Babies and Beer--Urban Hike: St. Cecilia's to St. Stephen Protomartyr Fish Fry, March 20, 2105

Even at 4:39, the line to get into St. Cecilia's Fish Fry was all the way around the parking lot to the rectory.

Chimichanga!

The Buddhist Temple on Bates

Paul walks down Bates.

Foot prints in the concrete

The first day of Spring: 60 degrees and buds on a few trees.

Gallons of oil and gas travel down this railroad in South City at Bates every day.  Check out this Fox 2 News article that briefly outlines the risks.

A bell in someone's yard?

At first, I thought it was St. Patrick, but maybe Joseph? Mary was in the other planter.

The steeple of Protomartyr

Scenes from the Fish Fry.  St. Stephen Protomartyr (so called because St. Stephen is considered the first Christian martyr.Check out the skinny on St. Stephen on wikipedia.)  Fish Fry has its own flavor. It's not quite urban (like St. Cecilia and St. Pius), but it's also not really suburban, either.  This year, both wine and beer were served amid the many children who ran about, darting under the stage, in and out of tables.

Briefly unattended spawn of Catholics. (Hope no one is offended: I, myself, am the spawn of Catholics.)

Curious South City Architecture. don't think the car mirrors will allow this car to pull further up the pad.

Above and below: alive and plastic animals on the way . . . .

The Fish Fry Market in St. Louis is booming as we have always been a predominantly Catholic town. Even the fallen away ones like myself relish a good Fish Fry where you can drink a few beers and wax nostalgic in the basement cafeteria of a Parish School.  Since the line for the infamous St. Cecilia's Mexican Fish Fry was already very long by 4;39, Paul and I decided to walk the mile or so to St. Stephen Protomartyr on a Friday afternoon that just happened to be the first day of Spring.

Lewis and Clark, March 18, 2015

Hiked 5 and a half mile trail with Megan, a friend from the Gateway Writing Project. Trail was muddy but empty. Great cardio hills.

Hawn Park: Whispering Pine Trail (10 miles) Monday, March 9, 2015

The Scenic Loop on the second loop of the Whispering Pines Trail

Shut ins along Pickle Creek

Just Hiking Ratings:

# of People:  Hawn has become a popular park, but on a weekday in March when the trails were a bit muddy, we saw a total of only two other people and a tiny Yorkie early in our hike along Pickle Creek.  Generally, the longer your hike, the less people you'll see.

The Drive:  This park is only a one hour drive from St. Louis down I55.  Either take a right on Highway O for a short cut to 32 or take I55 all the way to 32. Either way, you'll make a right on 32. Hawn is on your left, just after the railroad tracks.

Surrounding Area:  After your hike, go can go west on 32 past 55 and run into St. Genevieve where there are several small restaurants and shops.

Difficulty:   One of the amazing features of this park is the varied terrain; it ranges from flat to rocky to hilly. Also, if water is high, you'll probably have to take off your hiking boots and socks to cross at least one creek.  Hikes are all loops and lengths vary from one to three to six to ten mile(s).  Relatively new connector trails also allow you to customize some of your hikes and make them shorter or longer.

Other Information:  This is a great park to take dogs because of all the running water!

Pat, Lynnie and Juneau at Pickle Creek shut ins.

Lynnie reprises Franco's role in 127 Hours.

Just an act, of course.

My sister-in-law Lynnie had never been to Hawn Park, so we took advantage of my Spring Break and Pat and Lynnie's seasonal break to hike the ten mile Whispering Pines Trail with their five year old dog Juneau, who made an earlier video appearance on this blog on New Year's Eve 2010, when she was just a year old. We took our time, resting at an overlook to eat apples, bananas and cashews, taking pictures of waterfalls and trees, checking out the back pack camps for (hopefully) future reference.  Although overcast, temps were around 50-55 degrees, perfect hiking weather. Took us about seven hours.

Paul joined us afterwards for hot dogs at the Tic Toc at Magnolia and Arsenal in St. Louis. Juneau was resting in the jeep.

Shaw Nature Reserve, Multiple Trails March 8, 2015

"Every day, I walk myself into a state of well-being and walk away from every illness.  I have walked myself into my best thoughts, and I know of no thought so burdensome that one cannot walk away from it. . . .The more one sits still, the closer one comes to feeling ill.  Thus if one keeps walking, everything will be alright."

                                                                                      --Soren Kierkegaard 

   (Taped on the bathroom door of the Visitor Center at Shaw's Nature Reserve)

Pinetum Lake, still frozen over but thawing in the warm temperature. These pines were planted in the 1930's and 1940's.

Just Hiking Ratings:

# of People:  There were a fair amount, but most were either driving or congregated at the play ground or on the gravel bar.  It was a gorgeous Sunday and I was able to hike alone for at least two or three miles at a time.

The Drive:  This is a quick 40 minute drive from St. Louis.  The Nature Reserve is just off the highway.

Location:  Take Highway 44 West to the Gray Summit Exit 
(at Highway 44 and Highway 100)

Difficulty:  The 14 miles of trails are easy and interconnected for many length options. At least four are wheelchair accessible. There is access to the Meramec River and one overlook that involves a short climb.  Grab a map at the Visitor Center which is located at the entrance to the Reserve and customize your hike as you go.

Other Information:  No pets allowed.  General admission is $5.00

Creek Crossing along the Brush Creek Trail.  To the left of this photo is a bridge in case you don't like the stepping stones or this crossing is impassable due to high water.

Replica of sod houses that were usually found on prairies further west than Missouri in the 1800's.

