Winter Walking

This winter has been for the snow lover, a dream.  Ok, sometimes a nightmare too!  We've had at least 6 snow storms over the last month or more, including one ice storm.  Because of this all my walks have had to be fairly well planned.  The layering had to be  thought out in advance.  Warm enough at the start, with the ability to peel away like an onion as the body temp required.  The snow shoes have been at the ready, although I haven't actually gotten to use 'em.  The snows were frequent but not quite as deep as some of last years.  Or at least not in the areas I was walking in.

Helen & Rose

About a week ago, after the latest snow storm, I got to do a bit over 3 miles, simply roaming the town with my friend Rose, and her sister Helen, visiting from Georgia.  The girls have been making the most of the snow storms together, making snowmen and angels!

 

"Our Town"

We may not have gotten a chance to go far, but we made the most of our time in the village and had a fantastic time strolling around, even thru the local cemetery.  I always think of the play "Our Town" when we walk thru there.  I've gotten to know so many of it's "residents" after living here for 25 years.  I always feel a sort of comforting presence when I'm there.  Almost like they're happy for a visit and to be remembered.   I always make sure to go to the corner where Fr. Max is buried. Near him is Frankie F. who died at 10 years old.  Behind him is Jamie, who, despite of her Cystic Fibrosis, made it to 28 years old doing the sports she loved.  Helen and Helene are around the corner.  All remembered, loved and appreciated.  Visiting them always makes me happy to be alive and happy to have gotten to know them.

Sycamore trees along one of the avenues.

Last Sunday I had the joy of getting to run away for the day to go play out in the snow with one of my best friends.  His other half was off skiing in Colorado, mine was busy working on his wine.  The rest of our usual cadre of hiking fools was either working or had family events to attend to.  So, Rich and I headed out on our own.

Snowshoes!

Fox!

It was supposed to be a quick jaunt around the Atsion Lake area with our snowshoes.  The snow however, once we got out there, simply didn't warrant slapping them on, at least in our humble opinions!  We simply headed off, following other foot prints, into the woods.  After about a mile or so, we crossed the Mullica River Trail, with a small sign informing us that Basto Village was only 8.5 miles further on.  Now I should add that of our group, if anyone is likely to take the longer trail, the steeper slope, or just have to see what's around one more corner...it would be the two of us!  I know we drive our spouses a bit crazy.  I know they are often relieved to hang back in the pack and discuss our "insanity".  So, that said, of course we decided to follow the damn near Camino yellow blazes and walk to Batsto!  Fortunately we're also among the most likely to have spare gear on us at all times, including spare socks, food and water.  Oh and a cell phone with which to call my dear hubby and sweetly inquire if he wanted to do lunch with us at the local watering hole.  The Piccalili or as it's better know locally, The Pic, is noted for their blistering Buffulo Wings.  And of course it's only a few miles from Basto, and could be neatly timed so he could pick us up after our 10 mile hike!  Thank God he loves good food and wine almost above everything else!

The bridge we expected to cross 8 miles in!

The makeshift bridge we did cross!

Mullica River with Ice Islands

Batsto Village, where they made bog iron into cannonballs!

Batsto Mansion and our finish ahead!

So, all of us had our "perfect" Sunday. Vivian, flying down the slopes in Colorado, Ray working on his wine and getting to eat out,  Rich and I slogging thru the woods, taking pics and just going where the road leads us.

One step at a time

Ok so it wasn't such a small step.  And then again it really was.  So small.  Finally, it was easy.  I quit.

I've been desperately unhappy at my job for at least a year, generally unhappy for about the 2 years or so prior.  Last week, the straw was finally placed in the basket, the grain sand fell, from the top of the hour glass, and it was over.  And I am totally at peace about it.

Having put it in prayer for a long time, and simply thrown it out to the universe at large, I got my answer.  I've already started another job.  Perfect..no.  But finally there are options, and some time to think about things and plan.  Time to be able to think about travel, school, other options in life besides sitting in a small padded cubicle surrounded by some seriously unkind, cruel people.

So, yesterday morning began with a 2 hour meeting at the new digs, and then off from high fashion to wearing my hideous hiking pants, and a totally hodgepodge ensemble to slog thru the forest!  Yet that contrast felt smoother and more seamless and connected than the way I've been living for sometime now.    The great irony is where I worked there were nearly 150 folks at times, not a one of which hiked or biked or did a single one of the things near and dear to my heart.  Yesterday, at the end of the meeting a new coworker asked where I was rushing off to, and when I told her, she lit up and said "Oh I've done that trail, it's so pretty this time of year!"  Already I feel more like I belong.  For the first time in ages.

SO....

