Day 36: Connecting Route, Kewaunee River, Connecting Route

I'm like a horse smelling the hay in the barn, or whatever that saying is. Today they were predicting a 50% chance of rain all morning, then a 70-80% chance of thunderstorms all afternoon. Not good. I was pretty lucky, though. I started off with a 6-mile connecting route, which fed into the Kewaunee River State Trail (flat, great surface), meaning I was able to run a lot. I reached Kewaunee, about 17 miles away, well before noon. No rain, other than a light mist the first mile. The rail-trail, by the way, was quite scenic, paralleling the Kewaunee River much of the time. Ran into a man with a cute puppy, Porter, on the trail (see photo).

Once in Kewaunee, I eschewed the suggested connecting route in favor of running up Hwy. 42, because it was shorter/faster. I was hoping to do about 12 miles -- up 42, through Algoma, and out to the start of the Ahnapee State Trail. I made it about halfway when the rain began to fall. I jogged another mile or two, then donned my reflective vest, as it was getting quite foggy and there was plenty of traffic along 42. Just as I entered Algoma, it began raining harder. I grabbed my folks' umbrella and walked a mile through town. With about 1.5 miles left to the Ahnapee Trail, it really began to pour and I figured why not stop? I was soaked and getting uncomfortable, and I'd made 28 miles in under 6 hours. So I hopped in my parents' car, and we drove to tonight's lodging, At the Water's Edge in Algoma.

My room is large and lovely, with a patio door opening out onto a spacious deck facing the lake. If I'm lucky and the rain goes away, I should see a killer sunrise tomorrow morning.

Tonight I took my parents out to a place I've been meaning to try: Skaliwag's. Billed as "Food that's Five Star in a Crazy Little Dive Bar," I'm here to report it's exactly that. We started off with fried shrimp with aioli sauce, then I had the New Orleans pasta, with andouille sausage and shrimp -- yum and yum. There was a small, but nice, wine list. The chef, busy as he was, chatted with us several times. And as Algoma is a small town, he knew what I was doing. The place was packed shortly after we arrived at 4:30 -- 4:30!! -- and at one point the chef yelled out to everyone that I'd just walked 1,100 miles, and the place erupted in cheers. It was pretty fun, I have to say.

I can't believe tomorrow is my last day. I can't believe I've been away from home for five weeks (my record was three). I can't believe I've had three skin infections, umpteen blisters and lost three toenails (and counting). I can't believe how strong I felt running today (amazing how great you feel when the bottoms of your feet are healthy -- no cellulitis -- and don't hurt with every step). I can't believe how many awesome people volunteered to help crew me all of this time. And, most of all, I can't believe what a beautiful, interesting, funny, fantastical state we live in.

Day 34: Connecting Route, Manitowoc, Dunes, Two Rivers, Point Beach

Today they were predicting a 50% chance of rain all day, so I figured I'd get sprinkled on at least half the day. My luck held out. It sprinkled as Mom and Dad drove me to the spot where I'd stopped last night, then stopped completely. I was resuming my trek in the middle of a connecting route, and had stopped last night in front of a farm. The farm had a German Shepherd who came bounding across the road, barking, but we knew he was friendly. The farmer was there in an instant, too. We chatted briefly; he'd noticed us stopping there last night, but of course had no idea what we were doing. There were several cranes in his field, which were quite impressive.

Speaking of cranes, I'm amazed at how they're everywhere in the state, at least at this time of year. I've seen more cranes than just about any other form of wildlife, it seems. They're so prehistoric looking and sounding.

So I'm doing about 13 miles on the roads, when I come upon Mom and Dad in yet another farmer's driveway, waiting to supply me with more water and food. They were chatting up the farming couple, explaining what I was doing. So the couple began cheering me on as I ran by. It was so cute. Then I noticed a herd of elk across the way, so I stopped and jogged back up to them. They said the elk had just been bugling, and the guy ran down the road with me a bit to see if they'd bugle again. They did, and it was such an incredible sound -- rather prehistoric again. Just like, perhaps, the sound a wooly mammoth made during the Ice Age.

When I was ready to continue, I asked the guy if he'd bring my camera, and a piece of trash from an energy waffle I'd eaten, back to my parents. He said sure, so I yelled to the woman that I was making her husband a temporary crew member. She started pumping her arms in the air, saying, "We're a part of this too, now! We're Dave and Margie by the elk!" It was pretty cute.

Manitowoc was an interesting experience. I entered the city with no blazes guiding me. I made my way to Schuette Park, where the trail was supposed to run along the river. I couldn't see any signage or blazes in the park, so I asked one of the city employees who was mowing the area. He said he knew nothing of the IAT or blazes, and that a small path led down to the river, but they didn't do any maintenance down there. I started following the path, but it was so overgrown and tiny that I was walking bent over double. When it took a steep downturn, then downed trees were everywhere, I decided it wasn't wise to follow this path. Trouble was, Manitowoc is cut by the river. So most of the streets don't go through. I probably walked a mile or two extra to get around and back to a spot where I could hook up with the trail. I didn't see one blaze on the official path until I crossed the river and hit Revere Avenue, when suddenly the route was perfectly blazed. Weird.

