Ice Age Trail, Valders and points south, May 22, 2011

 

 

 

 

Details & Weather: Drove to Clarks Mills and parked at the town hall area, was hiking by 6:45 a.m. then hiked until 10:45, so 4 hours total on the trail/road. Ended up being 10.5 miles. First went to Valders and back, then re-parked the car at Valders Memorial Park. A quiet Sunday morning, just me and about 80 pick-up trucks passing me by as I walked south on County J. It was very foggy in the morning, then that cleared up by 9:00 or so. Was warmer and muggy, thunderstorms coming in the afternoon. This section was all along the road, but it was still interesting as usual, always something to see. Did one last jump south of Valders to go another 2 miles along Hillcreek Road, then I was done, it was getting hotter.

Wildlife: Robins; doves; pigeons; swallows flying all over the place; blackbirds; red-wing blackbirds; tweety birds; several pairs of Sandhill cranes; geese; and to note for the first time ever since hiking I did not see a Crow while hiking; a Killdeer; cows; horses; a huge Belgian horse; 2 donkeys; an old Black Lab; a German Shepherd; and a barky black Shit-zu looking canine.

Noteworthy: The Belgian horse; the donkeys - the came down to the road to see me; the Manitowoc River fall/dam at Clarks Mills; the weather was nice; lots of nice yards along the way with tulips and other flowers; stopping and getting lunch at the Firefighter's brat fry in the Town of Brillion on the way home.