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Not really SAD, but

A lot of people are affected with Seasonal Affective Disorder in Wisconsin.  We have many, many days without sun during the winter months.  This year, we've had a string of days with heavy fog and unseasonably warm temperatures in the 30's and 40's.   Personally, I can't claim that I've ever really felt the effects of SAD, but this year, knowing that we are likely moving west later next year, I've been very impatient and annoyed with Wisconsin weather.   Sun trying to fight through the clouds It hasn't helped that my daily routine involves looking at the weather in Fort Collins and Tucson.  Their weather has been spectacularly sunny and more pleasant this time of year.   So, I haven't been blogging much because not much is going on. I've substituted indoor pickleball for hiking. The trails have been muddy and not much fun. For Christmas, we had my mother, Julia's brother and Allie here.  I went and retrieved my mother from Cedar Rapids a...

Breaking into Spring


My daughter is home for spring break.  Since we are in Wisconsin, and not South Padre Island or Mexico, spring comes later than what the calendar indicates. I’m still burning 24/7 in the wood stove that heats the house.  The heating season won’t end until close to Memorial Day. This morning, I hiked with Julia, Allie and Elvis on our circle around the Gibraltar Rock Natural Area.




The trail was mostly frozen, rutted mud with a few long icy/snowy stretches in the shade.







With about a week until my big trip south, I took the opportunity to start breaking in my new Salomon Trail Running Shoes.  They were recommended on several backpacking blogs as a lightweight alternative to much heavier hiking boots.  Since I will be truck camping rather than backpacking, I will probably bring along both the lightweight trail running shoes and my heavier Danner boots for comparison/contrast.  As of today, there is a significant amount of snow at Roan Mountain, so I will also be bringing my YakTrax for added traction.

The Salomon shoes feel comfortable to me already, but Allie and I will go on several more hikes in the coming week for some more “breaking in.”  Hiking above 5000 feet in the early spring will be enough of a challenge without worrying about blisters.

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