Although it was cloudy out, it was humid and still warm, so I was sweating up a storm. Luckily the path then ran along the lakeshore, where the temps dropped 10 degrees and I was finally -- finally -- not sweltering.

The Dunes segment was pretty, running through forest and fields, although some spots were overgrown. I saw lots of tiny, white, wooden owls attached to various trees. No idea what they were for until I spoke with the chapter chair tonight who said some tiny owl migrates through the Dunes every spring and fall, and the owls are banded and tracked. This is the season, I guess. Still not exactly sure why they tie wooden owls up there ...

Two Rivers was well blazed, and the segment ended with another lovely stretch along the cool lakeshore. Then it was into Point Beach State Park. I'd discovered this park last year on a story assignment, and loved what I'd seen. Now I got to run on the trails. The first two miles were right on the beach. It was a bit difficult, because the easiest walking was where the sand was packed down, near the water, but that area was slanted. So I had to walk on a slant for two miles. Hiker notes said it's very easy to miss the sign directing you off the beach and back into the woods, so I was staring at the woods for the last mile so I wouldn't miss it. I did see it, but I'm sure I would have missed it if I hadn't been staring to my left for 20 minutes. The trails here were soft sand and dirt, and quite runnable. It was a great way to end the day.

Have to mention more great B&Bs. I've had such wonderful experiences on this trip. Last night was a stay at the Jay Lee Inn in Elkhart Lake, very close to the La Budde segment. Great, comfy digs and one of the friendliest innkeepers you'll find. Tonight is the luxe Westport B&B in Manitowoc. This place has everything from fine, local Beerntsen's chocolates to an enormous whirlpool tub to the softest robes you'll find.

Three more days!

Day 33: Greenbush, La Budde Creek, Connecting Route

Enough with the heat already! Phew. Had to get that out of my system. Another uncomfortable day in the 70s with full sun. Lots of water dumps on my head and muttered curses. I'm actually looking forward to the rain predicted for the next few days. Or so I say now.

Finished up the Kettle this morning, much of it along the course of the Glacial Trail 50K, which I've run five times, I believe. I can't believe I raced on that trail. Now, to my weary, battered feet, it seems too rocky and unsafe for running. Ha!

La Budde Creek is near Elkhart Lake. It was kind of a scruffy path that wound through prairie and forest, but didn't seem to afford any great views. Maybe it was just the timing; the prairie was likely more impressive a few weeks earlier.

This afternoon I knocked off about 16 miles of a +30-mile connecting route. I really am enjoying this one. The roads aren't too traffic-choked, for one, and the hills are very gentle and runnable. Scenery's great, too. Once, while my parents were pulled over on the side of the road waiting for me to run up, a sheriff's deputy pulled up to make sure they were O.K. They said they were waiting for their daughter, who was doing the Ice Age Trail. The guy said, "Oh, the woman in the bright orange shirt?" Glad that birthday present from Ed makes me so visible.

Some guy ran past me in the La Budde Creek area. He said, "How many miles have you done so far?" I thought about his question for a few seconds, then said, "About 1,000." He said, "No, I mean today. I've seen you on another road earlier." He didn't react at all to the 1,000-mile comment. He must have thought I meant I've run or walked 1,000 miles in my lifetime, or perhaps in this calendar year. He didn't get it. No one I've met does.

Weight
So let's discuss weight, every woman's favorite topic. Before I started the IAT, various friends told me I had to make sure I ate enough so I didn't waste away. I assured them I wouldn't, as I had experience with long treks due to the Camino. Then, just a week into my trek, I had to go on a strong antibiotic. It made me all puffy in the face, plus gave me a bloated gut. I sure didn't look like I was wasting away.

But when my chiropractor and massage therapist  came to work on me, both commented that they could see all sorts of bones and muscles that hadn't been visible before. So I took a good look at myself in the mirror. UGH. From the waist up, I'm fairly skeletal. Anatomy students could easily identify all the bones in my entire rib cage. Of course the hefty Radzicki thighs haven't changed much. Anyway, I'm going to guess I'm down about 10 pounds. And now I know how I'd look if I was a contestant on Survivor. I will definitely enjoy putting those pounds back on starting next week.

FOUR MORE DAYS!





