re-vamping...a re-visit...

Geez! How long has it been since I've posted here. TOO long! My apologies for that. Many many outdoor adventures have occurred since the Mt LeConte hike. All you have to do is look at photos posted to my facebook page to realize that.

Anyhow, many of you may or may not know...in June of this year I moved back to Northwest Ohio. Most of my friends have had skeptical responses to this...."eh, are you sure you wanna do that?" (referencing my love of the outdoors) But...one sorta needs to be FROM Northwest Ohio to understand that this area does in fact have MUCH to offer in regards to the outdoors.

So in my quest to jump back into exploration...and soaking in the therapeutic qualities that ANY outdoor area has to offer...here comes the next series of blog posts.

I'd been joanzin to hike some trails at Oak Openings Preserve Metro Park. (there's a 16 mile trail at this park that I've ESPECIALLY been joanzin to experience...which you will hear more about soon) So on this fallish day I set out to find some nature!

Note here...of all the parks I've visited, Metroparks of Toledo is to be commended on their park maintenance at the Oak Openings Preserve Metropark in Swanton, OH! Which is why I captured the photo shown above by that pristine trail marker. I've NEVER seen trail markers so well kept! Well marked trails are the sign of a park that's well taken care of. (Attention to detail)

I chose to walk the silver marked Ridge Trail (3.11 miles) on this day. Deer abound at this park! First time I've spotted not one, not two, but THREE bucks standing together in the woods. I snapped this photo of myself grinning from ear to ear, just after I crossed over the Swan Creek bridge and spotting those bucks.

This trail is gorgeous. Lots of terrain changes along the way. Wooded to open fields, to sandy, to rooty, to pine tree groves and everything in between. For a brief period of time it parallels the 16 mile trail I referenced above...giving me a taste of what's in store when I jump on that trail. YEAH!

Three woops hollars and cheers for the Toledo Metro Parks system! One of many outdoor gems that Northwest Ohio has to offer!! I'm looking forward to exploring more to come!

my hard head knew better...

So I may look like a hiking rockstar here, but let me be clear about something. I "lived" a good lesson in gear on this hike up and down Mt LeConte last week. Having hiked this mountain many many times, I knew what to expect, but ignored it in my hard-headed fashion when it comes to packs.

Here's a few comments about gear and its potential positive or negative effects on a hiking experience.

See that little pack I got on in this photo? Little $8 dollar pack I got at a shoe store on a "spin the board" sorta game thing. Granted this pack is stellar for little day hikes, but it's certainly not meant to go 15 miles nor a combined total of 6,500' in elevation with any amount of true weight in it. My shoulders were SCREAMING about an hour into this hike. While it performed like a rockstar (as in didn't tear or fall apart), but on a comfort level when packed full and weighted down, I give it a 1 out of 5 rating. So let's just say lesson learned in the value of a properly fitted pack for not only the amount of gear, but the weight of gear and proper distribution of that weight across one's lumbar region.

I'll be shopping for a "medium sized" pack that's MEANT to carry some weight in it before my next hike like this!

On another more positive note, my Asolo boots DID in fact perform like rockstars! I realized on this hike that I've had this same pair of boots since 1997!! (although resoled this past year) A good pair of boots are like having clouds strapped to your feet when it comes to hiking. Well worth whatever the dollar amount. Don't skimp on boots.

But one funny thing did happen with my boots on this hike. At one point I had some little pebble under my heel so I stopped to take it off, shake out the pebble and continue moving down that trail. Well, as I retied it, the string popped into two pieces in my hand. Everyone looked at me like I just had a train wreck (because everyone stopped to watch this process with my boot). Undisturbed, I just tied that string in a little knot and off we all went again. LOVE my boots!!

So don't be fooled about gear. Those "gear" issues of Backpacker magazine are published for a reason!

The Mountains are calling!!

I had the privilege of accompanying my long-time bud Robin Huskey Dailey, her nephew Brandon and his friend Caleb on a hike up to Mt LeConte last week!

Spending the night as a guest at the LeConte Lodge has been on my bucket list for some time. So naturally I wasn't about to say anything but YES, when Robin called me to see if I was interested in going!

