Journal - Woman on Her Way

Tweaking gear

A few trial hikes discouraged me from using Dennis’ Gregory Z35 Pack. The torso is about two inches too long. It didn’t sit right and caused me to lean forward too much. Not wanting to spend money on another pack, I decided to use my Osprey Talon 33 back pack. I’ll miss the extra three cubic feet, but not the 3/4 lbs. If I need to, I will strap a day pack to my backpack to carry food.

Dennis and I spent several hours tweaking gear to reduce the bulk and weight. Everything in my bag has a purpose, sometimes two. For example, mouthwash can be used as an antiseptic, dental floss for sewing, etc. The only thing I have doubles of is clothing, one that I’ll be wearing and the other in the pack or hanging from it to dry.

Since we are starting the hike on June 16, I decided against the warm weather clothing. Even though is will soon be summer, the evenings can be cold in the mountains. I’ve become a chilly-willy since I moved to Florida. I hope I won’t regret my decision.

In all, my gear including water and food weighs 31.77 pounds (12.4 kilos). I’m not bothered by the weight during my practice walks. Who knows what will happen in the hills and mud.

Dennis solved our transportation problem. We will stay at the North Troy Inn Bed and Breakfast on June 15, where we will leave the van. The next day Doug McKain, a Green Mountain Club volunteer, will shuttle us 270 miles or so to North Adams, MA, and the start of the Long Trail.

Things are looking good.

Gear change

100_0685 — Dennis at the start of the Long Trail, North Adams, Massachusetts. (Taken in 2008)

Dennis and I were speakers at the Appalachian Trail Club of Florida. Dennis presented slides from his 2008 walk on the first part of the Long Trail, which is also part of the Appalachian Trail (AT). I think he was a little wary that all the photos of the mud might change my mind about going.

100_0684 — Most likely I’ll be traipsing in mud the length of Vermont.

After the slide presentation, we showed the members the contents of our backpacks for their thumbs-up or thumbs-down. Most of my gear was approved, but several people commented on how small my Osprey Talon 33 backpack was. Afterwards, I decided that it was really too small to carry 10+ lbs. of food in addition to everything else. Instead, I am going to use the pack that Dennis used on the Camino and our travels in Europe, a Gregory Z35 Pack. It is 12 oz. heavier, but has greater carrying capacity.

In addition to this gear change, Dennis lightened his 2008 AT load buy purchasing lighter equipment. With the new technology, his pack weighs about 4 lbs less.

Since Spain, I enjoy café con leche, a coffee/warm milk beverage. I drink an Americanized version of it daily. Since I don’t like instant coffee and can’t see using the gas in our canisters to brew a pot, I asked the club members what they did on the trail. Almost everyone said to use Starbucks Via, single-serving instant coffee packets that they enjoyed. Today I found out they even have a Coffee Mocha version. I’m sure I’ll try both.

This morning I walked with the larger pack. I will have to get use to the new fit, but I think I will be able to do so. Just in case, I’m taking the smaller pack to NH, as a backup.

“My bags are pack, and I’m ready to go.”

Preparing for the Long Trail

I am preparing to hike the oldest long-distance hiking trail in the US—272 (435 km) miles long running the length of Vermont from the Massachusetts to the Canadian borders. It is considered more difficult and rugged than the Appalachian Trail, with lots of mud and mountains (53 named ones) including 27 that are over 3,500 ft. high.

To get in shape and to learn how to use hiking poles, I take early morning walks carrying a 30-pound pack. Never having used poles, I found them awkward at first but have developed a rhythm, at least while tap-taping on Sarasota streets. My morning ventures have produced unusual comments and lots of questions.

One woman warily keeping her distance asked me what I was doing in her neighborhood (one that I have been walking through for years). She seemed more accepting of me when I told her that I was in training to walk the Long Trail. By her demeanor, I assumed she thought I was a street person casing out the area.
Another woman asked me how far I was going to walk on the trail. “Two miles?” she guessed. I imagine for some people, walking two miles is a long distance.
One woman said, “Oh, you’ve had your baby!” At almost 65 years old, I couldn’t imagine what she was talking about until I noticed that she was trying to look over my shoulder. She had confused the backpack with a child carrier. That’s understandable, but why did she think I just had a baby.

There are no mountains in Sarasota to train on. Some people use the Ringling Bridge or the Celery Fields to help develop the leg muscles. Instead, I have been working out with weights and a step-bench. I know that this is not adequate training, but until I get to NH where I will have two weeks to practice walking the local hills, its the best I can do. My husband and walking partner, Dennis has been bicycling, but that is not the same as walking. Knowing that we will not have our “hiking legs,” we will start off slowly and walk short distances until our bodies adapt. Luckily, the first 100 miles on the Long Trail are the easiest.

I have yet to decide if I will hike in a skirt (my preference) or wear long pants to ward of the black flies, mosquitoes, and deer ticks. Dennis, purchased Permethrin to spray on our clothing. Since the EPA states “a 140-pound person would have no adverse health effects if exposed to 32 grams of Permethrin/day.” and there is less than 1 gram of Permethrin in an entire bottle of clothing treatment, it seems that using this toxic chemical is a good precaution against the Lyme Disease-bearing ticks.

Gear

Having hiked long distances before, I only needed to buy gear for wilderness hiking. This included

We are using the MSR Hubba Hubba NX 2-Person Tent that we used on other adventures. Dennis will most likely carry this.