 

Day 32: West Bend, Southern Kewaskum, Kewaskum, Milwaukee River, Parnell

Before I get into today’s hike/run, I promised to discuss food. Food is critical to long-distance efforts. Everyone develops her own system as to what works. I like to start off my day with peanut butter and jelly on toast, plus coffee. During the day I eat mainly energy bars and similar products, with a pre-packaged peanut butter and jelly “Uncrustable” for lunch (great source of protein, carbs and fat). But that alone won’t cut it. I need treats, too. My favorite? Seroogy’s meltaways.

Seroogy’s is a +100-year-old candy maker in De Pere. Ironically (and sadly), I never heard of them during my four years at St. Norbert College. Years later I learned of the company, and quickly developed a fondness for its meltaway line. Then, after purchasing a bunch of these candy bars during a fundraiser, I packed them when I tackled the Camino. They were magical. Whenever I didn’t think I could make it to the next town, I’d tell myself I could have a big bite of my candy bar when I got there, and somehow my feet kept moving. One of the saddest days was when I eagerly unwrapped my bar, only to find it had melted in my pack (it was in the 80s). I’m not embarrassed to say I licked the wrapper clean. So I’ve got a boat load of Seroogy’s chocolates with me (mint, chocolate and mocha, if you must know). And whenever I start dragging, or get cranky about all of the rocks hurting my feet, I take a big bite of my candy bar when I next see my crew. Oh, and when the day is done, I eat a dinner worthy of a lumberjack.

Now on to today. I was a bit of a Miss Crabby Pants to start. My feet were feeling pretty good, but the West Bend segment was so rocky, it caused them to ache immediately. Then I got them pretty wet during the Southern Kewaskum segment, which caused all of my bandages to slip off and around in my socks. It was also very warm out for the gazillionth day – temps topped out around 80 – and I began dumping water over my head early in the day. I was not happy. But things improved.

The Kewaskum segment was quite beautiful, especially some of the parts in the open prairie that topped the rolling hills. At one point I popped out on top of a ski hill and ran down, which was pretty funny. I was able to walk the brand-new section of the Milwaukee River segment, which was also very pretty and had great footing to boot. And then I entered Northern Kettle Moraine, baby! Yes, another landmark.

Unfortunately, much of the Milwaukee River and Parnell segments were very rocky, which my feet didn’t like. Still, I was able to run a bunch, and that always makes me happy. My parents took over as my crew, and pampered me. (Love the candy corn flavored m&ms, Mom and Dad!)

Tonight I’m staying at the Irish-themed Rochester Inn in Sheboygan Falls. It’s a very nice place with those all-important amenities: a comfy bed and whirlpool to soak my feet. 

I have just FIVE days to go. Sturgeon Bay, here I come.

Day 31: Monches, Lowe Lake, Holy Hill, Pike Lake, Slinger, Cedar Lakes, West Bend

My sister-in-law, Paula Moore, was my crew today. It was great because we'd been at Paula's lake house this past 4th of July, and hiked part of the Monches segment. Today I started at Monches. All I remember of it during the 4th weekend was that it was really hot out (90s), and the trail was full of mosquitoes. Today I saw it in a different light. It's a gorgeous trail with great woodsy sections, water features and bridges.

Lowe Lake was another beautiful segment, containing everything from pine forests to lake views to prairies. I wanted to love Holy Hill, but I have to admit it was just O.K. The first portion was quite brutal, with very steep up and downhills. You only caught glimpses of the basilica's towers twice, and the trail seemed to go on forever, crossing streets and turning into farm fields and all sorts of unusual paths. Pike Lake got a bit confusing, because all of the markings were a yellow wrap around a post (along with wraps of other colors for other paths); no consistent blazing or traditional IAT markings. It was quite hilly, too.

The walk through Slinger was fine, and the Cedar Lakes segment was pretty. I ended doing about 2-3 miles at the start of West Bend -- I enjoyed it quite a bit so far.

Tonight I'm staying with high school and college friends Bunny and Tim Collins. They've been so welcoming, and I feel like I'm at a posh B&B. Speaking of posh B&Bs, last night I stayed at Cold Spring Inn, a beautiful B&B in Hubertus, quite near the IAT. Hosts David and Kari are warm and welcoming, and you can't beat the wine and cheese spread they lay out for you when you arrive (nor the great breakfast parfait in the morning).

Tomorrow, when I'm not so comatose, I want to talk about the importance of FOOD while doing an epic adventure like this.

Day 30: Scuppernong, Waterville, Lapham Peak, Delafield, Hartland, Merton

Do you get hangnails when you do long-distance hikes? I rarely get them, but I've got a gazillion now. Must be the Ice Age Trail. That's what I say.

Today I started on the Scuppernong segment (love that name). I don't believe horses are allowed on it, but there were horse apples everywhere. The bulk of the trail was a bit tough for running -- lots of steep hills and rocks -- but the last part was quite nice.

Waterville was a short jog through farm fields, prairie and woods -- again, very pleasant. I could do a lot of running here. There were lots of those spider web things, though. Ugh. I especially hate when they wrap across my face.

