Saturday, November 19th: The Hamburg and Lost Valley Trails

Awoke Saturday morning after drinking an enjoyable amount of Pinot Noir at Ernestos on Friday night, followed by an enjoyable amount of Baileys and coffee at home. Knowing I had to go to Heritage Dental in St. Peters (my second home) to have a temporary crown replaced at 11:30 on Saturday, I decided to stave off hangover by hiking before the apppointment. The Lewis and Clark Trail parking lot was full and made me want to drive back home to go to bed, so I sallied across 94 to the Hamburg Trail. At the beginning of the Hamburg Trail, just off 94, is an interesting and relatively new interpretive center with information about the town of Howell, which was located on this spot. There is also an army training base located here, which, in my opinion, gives off a creepy, secretive vibe ala Bradbury's Farenheit 451. Periodically, large militlary helicopters will fly low over the woods as you are hiking. On a cloudy day like yesterday, I had no problem imagining I was living in a dystopian future.

Conditions: windy, 58-60 degrees. Blustery skies that went from clear to cloudy.

My brother Pat and I hiked this trail a couple of years ago--and he recently told me that it had been expanded to include the Lost Valley Trail--and it does. The land traversed by this trail was acquired by the government during World War II as a munitions area. Today, the trail consists of a couple of old logging roads--and a winding hiking/biking path through the woods. that is suitable for mouontain biking.

My two hour and twenty minute hike--from 8:48 to 11:10--was invigorating and--happily--devoid of very many individuals ("People? I don't hate people. I just feel better when they're not around." --Mickey Rourke as Bukowski in Barfly.) I came across a biking couple, one trail runner, an orange-vested hunter and a few more bikers, one of whom marveled at the presence of hunters and military helicopters flying overhead.

Advice: if you're going to hike this trail during hunting season, wear an orange vest or bike it. At least you'll be a more quickly moving target.