Originally written November 25, 2016
Last shot at the trail this year. This was the big motivator that drove me to Manitowoc for a hike on the Ice Age Trail.
I had been banking this mostly urban hike for a number of weeks, as it would give me one last crack at the trail while the gun deer hunting season was in progress. Once December rolls around, I know I will be too busy with Christmas concerts and church choir obligations to have any chance to hike. The original plan was for Jane and me to drive up Friday, do the 7.3 miles, and go home after having some lunch. But, as we got closer to Thanksgiving, Jane got less inclined to cook a Thanksgiving dinner, and she asked if it would be possible to go up on the afternoon of Thanksgiving, eat a Thanksgiving dinner in the area, spend the night, and do the hike the next day. After a little research, I found a place in Two Rivers that served a full turkey dinner with all the fixings for under $14!!! Reservations were made for dinner and the hotel, and we were good to go. Only one puzzle piece needed to fall in place.
That puzzle piece was my body. The week began with me sounding like a basset hound courtesy of sniffles that quickly morphed into a chest cold and sinus infection. I felt miserable, and the trip would be a no-go unless I got better quickly. Fortunately, the doxycycline, lots of rest, and liquids did the trick, and I was well enough to make the trip.
We got started Thursday afternoon, and we made good time up to the Fox Valley. We stayed at the Village Inn on the Lake in Two Rivers, where I had stayed the last three times I was in the area. Happily, Jane approved of the accommodations, and our dinner at the Lighthouse Inn was excellent. We settled in for the evening.
We were up at 6:15. After a return visit to the Lighthouse Inn for breakfast, we made our way to the starting point for the hike on the west side of Manitowoc. After the ritual picture of me standing next to the Ice Age Trail sign at the trail head, I kissed Jane goodbye and started my hike at 9:00. It was in the mid-30s, cloudy and dry, but with calm winds. Jane returned to the motel to do some knitting before exploring a local yarn shop.
The first mile and a third of my hike was on a wooded trail along the south side of the Manitowoc River. The Ice Age Trail Guidebook, said very little about this section; the trail, “Meanders through the park for 1.3 miles, mostly along the Manitowoc River, on the park’s gravel roads and footpaths.” For my money, this was the most pleasant surprise of the hike. The area was quite wild, with the trail winding up and down some fairly steep hills through trees and a lot of tangled undergrowth. The guidebook made it seem as if I’d be hiking along a parkway, much like the Oak Leaf Trail in Milwaukee. Not so; this was every bit as varied and wild as sections of the Tisch Mills Segment that I hiked last week.
Eventually, this section of trail gave way to the neighborhoods of Manitowoc. It crossed the Manitowoc River, went up a steep hill, and turned in an easterly direction along Michigan Avenue. Along this stretch, I passed many fine, older homes. This smacked of Gold Coast and Old Money to me, like some of the toney neighborhoods in Milwaukee just south of Lake Park. Many of the homes were sites for an upcoming Parade of Homes, a fund raiser for Manitowoc’s symphony orchestra. Soon, I left this area for a neighborhood of less extravagant homes, passing through Union Park along the way. This postage stamp-sized park was originally where volunteers drilled for war after the attack on Fort Sumter in 1861. The first group of volunteers eventually left for war as the 105 members of Company A of the 5th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. Only 30 returned.
After this, I hiked down to the mouth of the Manitowoc River, where the Wisconsin Maritime Museum was located. Moored at the water’s edge was the WWII sub USS Cobia. After passing signs on I-43 advertising this countless times, I finally got to see it! Important fact; the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company was the only inland shipyard to build submarines in WWII.
Now I was hiking on an asphalt walkway along the Lake Michigan. It began sprinkling very lightly – more of a nuisance than an actual rain. I passed where the car ferry SS Badger would be moored. I’m assuming it was across the Lake at Ludington. I continued north along the lake past the marina. At this point, the asphalt walk became the Mariners Trail, a multi-use trail for walkers, runners and bicyclists. I was very pleased that this section of trail seemed to be wheel chair accessible, and I was generally impressed with the amount of public access to the lake this trail provides. Yes, there were some mansions blocking my view. But that was maybe a quarter mile plus of a three mile walk. Along the way, there were many places for people to park, gaze, or walk to the adjoining beaches. The trail here was flat and open, and I could see my end point in the distance. The rain picked up a little bit, which only made me smile. Soon, I crossed the highway, met Jane, and headed into town for some lunch.
That’s it for 2016, and it’s time for some numbers. In all, I hiked just under 264 miles on my 29 days on the trail. My longest hike was 20 miles. The shortest was 3.1 miles. My average hike was just over 9 miles. The temperatures on my hikes ranged from the middle 20s to the mid 90s.
This being Thanksgiving, I have a lot of people to thank. First, I thank God for creating such beauty and variety, and for gracing me with the good health and resources to enjoy His handiwork.
I thank all of you who read my posts and show your support by either clicking like or making a comment.
I thank the Ice Age Trail Alliance and its volunteers for the incredible job they do maintaining the trail and being there with advice on trail conditions in particular and hiking in general. The trails I hiked were in good shape, and that’s pretty amazing when you consider that it is all volunteer work. In particular, I ‘d like to thank the many volunteers who shuttled me to the starting points of many of my hikes. There’s a reason you’re called Trail Angels.
Last, I want to thank the Love of My Life, Jane, for all her support. This includes more than schlepping me to starting points and waiting in some small town’s library or in a yarn shop while I tromp in the woods. She could have said no, I worry about you or no, there’s other things we should be doing, or no for any number of reasons. Instead, she’s allowed me to have this life-changing adventure. I love you, and I am forever in your debt.
My Days on the Ice Age Trail 