It was like visiting an old friend for a few days...that Mountain holds some very fond memories down to the very the trails we took. (Not to mention it was tons of fun to hang out with Robin again!)
Alum Cave Bluff on the way up (took us 4 hrs cause why hurry), a 5.1 miler with an elevation gain of 2,560' it's nothing short of a butt kicker. Bullhead trail on the way down (took us 4.5 hrs cause again why hurry), a 6.9 miler with an elevation drop of 3,940'.

Click here to view all the photos.

Needless to say, the leg muscles got a serious workout! And I find that my head is still on that mountain some three days later... it was SUCH a wonderful experience...again! So over the next few days I'll be telling some stories and some memories from this trip.

Wow! Anyone can hike this Mountain, given the right pace...and oh how empowering it is...for everyone who goes there!

Stay tuned...

blew out my flip flop...but not on a pop-top...

Sad day cause I blew out my flip-flop on Memorial Day. I know everyone has their favorite flip-flops...and these were mine. My Teva flip-flops from like 1989! yeah, that's right! My old friend...sign.

So was paddling on Harrison Bay with my bud Ellen Kimbro...and we ferried out on a spot where it required we walk on the mucky, thick clay bottom of the bay....and while I was stepping up onto the shore...my flip-flop blew out. Yes, we laughed...but...goodbye old friend.

Sad day...but at the same time...creates a great excuse to invest in another pair...which might last me another 20 years. Who knew a pair of flip-flops could last sooooo long. These guys have been at the Ocoee River, up Mt LeConte (Smoky Mtn National Park), in Dayton-Oh, Amarillo-Tx, Pembine-Wi, and of course ye ole home town of Delta-Oh, and on and on the list goes.

So good-bye old friends...RIP. Love me some Tevas!!!

Peace out, Rachel

way past due...!

Wow, I'm way past due here updating my site with the latest greatest Rachel adventures. and geez, between paddling my kayak on Harrison Bay and hiking at North Chickamauga Creek (NCC)...life is good!
Today I went to NCC to hike and swim. It was a bit on the hot/humid side today, so what better place to do both! I'm prepping to hike Mt LeConte next month, so I needed what I call a "suck wind" trail. And this one delivers. Long uphill grade with lots of beautiful views and waterfalls and such. It was fab today! (add in that I didn't see any snakes...a good day)
So this photo I took when I was pausing at what's pretty much the top of the climb. Impressed that I wasn't showing any of the exhaustion I was feeling. I could really tell the effects of the humidity today. Felt like I was hiking in slow motion.
I hiked for about 2 hrs and then changed shoes and hit the creek. The water felt soooo good! Rock hopped up the creek for a bit, dunked a few times, sunned a bit and called it a day.
...more to come! happy trails.

a walk in the park...

Couldn't stand it. Had to get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather we had here today!!! Sunny and 67!

So drove over to Booker T Washington State Park off Hwy 58 and hit the "mountain bike trail" on foot again!

What a FAB trail! Even if you do have to step aside every so often to let the bikers pass. No big deal. The views on this trail are awesome! A little meander through the woods, a little walk along the bay, a bit of hills and truly a great workout can be had!

I took a few "short cuts" this time around since I was more familiar with this trail today that I was the last time I hiked it. Still managed to be out there for a solid 2 hours. Stellarness!!!

Nothing like that after-hiking-tired-just-gotta-sit-down-for-a-while feeling.

Glad to say, my boots are holding up. Yeah for that!

fair...to partly cloudy-ish

It's in cloudy days like these that I'm reminded...that I don't truly appreciate a thing until I don't have it...and in this instance...I'm referring to the Sun!

The other day while convincing myself that "hey, this is no big deal, all these cloudy days" and "maybe I could live in Seattle" and then of course the following thought was, "RACHEL, STOP! be careful what you wish for. Why would you choose to experience cloudy days et-nauseam?"
So, three cheers for sun. It's predicted we'll see it here again on Friday coupled with 68 degrees!! for which I am EVER so grateful!