-headed woodpecker. When I see them, it's usually farther east of here. And I got a pretty nice picture. Maybe my best ever of a red-headed.

We ended up doing a fair amount of trail work- pulling smaller logs off the trail. Also got one load of laundry done. And I put the tools away from fixing the toilet, and it didn't immediately start leaking again, so I guess the fix is real.

Miles hiked in 2025: 126.5. Hike 100 for 2025: 52.5

North Country Trail, Lake Co, MI. 5 Mile Rd to past McCarthy Lake and back. 10 miles

See Seven Hot Blue Ones

Headshots

  This afternoon was a mixed bag of activities. I went to pick up something from a friend. She's an avid birder, and there was a red-headed woodpecker at her cabin! It was also at her cabin where I got my only local sighting of a yellow-bellied sapsucker a few years ago. I also saw two pileateds today, but they are so shy, it's really hard to get a picture.

The one and only one benefit of humid weather is that my hair curls. Since I needed a new, good picture of me, I wore decent clothes (OK, only on the top half), and had her snap some pictures. What do you think of this one? Best one taken in a while, anyway.

Then I changed and headed to the trail to do just a tiny bit of work. Two Carsonite posts needed to be removed. They were 1.5 miles in. So I carried the shovel in, dug them out (they have a flap that makes it so they can't just be pulled out), and carried them and the shovel back to the car.

It was really miserably humid by then. But here's another red-head, the wild columbine. I used to have tons of it growing here at my house, but it's all disappeared.

I got a little ahead of myself on the story. Part way back to the car the trail crosse a 2-track that is not on any maps. It clearly is being driven a lot, and we need to put two posts in at that location instead of where they were. Today, I temporarily stashed the old posts and shovel in the woods and walked that road in both directions with the "tracker" on in my app so I could see where it goes.

Along the way something jumped in front of me. Can you see it?

My guess is, probably not. I had to hunt for it and I was right there. It's a nice big toad!

We had enough rain this morning that the trees were too wet to paint blazes. But I was hot enough anyway that I didn't feel like walking 2 miles back out with the paint kit, even if things were dry. So I called it a wrap for the day.

However, I did drive home on a back road. It was not a new route to me, but one I haven't taken recently. Mostly just straight, but here is one bit of a nice place along the way. It's hard to explain how happy it makes me to just putter home on dirt roads.

North Country Trail miles for 2021 is at 312.

North Country Trail, Lake County, MI, north of 5 Mile Road, and an unnamed 2-track. Total 4.5 miles

In other news: I tried to get my head back into writing this morning. I only managed 364 words, and I may end up trashing them anyway. It's just more talking, and I think I need something to HAPPEN. We'll see. Maybe they only need to be moved. Anyway... I'm trying to get back on track.

See Friends and Footsteps

Friends and Footsteps

  Life gets somewhat non-stop when Marie and I are together.

First we went to Baldwin to have lunch with Sue. Then we went to historic Idlewild and walked around the lake. And Sophie and Anabelle joined us, of course. This is just small-town streets, but there are some interpretive signs about Idlewild, a former African-American resort community. Lots of history there. The lake is the center of town. It was a cold and rainy morning, which gave way to a cold and gray afternoon. Fine for walking but not for spectactular pictures. Still pleasant.

The Wilson House is a beautiful fieldstone Craftsman bunglalow. The family was instrumental in the creation of the town.

I almost always see a red-headed woodpecker in Idlewild, and today was no exception.

Did we have a good time? I think our faces tell the story.

Pup-dogs were not interested in posing, but they each got a nose in the camera. Sophie

and Anabelle. Most definitely not their cutest poses, but hey...

Then Marie and I drove to meet someone to pick up some trail supplies, got home in time to catch our breath before heading to a meeting I had this evening.

Yesterday, we hiked at Bowman Lake. I've taken you there many times before, so you know it's a beautiful place. But I didn't want to neglect mentioning that we did hike 6 miles.

North Country Trail miles hiked in 2021 is at 203

Lake County Michigan, Bowman Lake Trail and North Country Trail loop- 6 miles, and walking around Idlewild Lake- 5 miles

See Caught the Red Head

When Trails are Too Mushy

  Cathy and I wanted to do a good walk today, but with our sudden spring-like temperatures the trails have turned to total mush. Rather than struggle and not be able to get very far, we chose a road walk in the county that isn't just squares, and has some nice things to see. It also has some decent topography to enhance the workout factor.

