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Post by louie on Jan 27, 2018 17:19:04 GMT -5
The Kickapoo Valley Reserve has a trail challenge each year. I don't know how many people actually complete it, but I liken it to hiking the Ice Age Trail, or portions of the Appalachian Trail. I wanted a goal for the year, so I am doing the KVR Trail Challenge. The link takes you to the history of the KVR and the failed Dam project. There are a lot of bitter feelings over the fact that the government took people's lands and farms for this project that then failed... However. I am going to try and complete 50+ miles of hiking in one year. The trails are very demanding. The old road bed is fairly flat and follows the Kickapoo River. The biggest challenge is to hike the trails in such a manner as to not have to back track. For that I am trying to get someone to follow me to the Reserve and drop me off at one point while I leave my car at the 'finish'. What is my big prize for completing this challenge? A pass for next year.  I had one day so far for hiking and it is a real challenge to carve out time for ME to do this weekly. So far? 4 miles on the first jaunt. Tomorrow a 6 to 10 mile jaunt. Of course with the freezing and melting, I will be hiking with ice cleats on. My Grumpy husband ... I told him that I needed to DO something, that I couldn't sit around while he napped each day and read a book. I'll try and update things here as I go. This is part of the challenge. Daily, I do hike at least 1 mile in very hilly country every day no matter what the weather. I try to keep it to 1-3 miles daily. Cheers!  |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 28, 2018 9:49:57 GMT -5
This really looks cool.
I love stuff like this.
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Post by louie on Jan 29, 2018 8:32:34 GMT -5
This really looks cool.
I love stuff like this. Thank you, yesterday I completed another section of trails. 6+ miles. I'll provide a map of it later! |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2018 12:28:42 GMT -5
This really looks cool.
I love stuff like this. Thank you, yesterday I completed another section of trails. 6+ miles. I'll provide a map of it later! |
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Post by louie on Jan 29, 2018 13:53:08 GMT -5
@tobytyler, it was nice, about 19 degrees F with a light breeze on the ridge.
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Post by louie on Jan 29, 2018 13:56:01 GMT -5
 There is a lot of elevation changes and the cell reception won't include the back tracking nor will it include the some of the distance back tracking in the thick forest or below the bluffs. This area is known for lack of cell reception. |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2018 15:59:59 GMT -5
@tobytyler , it was nice, about 19 degrees F with a light breeze on the ridge. |
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Post by chinadoll1981 on Jan 29, 2018 18:44:31 GMT -5
That sound so much fun... I would like very much..... In summer.... winter... no so good... not like cold....
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Post by louie on Jan 30, 2018 6:54:21 GMT -5
@tobytyler , it was nice, about 19 degrees F with a light breeze on the ridge. Of course I do! I have snow shoes and cross country skis. I could ski the groomed trails which are pretty boring, or snow shoe the hills and bluffs which is exciting. Summer time can be buggy down close to the river. |
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Post by louie on Jan 30, 2018 6:55:12 GMT -5
That sound so much fun... I would like very much..... In summer.... winter... no so good... not like cold.... If you have proper clothes, it is not cold, it is refreshing. I never was cold. I have done hikes here in -6 temps. |
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Post by louie on Jan 30, 2018 7:08:00 GMT -5
 The Kickapoo River at Bridge 15. This day it looked dark and foreboding with ice shoves from ice jams and the recent thaws. This was my second hike here for the challenge. 6.4 miles on this day. My last time out was 3.7 miles and this was just below the trail.  I have mapped out my next trip and look forward to doing it this week. I may complete the southern part of the Reserve, that route could be relatively flat and easy. My other choice was to do "Black Hawk Rock". I'll keep you posted! |
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Post by chinadoll1981 on Jan 30, 2018 7:54:40 GMT -5
That sound so much fun... I would like very much..... In summer.... winter... no so good... not like cold.... If you have proper clothes, it is not cold, it is refreshing. I never was cold. I have done hikes here in -6 temps. I could wear clothes for 2 people and still be cold!! Not a winter person... beautiful photos though..... |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2018 9:26:16 GMT -5
@tobytyler , it was nice, about 19 degrees F with a light breeze on the ridge.
It was "The Freeze of the Century!"
I can still remember that day. I was in High School and they made a special exception and let the girls wear pants that day.
The water pump on my mother's gave froze up and sprung a leak. Nobody used anti-freeze in Florida back in those days. You just filled up your radiator with water. |
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Post by louie on Jan 30, 2018 13:49:15 GMT -5
@tobytyler , it was nice, about 19 degrees F with a light breeze on the ridge.
It was "The Freeze of the Century!"
I can still remember that day. I was in High School and they made a special exception and let the girls wear pants that day.
The water pump on my mother's gave froze up and sprung a leak. Nobody used anti-freeze in Florida back in those days. You just filled up your radiator with water. Oh I get that! I've been born and breed in the northern climates and we see winter as a huge playground when tourists don't muck up things. I love traipsing around with snow shoes and ice cleats. Temperatures below freezing mean I don't have to worry about fair weather hikers and other folks. There are no bugs either. It is amazing that once you get acclimated to the cold it isn't too bad. I am pretty sure I would not be able to handle heat and humidity as you do! |
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Post by louie on Feb 3, 2018 9:08:16 GMT -5
 On the 2nd I took Dixie, the hound dog with me for my next 'leg' of the Trail Challenge. I knocked off 7 segments of the Challenge and did just under 5 miles. It was a very flat hike with only one elevation of 200 feet. Dixie was quite the motivator as was my promise to be home in about 2 or 3 hours. I actually didn't pay much attention to my 'map my hike' app because I was having such a fun time.  The photo above is Star Valley Road/Trail. There used to be a community here called Star Valley. There is a marker which commemorates the school and the people who lived there from 1901-1962 when their property was taken for the failed Dam Project. I've lived in this area for 20+ years, but I think this challenge is doing more for my awareness of the land and the area than ever before. |
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