2 week vacation... outside of Michigan.. Long read.. Read at your own risk..

You all must know how I really do have my heart on MICHIGAN. It's my home. there is another state that has my heart as well. Utah. Utah is packed with natural parks. and BLM areas that can't be beat. i can't say the people are good or bad i don't have much interaction with them when there.  and that is okay with me. The few i did interact with are no longer there. They lived a life i dream of. and they keep it moving.  not naming names but she gave me a quote that i still live by and love. i took a photo. check it out.

Windy days at Sterling State Park. Flooding and trails are down.

Short post today. As I played hooky from work to go hiking in the high winds that forced water EVERYWHERE on the shoreline. This trail was closed. and we found out why. And no, we didn't ignore the sign this time we walk to the other side to see where else it was closed at. Clearly, the trail is flooded. I have kayaked that area to the right.. didn't know it was this close to the trail.. sweet info to know in the future!!

Riverview nature hike With a feasting hawk

Riverview Nature Trail.. 

This trail is near the Riverview police shop. There isn't a lot of people here normally. and it's a nice walk in some woods. 

It's a short walk but maintained and rather wide for a nature trail. 

We start off by the road. to get to the main trail. 

Late Night Southgate Nature center. Sun set!!

Not a long post today. Just wanted to share some pretty photos of the setting sun in Southgate.

Being ill isn't fun. And even though nature heals, it's nice to have a short walk before sickness. We did make it through the park. And then went home. This last cold that we all got or stomach flu really did us in. 

We all got this crap. and it wasn't fun. And even though this was a few weeks ago, I'm just getting my desire to want to eat again back. 

With sunsets like these that can take your breath away, that helps too!!!

Huron River Flat Rock Michigan, PFAS

Being surrounded by so much water, yet so many can't get clean drinkable water. Free food is for the taking in the streams and water. Except, you can't eat it, as everything is poisoned.  What is the master plan for that? Where is the forethought? And what the heck are you the cities and states going to do about it? 

This hurts my heart more than anything. Foraging and living off the land will be a thing of the past. 

spring time is almost here. Garden time!!

Oh, I can not wait for real spring or late spring to get here. (keep in mind my post are slightly later than when I make them live). Got to build up some reads while I'm away on VACATION!!!  ROAD TRIP I'll be sure to talk about it After I get back. Safety first right!!!

It was a nice weekend, this weekend I'm blogging about.  First signs of flowers peeking their heads up. My mom's new flower bloomed. Crocus if I spelled that right. So this prompted me to move some stuff around in the garden. 

Lakeshore Park / Novi Tree Farm

 Hello, you can tell spring is sort of here. Lack of desire to go to work. And more hiking because it's my way of having cabin fever. Not that I don't brave the elements, it's just really nice when you don't have to. 

I will miss my winter face-shield and my warm fuzzy hats.  At least I have my purple face-shield for the summer. I look like such a punk don't I? 

Saturday we ended up driving out to NOVI. We wanted to check out REI and see if there were any deals on items for our trip. We are going to backpack Canyonlands at the end of May! So many cool items they have. And ended up getting a new bag. so now I have a 20L, 45L and the 65L the big one is set up to be a bear bag. With the bear-proof container so I can strap it to a tree when in bear land. so I'm really happy I picked up the 45L for a 3-day trip that should be all I need. Yet there is no water out there so most of the weight will be water weight. so by the end of day 3, the pack should be light and easy to climb around with. Also went to a different store I can't remember at the moment but ended up with 2 new hiking outfits. Yes, I have my zip off pants. Two pair and at a great deal. 

Oh-oh-oh k enough about my shopping spree. Let's talk outdoors. Since we were out that way we chose to check out Novi Tree farm / Lakeshore Park..  got to give it up to the mountain bikers. they have the BEST trails to walk on. I tend to walk them more now because you never know when a tree branch will take a biker out. So I do my part and help pick up random things on trails. twigs that move rocks that move that are big. and just place them off the trail.  If I'm walking on a bike trail it's the least I can do, right...

Morton Taylor Trail-head - Hiking in the rain!!!