We began in some agricultural areas, mostly fruit farms. Orchards can provide some great pictures, but this is not one of them. Couldn't get a good perspective. You'll have to settle for a view that does at least show acres and acres of rows of fruit trees.

Here's the joke of the day. Carom boards are made in Ludington. Someone has found a use for old broken bases- as the backboards for their No Trespassing signs!

Eventually, we ended up on the back side of Pere Marquette Lake. So we were across the channel from the Ludington lighthouse. Not a great picture, but I like how the water and the sky are almost the same color. The lighthouse is the blockier tower toward the right. The building in the foreground is on the same side of the lake we were on, and the round tower is a channel marker.

Another interesting destination on that road is White Pine Village, a living history museum. There are 30 actual historic buildings that have been moved there, and during the season there is almost always some fun demonstration going on. This house is actually an administration building, but it made a nice picture, and is visible from the road. I haven't been there in a while- I really should go. It's a treasure of a destination, but when it's open, it's so overrun with tourists, I end up avoiding it.

Here's a winter view of the two carferries, head on. This side of the lake is the only place one can take a picture like this. The link below shows a similar shot taken in the fall.

And one more... this is definitely not a great picture, but these bird are so skittish I was just thankful to end up with a picture that has the whole bird in it. This is a pileated woodpecker. They are really large, over a foot from crest to end of tail.

How did we do? We walked 10.8 miles!

In other news: After that (and clean up and lunch) I had an appointment about some editing. Now I am home and crashed for the evening!

See Apres L'Autumne

Hodenpyl Dam Pond in Winter

  Loren and I hiked today along Hodenpyl Dam Pond, which is a really lovely stretch of the North Country Trail. I hadn't ever hiked it in winter. Of course, Koa was there too. She loves the snow!

Warning: This is a picture-heavy post. Just to prove we were happy, here's another goofie selfie. The temperature stayed right around 20 degrees, but both of us had overdressed and had to shed a layer before we'd been out very long.

This bridge crosses an arm of the lake that isn't really a creek, it's more of a bayou.

Here's the view out toward the lake from the bridge

There was light snow falling almost all the time we were out. However, on our way back it started coming down a little heavier. This picture makes it look like a real white-out! That's kind of funny because the flakes never got really heavy, and it wasn't windy, but it sure softened the view.

Now for the tree "damage" section of this post.

An energetic beaver has been hard at work here. I've seen them try to take down even bigger trees, but this one is certainly a long-term project.

We found this hemlock tree striped with yellow-bellied sapsucker holes. And here's where I learned something new. After I got home I looked up hemlocks and sapsuckers because I haven't noticed them drilling their lines of holes in hemlock before. Guess I just wasn't paying attention! They love hemlock. Sapsuckers, as beautiful as they are, do a lot of damage to trees. I found a table with the mortality rates for live trees drilled by sapsuckers. It's as high as 67% for gray birch and 51% for white birch (more common here). They also like red maple, red spruce and hemlock. But the mortality for hemlock is only 1%. The hemlock seem to tolerate it better. This tree was completely riddled with their holes, but seemed healthy.

And we saw another interesting burl. With the swirling snowflakes, it almost looks like it has white Christmas lights strung on it!

Now for the extended hike section of this hike!

So, we got back to the car after doing 6 miles. I wanted to do a little more. I wondered if I could make it to 10. I looked at the map, and I'd have to go beyond Eddington Bridge and back. Think DOWN to the creek, UP the other side, then ditto on the return. Decided I'd see how I felt. It was neat to look down and see Eddington Creek winding along the bottom of the valley (the wavy dark line in the middle). You can't really see the creek that well in the summer.

Then up the other side, with a look back at the bridge. (But this is only the very start of the climb.)

I had to go all the way to the top of the hill to get to the turnaround point! But I did it. I walked 10 miles in snow and don't even feel too beat. Yeah!

Hike 100 Challenge 2021 is at 46.5 miles.

North Country Trail, Wexford and Manistee Counties, MI, South of Eddington Creek to middle of Northern Exposure Campground and back. 10 miles

Believe me, there is no other news. I'm not whipped, but it was enough. Made a grilled cheese sandwich when I got home. Yum!

See Teeny's First Overnight