Originally printed February 3, 2019.
Thanks to the Return of the Polar Vortex, my hike went through a few changes before I set off last Friday morning. As recently as a week ago, I was looking at two days’ hiking – a 5 miler on Thursday with the balance on Friday. Then I got a heads up from Debbie, the Waupaca County Chapter Coordinator and my trail angel for the hike(s), warning me about dangerous wind chills on Thursday. My two days of hiking became one 13.1 mile hike on Friday. The plan was for me to get an early start, finish shortly after noon, get some lunch and drive home before dark. That plan lasted until Thursday night, when it became apparent that the brutal cold was still going to be around Friday morning. I knew a warmup was in the forecast for later Friday morning and afternoon. Maybe I could start later in the morning to take advantage of the improving weather? I dashed off a note Thursday after I had arrived in Waupaca, had some supper and had settled in at the B&B where I was staying. Could the pickup be delayed until 9:00 or 9:30? Late that night, Debbie replied. We were on for 9:30.
My alarm went off Friday morning. I checked the weather – 8 below at 8:00. After breakfast, I dressed, packed, and made the trip north to the Iola Winter Sports Club. By that time it had warmed to a balmy -4. To get to the hike’s starting point, Debbie drove south on the same route I would be retracing in the opposite direction. The country was beautiful on this winter morning, and I remarked to Debbie that this connecting route was prettier than some of the actual trails I had hiked. Deb agreed and said she could make the argument that this connecting route could be designated as a segment on its own merits. Soon we were at my starting point. After putting on my pack, I said goodbye and got started shortly after 10:00. It was cloudy and plenty cold. Fortunately, the wind wasn’t much of a factor. Not only wasn’t there much of a breeze, but the little bit that was there was from the south. For the most part, it was at my back for most of the hike.
The most unpleasant experience on Friday’s hike happened less than a half mile into it. I had reached my first intersection and had stopped to text my location to Jane, when a sharp back spasm caused me to buckle at the knees a bit. It scared me more than a little bit. One of my fears on the trail was having my back go out on me, and this was not the weather to sit on a roadside waiting for help. Fortunately, it loosened with some gentle stretching. For the rest of the hike, I would stretch every now and then, and my back was no factor for the rest of the hike.
So, how was it hiking in such conditions? After that early back issue – my body’s way of asking “What are you doing out here?!? – I got steadily more loose and comfortable as I built up some body heat, while the weather aided by warming as the day progressed. I was most concerned about my hands icing because I was stopping at every intersection to text my location to Jane. There was no way to do that with my mittens on, so I made it my business to be as quick and efficient as possible when I let Jane know my location. The only other parts of me exposed to the air were my eyes and my nose (Yeah, I know that with my nose that is a lot of area). To deal with this, I made sure to rub the area at regular intervals to keep the area from going numb. After that initial half hour, I was comfortable and warm for the duration of the hike. As a bonus, the warming trend came as advertised, and the temps rose to 16 above by the end of the hike – a 20 degree increase. In fact, I built up enough heat that I needed to change into dry clothes at the end of the hike.
This hike took me through a variety of country. The roads wound through stands of forest with trees that towered over me, as well as “big sky” farm and lake country. What made the country all the more memorable was the variable topography. While there was some flat country, the dominant image I carry is walking between vast rolling hills. Hopefully, the picture above will give you a good idea of the country. I didn’t see many animals on today’s hike, but I made up for the lack of quantity with quality when I sighted an eagle soaring over the countryside in the afternoon.
One of the neat things about hiking the Ice Age Trail is that I am visiting places I simply have not visited previously. An example is the terminus of today’s hike, the Iola Winter Sports Club, a center dedicated to educating young people in cross-country skiing, ski jumping, hiking and snowshoeing. That afternoon, the lot was crowded with participants in the Snow Bully Fat Tire Bike Race, as well as a lot of adults getting in some cross country skiing. The club features a chalet with a large dressing and warming area, equipment rental, rest rooms and a concession stand. For those interested, here is a link to more information: http://iolawintersportsclub.org/. After five hours of hiking, I rewarded myself with a candy bar and some coffee before I changed into dry clothes and headed to my car.
I was tired and a bit sore as I drove back to Waupaca. I had not hiked this much since early last May, and I was weighed down with heavier clothes than last spring. I deserved a good meal, and I headed for T-Dubs Public House (http://www.tdubs-pub.com/). This was originally suggested to me by Bill and Cheryl Walters, and it has become my “go to” destination for suppers in the Waupaca area. My perch fish fry was top notch. I begged off having a drink because I had a drive in front of me. No matter. The owner gave me a token for a free drink.
Guess I’ll have to make a return trip.
My Days on the Ice Age Trail 