Lewis Trail: May 1, 2013

There were some firsts today on this trail that I have hiked so often, but this was only the second time in 2013. I saw a beaver come barreling out of the woods and cross the path behind me, disappearing under a fallen tree.I also caught foliage blooming in stages I'd never noticed before.  For such a warm day (86 degrees), there weren't many people on the trail. A couple of  young, muscle-bound runners, and a young couple walking off just as I was starting.  My favorite first of today was the field covered in yellow flowers.  I took at least ten pictures, trying to capture the hopeful feeling it gave me.  Heard what I thought were owls calling to one another-- noticed a newly downed tree on the trail--and found the remains of a fire (illegal!) at the first vista.  I guess someone was out there on a cold night?  Usually, this trail is so crowded, I can't imagine someone getting away with a fire in such an obvious place.

The hike:  started hiking at 3:20. Finished around 5:30.  I think I do about a 24 minute mile, with stops to photograph and gawk at nature. This time I also monitored my pulse. After climbing steep hills, it was 140 and 160, respectively. Then it went back down to between 80 and 90 while I was hiking on flat ground.

It was so good to hike today.  Last year at this time, I had hiked many more times, but weather and life have not been conducive to hiking so far in 2013.

            The little stone cairn grows! Did I first see it in the Fall or last year this time?

Here's the amazing field. The photograph doesn't do it justice.

Ubiquitous dogwoods!  The red buds are just about finished blooming.

             Daffodils and ornamental bushes (below) tell me that this was the site of a homestead at one time, something I wouldn't have considered until last year while exploring the Lost Valley Trail.

                                 

  On a hike after school on the Lewis Trail, you've just about reached the 3 mile marker when you get to this stream.  You have the decision to go on to the Clark Trail for an extra 3 miles or enjoy knowing you'll be finished in two more miles.

 So this was the downed tree I saw on the trail, after the 3 mile marker, just before the giant hill.  It looked newly fallen. It probably fell during one of the recent storms.  I like to think about the night it fell. Was anyone around?  Was there wind, rain, lightning, thunder?

           One more picture of the gorgeous yellow field under blue skies and billowy white clouds.

 This is a video of buzzards or hawks circling above the Katy Trail. I noticed them at the second overlook, right before the second mile marker.  Standing on the rock outcropping--one I've stood on so many times--looking down at the river or up into the sky--is so peaceful.  But today I couldn't help but to think about death, with the buzzards and with Mom being definitively gone. For a while, while I was hiking, I almost imagined she wasn't dead. It seemed plausible--maybe because the memory of last year's hike, when I spoke to her on the cell phone while I was hiking, was so clear and present.  I could almost even entertain the idea of her looking down and watching me hike, although I usually find such notions childish.

I guess this blog has turned entirely personal now. . . since I'm writing thoughts like the ones in the last paragraph.

Emmenegger Park, April 5, 2013

 Haven't been to Emmenegger Park in over eleven or twelve years.  It lies off of Highway 44. Take the Watson East exit and then go 200 yards to make a right onto Craigswold Road. It's just past Powder Valley, another destination I haven't been to in years.  Paul first took me to this park before we were married. I remember one of  my last trips--by myself--no with a very young and spunky Sam, off leash.  There was a young man and woman with a dog.  I met up with them on the trail, wearing my engagement ring. The guy was nothing great--but he was obviously toying with the woman's affections. Apparently he was moving out of state and leaving her. At times he would try to flirt with me. I was so relieved not to be in a relationship with this kind of dynamic.  On another visit, in the Fall, I believe, I hiked to the far reaches of the park, wondering where the trails would lead. It was a warm getting cool Fall evening, gray but I felt heightened anticipation. All the cliches are true. Time passes so quickly. My memory of that fall hike is vivid, like it was last week, even though I haven't recalled the memory in over ten years.

 Green at last! This has been one of the longest, coldest, most difficult winters of my life.

 The park itself is in Kirkwood, but I think it overlooks Fenton to the West.

The Meramec River

A field with two deer. They were very close but bounded away when I snapped the shot.

Overlooking Highway 44

  I think the trail is really only about a mile long, but there are some little off shoot trails, too.  If you follow one of them, it takes you to the edge of the park overlooking highway 44, but then you can hike up this hill for more terrain.

Greensfelder: April 4, 2013

Hiking at Greensfelder with Dena. Second warmest day so far on Spring Break--the temperature reached into the sixties and it was sunny. Really, really pleasant!  We started at the Visitor Center and hiked part of the Deer Run Trail to the paved trail to the scenic overlook--and then wrapped back around along the Eagle Valley Trail--accidentally taking the same route on the Deer Run Trail to the visitor center.  At the overlook, we saw a line from Into the Wild, the movie carved into a picnic bench and I had to take a pic for the blog and to show kids. . . .oh wait, I won't be teaching Am Lit. next year, so I guess I'll just show this year's batch.  Made me a little sad, though, because if you think you're walking into the wild at Greensfelder Park, you are sadly mistaken as roller coasters from Six Flags are visible through the trees. . . .As my brother texted, "The next line should read 'and he walked to the nearest Steak-n-Shake.' You are in Missouri, you jackass!" I bet we hiked a little over four miles in an hour and a half or so.