I was quite surprised at the Lapham Peak segment. I've skied there many times, plus run some trail races and adventure races there. I thought I knew all of the trails. WRONG. Virtually all of the IAT in Lapham were trails I'd never been on. Most were quite rocky, although the final segment across County Highway C was in a gorgeous prairie, with undulating hills and generally great footing. More prime running here.

The route through Delafield was mostly on a bike path, although it was quite hilly. Hartland was a fun hike/run. First, the trail took you alongside a golf course, then tucked you back into some woods near the course. Then you walked through a subdivision filled with gynormous homes, then onto a tiny trail in between some of the mansions. You popped out onto some recreational paths that led you into a marsh, then through some pretty parks. It was just so nice. Well, except for the section near the marsh. There was a long boardwalk there. I've been very careful with boardwalks, walking across all of them unless they were brand new. That's because the boardwalks on the IAT are generally older, and often have warped/uneven boards, boards that shift when you walk on them, etc. I've been very careful so I didn't have any mishaps. So there I was, walking along a boardwalk, when I suddenly slipped on a wet spot (or maybe moss) and slammed my shin into the edge. I figured I'd have a bruise from that, since I bruise easily, but tonight I discovered a HUGE goose egg on my shin (plus a big bruise). Figures! This trail wants to maim me.

The Merton segment was interesting. There's a trail there, and right next to it they're starting to create a rail-trail, which I believe is called the Bugline Trail. So you can walk the original trail or hike on the cleared path for the rail-trail. I did the latter.

So that was my day. But a few random thoughts.

• I'm seeing a lot of pumpkins on people's lots, which reminds me Halloween is approaching. It's amazing how you get out of the loop of this kind of stuff when you're walking in the woods for a month.
• The last few days walnuts have been dropping everywhere. Yesterday it was very windy, and I can't believe I didn't have walnuts smacking me on the head. I'd be on the trail, the wind would pick up, and walnuts would start slamming in to the ground all around me. I kept waiting to get hit in the head, but luckily that's one physical misfortune I avoided.
• People, namely drivers, are much nicer up north and in small towns. Up north, they give walkers very wide berths. And I mean literally every driver. Once I hit Janesville, everything changed. No matter how far over on the shoulder I walk, it seems like cars are trying to hit me.
• Not too long ago, a trivia question asked what the most popular vehicle in the U.S. was. I guessed Toyota Camry. It was a pick-up truck, and maybe specifically a Ford. I'm here to tell you I now believe it. I can't believe how many pick-up trucks I've seen in Wisconsin during this hike/run. I'm beginning to think we're the only family that doesn't own a pick-up truck.

Day 29: Connecting Route, Whitewater Lake, Blackhawk, Blue Spring Lake, Stony Ridge, Eagle

Another hot, windy day, with temps around 80. That's too hot for running/hiking. Optimal temps are more like 55-65. But I'm not complaining (too much). Better that than rain.

Today started with a short connecting route, which passed this cool, old well. A sign noted it was hand-dug in 1895 and has been flowing steadily ever since. I filled my water bottle there; it was great tasting (not mineral-y) and nice and cold.

Then I hit KETTLE MORAINE, BABY! I've had various goals since I started: get across northern Wisconsin, get to the Dells, reach Madison, get to Janesville and go through Kettle Moraine. I was so excited to start the Southern Kettle. First up was Whitewater Lake. The path was quite rocky, which my blistered, infected feet didn't like one bit. Blackhawk was better, but Blue Spring Lake was alternately rocky and sandy, which wasn't great. Stony Ridge and Eagle were my favorites by far. They took me through gorgeous prairie and some wooded areas, with great footing overall. I was able to run quite a bit in these sections, and couldn't get enough of the scenery.

I've been wearing my blaze orange cap ever since Doug bought one for each of us back in Antigo. I was wondering if it was silly today, in Kettle Moraine, where surely there was no hunting. Then in Blue Spring Lake two hunters with huge rifles walked past. They said they were hunting squirrels. Glad I had my cap on! In both Stony Ridge and Eagle, gunshot could be steadily heard for hours. I thought maybe there was some shooting range in the area; Ed, my crew member for today and tomorrow, thought it was a trap shooting facility.

Lots of hikers, runners, mountain bikers and horseback riders in the Kettle today. It was nice to see the trails getting lots of use. There were at least a dozen people on the Eagle segment alone when I passed through at the end of the day.

Tonight we're staying at Eagle Centre House in Eagle, an early-American B&B. Ed and I are on the third floor in a room with some kind of rope bed/trundle bed. It's pretty interesting.

Got a little rain tonight, but it looks like sunny skies for the next few days. If all goes well, I'll be in Sturgeon Bay in just 8 days. Seems like I just started yesterday ...