Ice Age Trail, Sat. Jan. 7, 2012, south of Slinger, Wisconsin

Trail in Pike Lake State Park, Wisconsin

Young and Old Goldens in Slinger

Strange snowman along the trail in the woods

Another Survey Marker right on the trail

Details and Weather:  Started at 6:38, finished at 12:15 pm - 5.8 hours, 8 miles total.  Temperature was 30 degrees when I started in the dark and upper 30's and partly sunny at noon.  Went from the Slinger Community Park to Highway 167 just north of Holy Hill.

Dropped the bike off in Slinger then parked the car at Pike Lake Unit.  Walked north on the snow/ice, started in the dark but quickly got light. Got back to the car and found my courtesy friendly reminder from the DNR to re-new my annual sticker, lovely.  Drove south and parked at the trailhead at Highway 167 just north of Holy Hill, then started walking north again.  This is a very nice section of trail especially around Holy Hill. Reminded me of hiking in Germany.  Survived on O.J. and eating my friend's gift of venison summer sausage, it was really good, a very good food item to have on a hike.

Wildlife:  Crows; Redtailed Hawk; lots of Doves; Birds; Geese; Cows; Horses; Squirrels; 2 Deer in the woods (might have been the same one twice); a Golden Retriever Puppy and an older one sitting at their house in Slinger; a barky German Shepherd and a Mix, then a barky Beagle and a Beagle Mix.

Dangers:  Slipped on ice a couple of times, went to the ground once - ouch! My Bike Helmet and 2 liter Mountain Dew bottle broke my fall, who says Mountain Dew is bad for you!?!  Red truck checking me out and probably giving me the stink-eye, maybe thought I was hunting since I had on my orange jacket. Got a warning ticket from the DNR for having an expired annual pass, for once I catch a break from them, they must not have realized who's van it was (I think I'm on the DNR's wanted list, we have a history, it's a long story).