 The Family hiking in the rain we set something up earlier in the week to hike with sisters and nieces!!  Even in the rain our plans stood true!  We picked Morton Taylor Trail Head off of Michigan Ave in Canton. as you can tell by the map it's not a very large hiking area but can be if you want to go further you can use the other trails like the ITC corridor Trail head  all these trails seem paved or close to paved.  And even with all the rain This park wasn't muddy as it looked..

Memories from youth... Lake Erie Metro Park

I remember being a little girl going to the "wave" pool at Lake Erie metro park.
Didn't matter how cold it was, if I was lucky enough to afford to go there I went!  Normally it was a large family thing at the park. And we had to share all our toys... being an only child it was hard to share with my mean older cousin. so I never had the fun at that place that I wanted to. I may have to relive that and go to the wave pool this year. I was always younger and really forgot about parks as I grew up.

Well even though the storms were coming or going couldn't tell.. by the time I got home the sun was shining so we all went up to Lake Erie Metro Park. Loving this place now even older mainly for the trails and wildlife.  We parked not anywhere near where we normally do. and took the paved path.  We walked to the left to get to the bridge and a little bay type of water section at the park.

Oaks Opening Metropark in Toledo

I posted on Facebook over the last week, asking for more hiking trails. So many trails locally and so little time. Ugh.  Thanks to Linda for the reminder that local places are around for that little bit of wooded area I need.  Linda is a great blogger who writes about her wondering in and around the area. I hope to meet up with her this summer to check out some other areas with her like Point Mouliee (what I call 5-mile island or make out point). Yeah the kid in me will never die. wanna go to make out point? lol Just now I go to look at waterfowl and other birds and to walk and to be outside and not be stuck indoors. 

We ended up picking a non-local trail still a little over an hour away. In Toledo Ohio. And I must say, signage. Construction on trail all noted and posted in clear easy ways to view. This trail we did called the ridge trail had some detours due to them removing some tree's that are not for that area. As it doesn't help some of the "dunes" (yeah didn't see those next time). 

Mudd Island paved path

The time change is always fun.. more daylight after work!! So with this time change comes warm weather. This excites me. This year I'm going to try to hit up more paved paths. Sometimes I don't feel like dealing with the mud. So I did the next best thing after work one day this week. I went to a park next to Mudd Island / John Dingell Park. Mainly to take some photos. And to look at the birds. I heard there was a Merganser duck out there and the Eagles.

So, my partner and I parked by the rowing club building and walked down to the old docks. The first thing we see was the trash. Why people WHY. And this brings me to a great cause Trash fishing!!! On Facebook Ecorse is doing this I think on May 11th this year with a contest all you need is a boat and the desire to learn something new. I want to do this so we will see if they will let us do the creeks instead so we can use our kayaks or just wade in the water. If I may add, if everyone carries a plastic bag. we can all pick up after those lazy people I know there has been a time or two something fell out of my pocket so it's all in good fun and to help other trail-goers. I have been trying to build that habit of picking up other trash more times than not.  just nature can be distracting... join me and carry a bag... 

holliday nature preserve 2nd attempt...

Holliday Nature Preserve

Short recap.. my first time going here it wouldn't stop raining. We ended up parking at the Hix Park. We had the gear and rocked it out anyway.  It wasn't bad, but no signage-- nothing great to keep you from getting lost. They have some signage, but it's low to the ground and has no rhyme or reason to it. This map might offer some info that, backed up with Google Maps, you might not go in more than two circles with. I state this because even my partners and I could get lost. We haven't, mind you, but we sort of walk around until we find something that rings true or keep walking till we find it. We did get a bit turned around in the Hix Park area, but ended up walking the right way. We didn't go in circles and made it back to our car just fine in the rain.  We did cover some ground, too. 

Never had this map though-- see below. My second time going to this park, it wasn't even this section. We found this area and wanted to check it out. That's how I learned that Holliday Nature Preserve is a linage park. it follows the water. So cool and this spot did have a sign (see image below) SoIi took a close up to the area we hiked without a map. It's still confusing. 

 

Lunch time solo walk

Nature really has a hold on me right now. Being stuck in an office and a car for 10 hours a day really bites. More so when the weather is breaking and the sun is kissing everything but my face. Ugh..