I took a picture from the interior. It was at least 20 degrees cooler in the house.

This is the gravel bar on the Meramec.  To the left, a trail leads to an overlook.

Trails along the Meramec are often lined with large-trunked trees. This tree had three distinctive trunks joined in the center.

Not sure who the Roberts are yet, but this is their cemetery.

Despite the early March date, Fort Zumwalt School District's Spring Break 2015 is turning out to be warm and sunny. Slightly chilly mornings give way to perfect afternoons. After  sipping coffee, journaling by the fire and downloading Badfinger's Straight Up to my i-phone (inspired by a clip of Breaking Bad shown last night at Sts. Joachim and Anne trivia fundraiser), I took to the Highway 44 hiking corridor. As I drove, I mused: binge watching Breaking Bad has become a must. It's true. Paul and I are the last souls in the Western World who haven't witnessed Walter White's saga.  I'd like to be able to (authentically) tell my students at the beginning of the year to watch out--there's a Walter White hidden deep inside all of their teachers. Grin. Like the infamous anti-hero, I rested my left elbow on the window and steered with my right hand, singing "Baby Blue"--so mesmerized by my fantasies that I missed the 109 exit to Babler and Rockwood Reservation and then the exits for Chubb and Greensfelder as well. I emerged from my reverie near the exit to Shaw's Nature Reserve, once known as Shaw's Arboretum. I'd been here only once before in my life, with Paul, over fifteen years ago on a hot September day in 1999, just after we'd begun dating.  I decided $5.00 was worth being able to explore the Nature Reserve's 14 miles of trails again.

It was a great hike--not strenuous or scary--with varied terrain, buildings and other points of interest. The map was easy to follow and the trails well-marked, and even though I saw several families, I hiked for long periods without seeing much of anyone.  I resolve to visit again soon--maybe even take a thermos of coffee and breakfast on the gravel bar.

Lime Kiln, February 8, 2015

 Paul and I planned to hike this weekend because of the unseasonably warm weather--75 degrees, at least.  After taking Pat to the store, we made the short drive to Rockwood Reseravation. The three mile Lime Kiln trail is a good one to start with--not that strenuous and Paul hasn't been hiking in a while.

 I thought this would make a decent picture, my face in shadow.  

 Paul noticed that you can see the snow at Hidden Valley through the trees.

 Lots of families on the trail and along the creek. More kids than I've ever seen on this trail before.

The Lime Kiln! I think I take a photo every time!

Hawn Park: Whispering Pine Trail, Saturday, January 17, 2015

 Got to 62 degrees today after a cold spell during the first week of January.  I packed up the new Prius C and drove to Hawn, arriving around 11:20. Both parking lots were packed and there were a fair amount of hikers on the trail (including but not limited to):  a couple with a 6 year old Lab, a couple with a furry white sheep dog and a tiny boy wearing a super hero hat, two high school boys who were using sticks to sword fight,  and three middle aged guys getting ready to back pack over night. I think I was the only person hiking sans companionship in human or canine form.

 The trail next to Pickle Spring was slow going as it was extremely muddy and still icy in parts. I had forgotten until I started hiking that this week brought a snow storm south of St. Louis and that the Farmington schools even had a snow day while St. Louis had only rain.  But the ice left over in the creek and the River Aux Vases made for exciting scenery and the comforting sound of running water.  I realized I hadn't been to Hawn in three years! Much too long to be away.

 It's difficult to tell, but this rock is covered in a sheet of ice. I was a bit lazy today (and probably over-careful) to get close. Was feeling my age a bit. Alas.

 Immediately, when I started hiking the beginning of the trail along Pickle Spring, I thought about all the times Sam would run ahead and jump into the creek at the start of the hike just like the 6 year old black lab belonging to the young couple. Memories of Sam gave me that curious adult mix of feelings: happiness and loss mingled into one.

 I love winter leaves that are left on branches.  The ones that have persevered and so have unique colors and textures compared to the rest.

 Controlled burn. Even though it was sunny during parts of the hike, most of my photos do not seem to reflect it.

 Ah, the bluffs. I didn't spend too long here today--too many other people around, lunching, traipsing, taking up space, space, space, but I had to get a shot of one of the vistas.  First saw them 15 or 16 years ago when Katherine Hoelscher first brought me here to hike. During that time, I've been to Hawn with a host of others besides Katherine:  Paul, Lynnette, Dena, Evelyln, Phyllis, Emily Molina, Shelly Williams, Christine, Robyne Elder, Paul's sister Mary.  Phyllis, Lynnette and I camped here.

 Last leg of the hike:  Sam would always climb into this creek to cool off.

I did get a little lost today, and a whole family followed me.  I panicked a bit but knew I had my cell phone and that it was only 2 o'clock.  Climbed two ridges and the second one lead me back onto the trail. Checked with a couple who was resting and lunching about which way to go--and discovered my intuition--for once--was correct. The direction I thought I should be hiking in was the right one.  That was a tad scary.  I also had to hike in wet socks and boots because I crossed the River Aux Vases in my boots after sticking one naked foot in the water and chickening out because of the cold.The last time I was here, in December of 2011, I was much more adventurous and crossed in bare feet. Today, I paid. And as I sat there, wringing out my socks, the two sword fighting high school boys put down a branch and crossed quite easily and quickly, remaining dry.  If only I'd waited five minutes, they would have come along and helped me as well. The whole hike took me from 11:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., but besides taking a detour, the trail was wet and difficult to hike today--but still worth every minute.