Ten hikes. I’ve been carefully examining my Ice Age Trail Guidebook and crunching the numbers. Grouping the 15 segments and connecting routes into logical – for me – groups, I appear to have ten hikes left to complete my journey to the Ice Age Trail’s Western Terminus along the St. Croix River. The first of the hikes was Last Wednesday, June 23rd. It was to be a 2.5 road walk connecting the Grassy Lake and Timberline Hills segments. For such a small distance, I did not want to trouble someone for a shuttle, so I did this as an out-and-back. If I remember correctly, this was the third out-and-back I had done on the IAT.
After a pleasant drive from Milwaukee, I arrived at my starting point at the west parking lot at Grassy Lake and was hiking by 3:45. The weather was mostly sunny with temps in the high 70s. I was grateful for the southerly breezes that kept me from frying.
It would have been very easy to have a jaded view of such a short hop – maybe even blow it off entirely. I’ve certainly walked more than 2.5 miles in my time on the trail making up for wrong turns and such. Why not use some of those miles against this CR? Why not simply check off this chunk as completed? Who would know the difference?
Well, for starters, I would know the difference. If I’m going to state that I’ve hiked the entire trail, I’m going to do just that! Besides, doing this short walk could help me in other ways. I’d get to see some pretty country, as evidenced by the picture above. Plus, I needed a tune up. I had been ill on Monday and Tuesday, and I felt a little weak, especially my legs. This walk would give me the chance to get my hiking legs back. Besides, every chance to be on the trail is a gift to be cherished. Years from now, I will look back wistfully on days like this.
And so I was off. After crossing Wisconsin 63, I passed a small church cemetery, the postage stamp-sized burial area you see often when out in the country. Near the gate, I saw this sign.
For some reason, this made me smile. Isn’t it fairly obvious that you would need some kind of official document before burying someone in a cemetery?
Apparently not.
The balance of my walk was through open farm country. The roadway alternated between asphalt and dusty roads. Unless a vehicle was approaching, I walked several feet into the roadway to avoid high grass and ticks. Passing vehicles would churn such large clouds of dust into the air that I feared I was hidden. If a second car was following, the driver wouldn’t see me. Luckily, I didn’t get the chance to test that theory.
For such a short hike, the scenery was very appealing. It was farm country, but the farm fields and buildings were nestled in the hills, as opposed to being plopped on a flat board.
In no time at all, I was back at my starting point. I jumped into my car and started for my hotel in Rice Lake.
One down. Nine to go.
My Days on the Ice Age Trail 