Wednesday, December 28, 2011

well d*mn...

wow...I'd forgotten just how depressing the overcast weather of Northwest Ohio Winters can be...and it's only December 28th! I can tell I'm gonna have to put in a little more effort to keep the Winter Blues away!
More bonfires outside...chunking snowballs at innocent passerbys, skipping through the wet...muddy yard...simply for the hell of it. You know...things like that.
Book reading, movie watching, work-out schedules...will all go a long way to keep my head in a good place when it's cloudy outside. Who knew JUST was an important role that seeing the sun can do?
I also find that watching episodes of American's Funniest Home Videos on Netflix also does wonders for my state-of-mind...after all...we all know laughter is the BEST medicine!!
So bring it ole man Winter! ...and yep...I'm gonna get a pair of snowshoes just for the hell of it too!! trekking round in the snow is good for releasing those happy little endorphins too!
In the mean time...I'll just look at images of the sun to remind my brain that it does in fact shine!!

Inward and Onward!

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

rails-to-trails trial...

It's been a loooooooong time since I've been on one of Northwest Ohio's rails-to-trails treks. Back when I was 16 or so...long before the gravel was removed from the rail-bed...but after the railroad ties had been lifted I opted to ride my bike into Wauseon on one of these trails. (Roughest bike ride I've had to date)...but since then...MUCH work has been done to improve these trails.
see http://wabashcannonballtrail.org/
Anyhow, thanks to Chris...we have a new addition to the family. Shay...a Rat Terrier/Border Collie mix rescue from Kentucky. She's very shy and timid...and not real broke in when it comes to trail experience. So I decided to take her on her first trail hike on the Wabash Cannonball Trail...since I knew we likely wouldn't come across any other walkers/bikers/hikers.
There's something very peaceful about walking through the flatlands of Northwest Ohio...looking out over acres and acres of farm land.
And Shay did a rockstar job...a little skiddish at first...but I suspect this was one of many romps on the trail to come.
This particular section of trail is most certainly fit for mountain biking, trail running or walking. LOVE the idea of "recycling" unused railroad tracks for recreational use!!!
Special thanks to the rails-to-trails conservancy who has made it all possible! http://www.railstotrails.org