Spent the rest of yesterday out on the trails again doing another leg of the Batona Trail.  We did 10 miles this time. This leg was from Evans Bridge to Batsto Village.   It's been a delight and a joy to watch the progression of fall in the Pine Barrens over the last few weeks.  Sadly, I forgot my camera so I've no pics to share, unless my dear friend Richard will give me one!  The reds of the last few weeks have shifted to deep rusty browns on the oaks, with tinges of yellow here and there.  Always the green of the pines and the laurels.  It's really beautiful out there.

Most interesting was the actual variety of woods within the Barrens.  We hit a large stand of oaks, and not the scrub variety.  Huge tall stately oaks all soldiered together. Then came another of those swampy areas, with an eerie mist hanging over it in the late afternoon light.  Onward into a huge area of laurels (can't wait to do this in the spring when they bloom!).  Funny but it's hard to call 'em mountain laurel when they're only 110 ft above sea level!  The variety of this area never ceases to amaze me.  All those years I simply drove thru, as fast as my lead foot would allow, and never really knew what lay in those hundreds and thousands of acres to my right and to my left.

On the way home from the hike, courtesy of the time change, it was really dark.  Deer were everywhere.  We had no less than five different groups bound across the road on the way back.  Definitely kept you on your toes while driving.  Everyone I know who's had the misfortune to hit one has ended up with a new car.  Not something I want to have to deal with right now.

Sunday Hike, Caranza Memorial to Batsto Village

Tales of what happens when a good hike goes bad!  I have the good fortune to have great friends who were willing to start late for a Sunday hike, as we all had things to do in the morning.  The plan was to do a section of the Batona (BAck TO NAture Trail).  I wanted us to do a section that I'd never been on before.

Strange people running from the Jersey Devil!  Oh wait,  no, it's my husband
and my good friend Vivian on a nice wide portion of the Batona trail!

The Batona trail runs for about 50 miles thru the Pine Barrens of Southern New Jersey.  It's an unusual area, full of unique plant and wildlife, with a few legends thrown in, including the likes of the Jersey Devil.    Most of the area is very flat, having once been ocean floor.  The soil is sandy and so white that at times the trail looks like it's been snowed on. The trail runs thru what are called scrub oaks, scrub pines and acres of wild blueberries.  Occasionally the trail crosses small creeks or rivers, running cool clear, tea colored, cedar water.  The water get's it's color from bog iron and the roots of cedar trees that line the banks.  Get it on white cotton and it will never be the same.

The Batsto River

Things began to go awry when I made the great mistake of not double checking my stats and figures for each section of the trail, and confusing which section we were going to do on Sunday.  So, instead of a 9 to 9.5 mile hike, we wound up doing a 12.5 mile hike.  Ouch!  At least three of us were sporting new boots on top of it!

I guess this is, as they now refer to these things, a teachable moment or a learning experience!  Things not to do when hiking.

A. Be damn certain which section/distance you are about to embark upon!
B.  Even if it is daylight when you leave home...have lighting gear, be it a head lamp, a hand held flashlight, a wind up no battery type, whatever....have a light!
C. If it's a longer than previous hike, you might want to reconsider using new foot gear this time around.
D. Bring food!
C. Make sure someone, not on the hike (!), knows roughly where your going and roughly when you expect to finish.

We did some of things right, and a few not!  We did have more than enough food, each of us, to go around and water for ourselves and Kiva the Airdale terrier and trusty trail companion.  Family members did know where we all were.

That first mistake though, resulted in doing an unexpected 25% longer hike.  Ok, if you are starting early.  But, we'd calculated to be coming in around 5:30pm to maybe 6pm, dusk.  End result was we were in the forest on fairly narrow trails after sundown.   Thank God for Rich having as always the most complete kit out on the trail.  His two head lamps brought us in safely.  With out them, we would have been in serious trouble, calling the rangers to bring us in.  I have several headlamps, but forgot to check that it was in my regular daypack.

Foot wear, well, I haven't heard back from everyone yet (hope they're all still talking to me!) but amazingly, I don't think we have any real blisters amongst us.  I did discover some irritated areas on the backs of my legs and heels this morning.  Things that, if I was doing a goodly distance today (the Camino!), would probably result in full blown blisters.  With a little more care and conditioning though,  looks like the feet will be ok!  The toe socks, they performed quite well.  The neuroma was at times fiercely painful, but then settled down to dull ache.  Ain't no question, I'm going to need to get a cortisone shot some time this week, and have it repeated six months or so down the pike.

When all is said and done it was a terrific hike inspite of the mishaps.  We made it safely to the Ranger station at Batsto village.  We retrieved the cars that'd been shuttled down there earlier in the morning.  As a full moon rose above the cranberry bogs, fully flooded for harvest, I can at least say we got in safely ahead of Mother Leeds 13th child!

The Jersey Devil himself!