WALKING PART OF BAYFIELD’S ‘WOODLAND TRAIL’ ON A COLD DRIZZLY MORNING

ON BAYFIELD’S WOODLAND TRAIL

Banking on this morning’s fairly cool 50F temperatures to keep the mosquitos out of action Pheebs and I Jeeped our way over to the south end of Bayfield to walk the Woodland Trail at the West end of David Street.  Hadn’t been on this trail before so everything was refreshingly new.

TRAILHEAD ENTERS THE DARK FOREST THROUGH THOSE LARGE ROCKS

HALT…WHO WISHES TO ENTER THE ENCHANTED FOREST!!

With a slight drizzle upon us we quickly slipped ourselves into the dark cover of an old growth cedar forest.  Although protected from the drizzle we found ourselves on a wet and very slippery old boardwalk leading to a rickety set of stairs tumbling down the east side of a steep ravine.  Aware of the fact I am now over seventy three and a half I paid particular attention to the slippery surface being very conscious of the two recent tumbles I have taken.  I didn’t tell you about falling out of the driver’s side door of the Motorhome last week did I.  Well, some things are probably left better unmentioned.

WE IMMEDIATELY SEE A BOARDWALK

IF A TREE STANDS IN THE WAY OF THE BOARDWALK JUST BUILD AROUND IT

AN OLD SET OF WEATHERED AND WORN STEPS LEAD DOWN TO A RAVINE

‘DAD, I THINK I JUST HEARD A RHINOSAUCERUS IN THE BUSH’

THIS WOOD WAS VERY SLIPPERY GOING

NARROW PATHWAY WAS ALMOST OVERGROWN IN A FEW SPOTS

PATH LEADS IN TO THE LEFT OF THIS OLD BROKEN POST

NICE TO SEE COLORFUL PHLOX FLOWERS GROWING IN THE WOODS

NOPE THE TRAIL DOESN’T GO THROUGH THERE

I found the trail to be not maintained very well and that surprised me.  Compared to the Sawmill Trail on the other side of the Bayfield River this trail wasn’t much more than a partially grown over pathway through the woods.  But a nice trail just the same as it twists and turns it’s way up, over and down various steep ridges.  A true mountain hiker would find this trail a mere blip somewhere between coffee and toast in the morning but I noticed it was a bit of a leg burner.  And for my legs leg burners are a good thing.

A FEW SMALL TREES DOWN ACROSS THE TRAIL BUT I CLAMBERED OVER THEM

PHEEBS ABSOLUTELY LOVES EXPLORING ALONG THESE FOREST TRAILS

AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STEEP NARROW RAVINE IT KINDA LOOKED LIKE THIS

A NEW LOOKING FOOT BRIDGE SPANS A SMALL CREEK

ONE OF THE EASIER WALKING PARTS OF THE TRAIL

NOPE THE TRAIL DOESN’T GO THROUGH THERE

I was asked one time, ‘aren’t you afraid walking in the forest by yourself’ to which I had the simple answer of ‘no’.  About the most threatening thing in a forest around these parts is a mosquito although black bears have been spotted locally these past few years.  Forests to me are calming places to be as they conjure up long ago memories of childhood mysteries and magic.  When forests are dark and pathways tunnel through dense and gnarled old trees I am walking the same paths as my long ago boyhood chums Alice In Wonderland, Poo Bear, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Goldilocks, Hansel and Gretel, Brer Rabbit, Peter Pan and Tinkerbell, Froto Baggins, and sure enough all the little creatures and critters from ‘Wind In The Willows have been along this way as well.  Afraid in the forest??  No, I have too many of my old friends walking right along with Pheebs and I.  We find the forest a warm and welcoming place:))   

HEADING TOWARDS A BIT OF A MEADOW AHEAD

ENCOUNTERED A FEW SNAILS ALONG THE TRAIL WHICH I WAS CAREFUL TO MOVE TO ONE SIDE SO THEY WOULDN’T GET STEPPED ON

LOTS OF LITTLE WEATHERED BRIDGES AND SPANS ALONG THE WAY

AND WE EVEN DID EVENTUALLY MAKE IT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE BAYFIELD RIVER

Had a feeling it may have rained in the night because everything was very wet including my feet after awhile.  Not another soul on the trail and of course that is always the best part for me.  I love having the forest all to myself and consider it a great privilege every time that happens.  Pheebs had a blast ripping and tearing up and down the trail with lots of new smells along the way.