Matson Hill Park Trail, 2.8 Mile Loop: April 3, 2013

 Sunny Spring Break Hike--around 54 degrees by the time I finished hiking after meeting friend Sue for breakfast at Rendezvous in O'Fallon.  My brother Patrick told me about this trail, which is about two miles off of highway 94, just past Defiance. (He usually bikes this trail, adding the steep hill from 94 to his route.)

 Blue sky. Nobody on the trail.  Trail was closed to bikers today, o.k for hikers, probably because of rain and snow.

 There are two extra loops to add length.  The Oxen Mill Trail connects to the Hayes Trail for about a total length of eight miles.  I only hiked the 2.8 loop today.

An old deer stand?

Spring Snow Walk: Carondelet--March 24, 2013

 Spring Snow. Epic Snow. 14 inches in O'Fallon. Snow walk at 5 after grading papers for an hour or so--on the way back home, I pass the thrift shop on Virginia. . ..Clock on St. Cecilia's struck five just as I was starting and struck 6 just as I was returning, snow covered and invigorated.

The  morning starts out innocently enough--Oreo in her raincoat around 8 a.m. in the gentle rain.

Visibility at 5:20 at BelleRive Park: next to nil.

 The only buds I see on trees--scanty sign of Spring. The cold has kept most everything else from germinating.

 Always looking for Christmas card potential in the snow.  For two years, it didn't snow, and I had to use the pictures from 2010.  So much has changed since then. Mostly because of the loss of people I never thought we'd actually lose. . . .

 At least the river is back up to manageable levels. Snow covered barges, silent and still.

My favorite tree in all of St. Louis, at Belle Rive Park

Hiking in the city or the country. Only the light standard is the clue. This is at Sr. Marie Charles Park.

 Walking along the river at Sr. Marie Charles Park.  No one else around. Blowing snow. About 36 degrees, so not that cold. Utterly invigorating and beautiful.

 The famous tree from below in the snow.

 Spring snow. Pansies outside of Really Cheep and Iron Barley, proving that it's March 24th. Compare to last year when daffodils were blooming mid-March and I went on 13 hikes during this month.

 Check out the little fat robin. . . .

Back home that night after wine with Paul at Sasha's.  Sam in front of a warm fire. Candles lit. Turntable playing old Stones, Morrisey and the Who.

Sunday, March 3: Pat and Lynn's Farm in Mt. Sterling

The old tree stand.

The view behind the farm house. . . .

Pat, just as we began hiking around 5:40 p.m.

Getting dark, around 6:30

This was an excellent time. Haven't been to the farm in at least two or three years.  When we arrived with Lynn and Dad, it was around 36 degrees inside and out, maybe even colder inside the farm house. Dad jumped back in the jeep and turned on the heat, ready to head back to civilization after being there maybe 45 minutes.  Marty called in the interim, and I strolled around the living room while talking to her. Pat and Lynn packed up what they wanted to take home--and unpacked a space heater.  Because Pat wanted to hike, he stoked up the fiery furnace in the basement of the farmhouse. Then we set off, leaving Dad and Lynn in front of the flat screen in the living room, watching old episodes of Deadwood.

The hike was not strenuous but awesome. Pat showed me the deer stand where he encountered two bobcats one night while hunting. We walked the perimeter of the farm in the snow. Ending up on a flat road that runs up to the back of the farmhouse. The silhouette of the house was just visible in the distance, a tiny window of light shining out into the night. The road was still snow-covered and pristine, with no visible tracks. We heard coyotes in the distance, getting nearer, so we decided to go back to the house.  Amazing! We'd only been gone an hour but it was absolutely toasty by the time we got back.

The evening ended with dinner in Hermann at the Concert Hall and Barrel Bar. Pulled pork, a couple of beers or a glass of wine. Country music, a tin ceiling, kind waitress.

Lost Valley, Fire Road to Katy Trail, Saturday, March 2

 Dena at the Heck-Roth Cemetery.

Where I found my camera, unscathed but muddy the next day.

The Heck-Roth Cemetery in the snow

Saturday morning hike. About 28 degrees, so perfect weather for a hike in the snow. Intermittent snow and intermittent sunshine. Dena's home on sabbatical, so I picked her up around 8:30, drove out to Lost Valley, and we hiked an old road that leads to the Katy Trail. We discovered a new trail--called the Willow Springs Conservation Area, but Dena's ears were cold so we turned around there and headed back to the car.

Unawares, I dropped my camera right next to the car when we got back to it, but miraculously found it the next day on my way back from MABA.