Originally printed October 28, 2018.
I’m baaaaaack!!
It has been over six months since I injured my knee on the Deerfield Segment of the Ice Age Trail. Since then, I have had two surgeries – one to repair a hernia and the other to clean up some cartilage damage in my left knee. I have obeyed doctor’s orders regarding recovery and physical therapy. I even talked the knee doctor into ordering additional therapy under the supervision of a physical therapist, so I would have more supervision. Now, that is all behind me, and it is time to return to the trail.
I’m baaaaaaaaack!!
My lovely wife Jane volunteered to shuttle me. I think she wanted to be there to make sure all my repaired parts worked OK. In a worst case scenario, she could swoop in to rescue me if I got hurt. I was glad to have her with me for another adventure. We started our trip from Milwaukee Saturday around 8:30. On tap was a Connecting Route of just over 14 miles between the Deerfield Segment and the Emmons Creek Segment. We were going to split it into two smaller chunks to avoid overdoing things on the first day back. Jane dropped me off at the starting point, and I began hiking at roughly 11:30. The temps were in the high 40s, with a very slight breeze.
My usual practice when making the trip to hike a segment is to first find the end point. Then, I ride with the person shuttling me to the starting point, get my gear on, and get moving. Jane and I changed things this time so I could take advantage of the daylight. Besides, I was more than confident that she could find the end point on Wayz, a navigation app on her phone, with no trouble at all. Well, the app failed us this time. Fortunately, Jane had the same paper maps I use, and she ended up finding the end point point the old fashioned way.
For this first-in-a-long-time hike, it was good to be on a Connecting Route. Whether going uphill, downhill or on a level stretch, the surface is relatively consistent. There are not the tree roots or rocks that could cause me to twist an ankle or a knee. About the only negative is I am always pounding on a hard surface of concrete or asphalt, as opposed to, say, a bed of pine needles. Nevertheless. it was a good test. The inner aspect of my knee was sore when I finished, but it was manageable. The dominant image I carried from the hike was walking along roads framed by pine trees, particularly in the early going. Later in the hike, the roads were framed by lines of leaf bearing trees. Sometimes these patches of trees opened onto beautiful, rolling hills of farmers’ fields.
The other dominant impression I carried from Saturday’s hike was that I had come upon an area settled by many Norwegians. Lots of Norwegian flags were on display, and many of the lots had signs showing the owner’s pride in their heritage, with names like Viking’s Lair, Little Norway, Telemark Trail, and Valhalla.
I wish I could describe more of what I saw, but the sights were not what I carried from that day. Mostly, I simply smiled, grateful to be on the trail again, putting one foot in front of another and smelling the fresh air.
Usually, I make really good time when road walking, and this time was no exception. I beat my estimated hiking time by a good 15 minutes. After we checked in at the Comfort Suites Foxfire, I quickly showered and drove to church. Once I returned, Jane and I went to Tdub’s Public House in Waupaca. It was recommended to us by our old friend Bill Walters. Instead of having a sandwich or a dinner, we had our own version of “small plates” – a grouping of seafood appetizers – calamari, ahi tuna, scallops wrapped in bacon, and steamed mussels. Both the food and the service were excellent, a great way to celebrate my return to the trail.
My Days on the Ice Age Trail 