Originally printed January 29, 2017.
The weather, the availability of a Trail Angel, and my calendar all aligned on January 27th so I could get in a day of hiking on the Ice Age Trail.
On Thursday, I made the afternoon drive to the Algoma Beach Motel. I read a couple of bad reviews about it on Trip Advisor, so I was a little wary of what might greet me when I opened my door. What I found made me rest easy. The room was basic and clean – just what the doctor ordered for this hiker. After quickly getting settled, I drove to the projected end point for my hike, where Dolly, the Trail Angel extraordinaire, was going to meet me. I marked the spot on my GPS for tomorrow, and plotted my trip back to the motel, so I could allow enough time for the return trip the next day. A half hour needed. Check.
When I returned to the Motel, I asked the desk clerk for recommendations for supper. She began to list a number of places. “But, where do locals go?” I asked. One of her choices intrigued me – Scaliwags. She said they billed themselves as Five Star Food in a Dive Bar. Sounded interesting. After a short nap, I got in the car and made the roughly five minute drive to the place.
Honestly, I would have driven right past the place if it were not for the recommendation. Its picture could be in the dictionary next to the word unpretentious. I parked the car and went inside. It was a tiny place that sat roughly 30 people. The menu items were written on a chalkboard that faced me as I walked in. Lots of options for seafood, pasta dishes, beef and lamb were offered. They certainly were priced as if this was fine dining. After sizing up a plate of food being carried to a table, I sat at the bar and ordered salmon with pesto sauce drizzled on it served over a bed of asparagus and sweet potatoes. In a word, it was delightful. The food was well prepared and well presented. The bartender and manager, Marshall, was attentive without being clingy. The concept for the place was his dad’s, and it had been open for six years. Observing how packed it was on a Thursday night in winter, I mentioned that it must really get crowded in the summer season. He mentioned that they actually turn people away instead of having them eat their meal while hungry customers would stare over their shoulders. I left with a very happy tummy.
Unfortunately, I didn’t sleep well that night. For one thing, I was a little wired about the upcoming hike. But the big problem was my left shoulder. In the morning, I had received a pneumonia shot. At the time it didn’t seem like a big deal, but it was as sore as it could be by evening. No matter how I positioned myself, I was in pain that kept me from sleeping. After a second long, hot shower, I finally drifted off sometime after 1:00 am.
Five hours later, I was up and moving. After checking out, I drove to where the Trail Angel, Dolly, was waiting. As we drove to the starting point, we gabbed about her recent trip to Hawaii with her sisters. We agreed that this was likely to be the last time she would be able to help me, as my hikes were taking me farther and farther away from her home in Two Rivers. Just before 8:00 am, she dropped me off at my starting point. After a quick equipment check, I set off.
For January, I had terrific weather. The temperature at the start was in the high 20s, with a gentle breeze making the wind chill in the high teens. For this time of year in Wisconsin’s north country, that’s pretty darned good. The skies were a dark gray, and light snow was falling. Overall, it was a very pretty scene – like somebody had just gently shaken a snow globe. It was extremely quiet – so quiet that the occasional sound of a cawing crow seemed like an interruption.
As I’m walking by myself, lots of thoughts drift through my head. Certainly, I react to my surroundings, like that hawk over there circling overhead and looking for its next meal. On this particular hike, I was struck that most every farm had a smoke house, and that on this particular day, at least 8 of them were operating. Great smells! But other thoughts come and go as well. Sometimes an ear worm will set up shop so I’m walking to the beat of this or that tune (This time it was movement 2 from the Poulenc Gloria). Sometimes I’m working through a difficult musical phrase in my head. At other times I’m remembering things I need to do. However, most every time I hike, I pray. Not formal prayers, mind you. It is more me talking to God, asking for help with a problem, or thanking him for this or that, especially for the blessing of good health that allows me to hike. And, seeing as though this is a conversation, I try to listen to Him, too.
About two hours into my hike, the wind picked up some. I also began to notice a “hot spot” on the ball of my right foot. Was this the start of a blister? Should I stop and put on some moleskin to protect myself? I decided against it because there wasn’t a spot out of the wind where I could sit, take of my shoe and sock, and do the work. I hoped I wouldn’t regret my decision.
For the entirety of this hike, I was traveling through open farm country. I was grateful I was doing this section in colder weather, because I would have been frying if I hiked this route during the summer. With one exception, this was also pretty flat country. That exception was Valley Road. Makes sense if you think about it; if there is a valley, it stands to reason that there will be a hill going down to the valley floor and another hill rising up from it. I was making extremely good time for me – nearly 3 miles per hour. I could tell I was working as I ascended to the top.
One of my goals for this hike was to really discipline myself to hydrate. I took an almost anal approach to it. No matter where I was, I drank water at the top of the hour. I hike with two larger bottles of water. I made it my goal to finish all that water before the end of my hike. It is too easy for me to forget about this, especially in colder weather. Then, I wonder why I get cramps in my legs. Every other hour, I also made it my business to have some of the food I brought along. Today, I packed a turkey breast sandwich, an apple, some chocolate squares and some almonds.
At roughly the 3 hour mark, the cloud cover broke, and the sun came out. For the rest of the hike, I had sunny blue skies and puffy clouds to guide me.
I also began to regret that decision about applying that moleskin. That heat had progressed to a kind of “squishiness”, and I also became aware that the little toe on that foot was smashing into the front of my shoe. I was now concerned about blisters and bruising under the toenail. Those kinds of things can really hobble me. Just a little longer, and I’ll be done.
I finished at about 1:30 p.m. Five and a half hours to go a over 15 miles. That’s a pretty good clip – another gift for which I’m grateful.
My Days on the Ice Age Trail 