LOOKED LIKE ANOTHER BIT OF A SLIPPERY CLIMB AND IT WAS

AN OLD HAND RAIL HELPS GUIDE WALKERS UP TO ANOTHER HIGH FOREST RIDGE

ALMOST AT THE TOP

Not knowing where the trail ended or led to we plodded along until we climbed a steep forest ridge with the other side dropping down out of sight further into the forest.  Not one to tell you we hiked 10 miles when we were probably less than a mile from our starting point I decided atop this ridge we had gone far enough and it was time to turn around.  Maybe another day we’ll start at a closer trail head and see if we can explore a bit farther down the trail.

ATOP THE RIDGE I COULD SEE THE PATH LED STEEPLY DOWN THE OTHER SIDE INTO THE FOREST

IT WAS HERE AT THIS POINT WE DECIDED TO TURN AROUND AND HEAD BACK

THE DESCENDING RETURN PATH LAY AHEAD

SO WHAT DO YOU THINK PHEEBS, SHOULD WE HEAD FOR HOME AND SEE MOM

I THINK WE BETTER DAD CAUSE THAT RHINOSAUCEROUS IS STILL FOLLOWING US

OKAY HERE WE GO THEN

We returned along the trail from whence we had come and made it safely back to the Jeep despite the slipper wood objects along the way.  We were back slightly less than an hour after we had started out.  I would recommend this trail for anyone in the area.  It’s great for the legs because it is steep in parts.  Bring mosquito repellent because much of the trail is swampy.  Luckily for me I encountered only one mosquito but it was a determined one as it continually attacked me trying to hovel me to the ground and beg for mercy.  I was finally able to dispatch it but not before it got me first.

WE THINK THE WILY OLD WITCH OF THE FOREST LIVES HERE SO HAD TO TIPPY-TOE BY VERY QUIETLY

I THINK THAT’S A GAGGLE OF FAIRIES ON THE FOREST FLOOR

OH-OH ARE WE LOST??

NOPE THERE’S A SIGN POINTING THE WAY

PHEEBS POINTS THE WAY TO THE JEEP WHICH IS PARKED AT THE WEST END OF DAVID STREET A QUARTER MILE AWAY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF A STEEP RAVINE

<<< A SLIPPERY SLOPE LEADING DOWN

Pheebs and I were home before 10 a.m. and with a cold drizzle in the air we didn’t get out again until early afternoon when after falling asleep in my recliner I awoke to sunshine flooding through the window.   We were out the door minutes later for a short walk then I tackled my new growing grass with some Miracle Grow.  Lookin good.

WE HEAD BACK ACROSS THE BOTTOM OF THE RAVINE

THE RAVINE ITSELF IS KIND OF A WILD LOOKING PLACE AND I’M SURE I HEARD AN OLD TROLL UNDER THE WOODEN WALKWAY

 

WE CAREFULLY ASCEND THE OLD RICKITY STAIRS AND THEIR SLIPPERY SURFACES

>>> PHEEBS UP THERE ON THE BOARDWALK IS ONLY ABOUT 20 FEET FROM THE TRAILHEAD

The Maitland Valley Medical Center left a message on our answering machine today saying the results from my Friday blood test showed my blood sugar numbers had come back down into the normal range but the 'fasting' numbers were up.  The result of the two numbers is that no immediate action needs to be taken but I am at risk for diabetes sometime in the future.  Blood tests every 6 months or so are now recommended.  Bottom line is that it is up to me to get myself smartened up.  Exercise, weight reduction, and eating healthier should hopefully do it except my Dad and his Dad both had diabetes later in life.  We'll see.......................

GROANER’S CORNER:((  If College Students Wrote The Bible the Last Supper would have been eaten the next morning -- cold. The Ten Commandments would actually be only five -- double-spaced and written in a large font. A new edition would be published every two years in order to limit reselling. Forbidden fruit would have been eaten because it wasn't cafeteria food. Paul's letter to the Romans would become Paul's email to abuse@romans.gov. Reason Cain killed Abel: they were roommates. Reason why Moses and followers walked in the desert for 40 years: they didn't want to ask directions and look like freshmen. Instead of God creating the world in six days and resting on the seventh, he would have put it off until the night before to get it done.

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Five year old Little Johnny was lost, so he went up to a policeman and said, "I've lost my dad!"
The policeman said, "What's he like?"
Little Johnny replied, "Beer and women!"

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A Pan Am 727 flight, waiting for start clearance in Munich , overheard the following:

Lufthansa (in German): "Ground, what is our start clearance time?"

Ground (in English): "If you want an answer you must speak in English."

Lufthansa (in English): "I am a German, flying a German airplane, in Germany. Why must I speak English?"

Unknown voice from another plane (in a beautiful British accent): "Because you lost the bloody war!"

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