So what a better way to break it up than to skip eating at lunch and go for a walk, and eat at my desk later. Today that is what I did.. I miss my walking lunch buddy tho. We use to go all the time and hike random places-- it did give us the energy to beat the latter part of the day. Living in the city, it's hard to feel completely safe out in this big world full of crazies. But sometimes you just got to let go of the fear and be smart and mindful of your surroundings. So that is what I did. Happy solo hiking Tuesday.

Ducking back in Southgate wooded area

It's cold outside yet still I have to force myself to get up and get out there. It was a slightly warmer day and we were ready to do the crazy idea I had... well, partly... 

My great idea was to walk the line of the Frank and Poet Drainage Creek. There is a trail that runs aside this creek, and I have taken it as far as I could go. Once. Figured, let me get my lovers and do it with someone this time. We didn't make it that far. We stopped at this spot, and it seemed to be a great stopping spot, as you can see the stumps of the trees in the below photo. They are on the trail, so you have to do some climbing... and when it's cold outside and you're not dressed the best, it becomes more of a challenge to escape versus we got this.

Two Owls of Exhaustion

We parked at the kayak spot the one little lot off Jefferson across from some trailer park. On slick walkways we trecked, on to the bridge. The sun kissed the snow and ice covering the little channel and just sparkled. Bringing magic to the trail. Last time one of us were here we heard the owl was near this area so we went trekking in the back flooded areas. Most of it was blocked off this past summer due to the water being so high. The river was to the woods, and the normal relaxing and photo spots have been drowning in water.

Belle Isle Wintry Hike

Sunday morning, I wake up and look out the window. Ummmmm... I thought the snow would be here next week.  Oh well, slowly woke up and talked with Jacki. Where are we going to hike today? We settled on Belle Isle there are some places over there I haven't checked out.  We didn't think we would see anyone out there with it being early afternoon and cold and snowy and all that good stuff.  We were wrong-- lots of cars were parked looking at the ice bumps in the Detroit River. Few people ice fishing on the interior ponds as well as some cross country skiing going on, and people walking their dogs and family. It wasn't packed like summer but there were more people than I expected.

We get to the place where I want to hike and the road is closed, forcing us to go right by where we are hiking (perfect I won't pass my turn). The snow is plowed and you can see the ground. Parking spots were not plowed, so I think I parked in a spot... who knows. We get out and add our final layer on before we start. First-time hike for both of us, so I didn't bring any measuring devices or anything. Just wanted to enjoy the trail!

Part of it is paved I think, couldn't tell with the snow, but the ice under the snow wasn't a joke-- it was slippery. There was a butt print left in the snow at some point but everyone is okay!!!  We take it a bit slower and hope to get off what we think was the paved part. A bridge and two kayak launches on this little creek. How cool, might have to check that out once it warms up. We noticed avski trail from someone cross country skiing. Sorry, I did walk on the tracks and I know you're not supposed to as it can make it more difficult for them to move across.

We stuck to the right instead of going over the bridge and taking the other way. Figured it would be a loop and that's the way we will head back.  I was so hoping to break this trail and we didn't. Footsteps and ski marks were proof this was going to be a hard task to get done.  We should have gotten an earlier start if I'll get this task done!! For those who don't know breaking the trail means you're the first to walk on it after a snow. It has been my desire to do this for the past few years. Some trails are hard to break, more so when you don't know what way they go and the open ground forest/woods can easily take you off-trail.

Welcome Post

Hello, I am moving some of my focused posts from my personal blog to here. This blog will mainly be about hiking trips that I make on the weekends, sometimes during the week, too.  All of this info will lead up to a book I'm writing. So make sure you check back for more info on that.

Hiking is one of my favorite things to do... next to kayaking and backpacking and camping and just being outside.  I love to walk on trails that don't have pavement. I love dirt trails that have been carved out by footsteps not machine. However I will walk anywhere, on any type of trail, if the sights are worth seeing. And if it's outside, it's worth seeing.

I normally hike with my partners, Frank and Jacki. I use them for sizing up items in photos.

Remember if you're out in the wild to Leave No Trace, Leave only foot prints and take only photographs and other peoples trash.  To help clean up trails, it's always best to carry an extra plastic bag with you. If you see something and won't get harmed in picking it up, please do so. It takes a community to keep our trails clean and pretty for the next hiker!