Clothing

Instead of hiking boots, I purchased Topo Athletic wide toe box shoes and added a metatarsal support to the right shoe. I have been wearing the new shoes all day and have no problems with them. I just hope they are rugged enough to withstand the wear and tear of the muddy trail. I also purchased Injinji toe socks which are said to help prevent blisters. They felt funny at first, but I quickly accustomed to the “toes.”

I also ordered a pair of Off-Road Crocs, which are supposedly more rugged than the original ones. The drawback is that they are heavier.

Food

According to research, we each should plan to carry 1.5 to 2.5 lbs. per day depending on body size and exertion. We each bought one dehydrated meal, for that night when we crave a special meal. The rest of the time, we will buy high-calorie foods such as pasta, couscous, rice, oatmeal, bagels, peanut butter, and Dennis’ favorite(?) hiking food: Pop Tarts.

To cook the food, we need to carry fuel. The canisters add 1.5 lbs to my pack.

Water is plentiful on the Long Trail. We only need to purify it. For this we purchased the Sawyer mini water filter. It’s much lighter than the filter Dennis used on his Appalachian Trail adventure.

As it stands today, I think my pack will weight 35.54 lbs (13.57 k), unless I decide not to take the fleece jacket and pants. According to Wunderground.com, the average temperature in June and July 2014 at Troy VT was 61 °F. That’s on the chilly side for this Floridian. Of course, it will be warmer in North Adams, MA, where we start. I am hoping that by the time we reach Troy, I will have acclimated.

This Wednesday, we are taking our packs to the Appalachian Trail Club of Florida. They will evaluate my packing list Hopefully they will find ways for me to reduce the load a bit. I’m not too worried about the weight. I carried the equivalent or more on past trips. The backpack is on the small side for wilderness hiking, so fitting everything including food will be tricky.

My next big adventure: 270 miles on the Vermont Long Trail

After Memorial Day, Dennis and I are heading up to New Hampshire to spend time with our daughter and her family. While she and hubby are on a week-long cruise, we will care for their 19-month son and their pets. Living 1400 miles away, I welcome this opportunity to spoil my only grandchild.

Walking the hills around Newton NH will be training for the mountains of Vermont. Starting in mid June, I will attempt my first long-distance wilderness hike: 270 miles on the Vermont Long Trail. Though I have walked further, my previous hikes were far from ruffing it. I’ve become spoiled with European hostels, B&Bs, hot showers, warm meals, and the conviviality of traveling from community to community.

This will be different. My accommodation will be a tent. My bed will be a sleeping bag atop an eggshell foam mat. We will prepare our meals from supplies we carry in. We plan to go into a town about once a week for food, shower, pampering, and groceries.

We estimate that the trip will take approximately a month. We intend to start off slowly, and then increase the distance as our bodies adjusts.

We purchased two guides to help up navigate the trail, and are using the gear from previous hikes. The only new items include new boots for Dennis (I’m still looking), hiking poles for me, and a water filter to prevent catching a water-borne disease. We will also have to treat our clothes against deer ticks, which carry Lyme Disease.

For the most part we are prepared. Today I am packing my backpack. For the next month, I will wear it on my morning walks to help my body will get use to the straps. I will also try to learn how to use the walking sticks. In the past, I found them unhelpful, but using them properly can reduce chances for knee injury or shin splints, so its to my advantage to develop a rhythmic stride with the poles.

I’m starting to get excited for our next adventure. I hope you will follow along on this blog.

Have you walked the Vermont Long Trail? If so, are there places I should make a point to visit/avoid? Any words of advice? Please Comment.

April 20, 2015 City Island Park, Sarasota

O’Leary’s Tiki Bar and Grill on City Island Park in Sarasota

City Island Park in Sarasota is becoming one of my favorites places in the city. Today we met friends for lunch at O’Leary’s Tiki Bar and Grill. We sat under the thatched roof near the water watching the pelicans land on the wind-swept waves. It was balmy and the breeze was soothing. We each ordered something different to eat, and we were all satisfied with our selections. Like in England, you have to go the to bar to place your order. We would have sat there a long time waiting for service if our friends Dave and Judy Helgager weren’t in on the QT.

Scapegoat panel at the Embracing Our Differences Exhibition

Paint Your One Picture panel at the Embracing Our Differences Exhibition

After lunch, we explored the “Embracing Our Differences Exhibition.” Believing that diversity is one of the world’s greatest assets, the exhibit tries to honor diversity and inclusion while teaching the importance of being an “up-stander,” not a “by-stander.”

There are 39 billboard-size images created by local, national and international artists, writers and students. Two of my favorite student quotations are:

“Destroy discrimination. Be like a Panda. They’re white, they’re black, they’re Asian, and they’r chubby.” Dylan De Wulf 5th Grade, Wilkinson Elementary School
Sarasota, Florida

“The path of your life JOURNEY is made more memorable and colorful by the cast of characters your encounter” ~ Grace Carlson, Sarasota, Florida

In addition to the exhibit, there are permanent statues, the children’s fountain, walking paths with benches and swings—nice calming place to spend a few hours.

I miss the Season of Sculpture exhibits that were on the bay front. I hope they return.

January 31, 2015 Visiting Sarasota

A Ann and Jane Lido Beach nne’s visit is coming to an end. Luckily the weather has warmed enough (60s) to enjoy outdoor activities. We started our day with a walk on Lido Beach, enjoying the late morning sunshine, the soft sand beneath our feet, and easy conversation as we walked the shoreline. I love the beaches in Sarasota and wonder why I don’t visit them as often as I would like.

“I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.” ~ John Burroughs

The beach was mostly empty, except for the sun-burned snowbirds and a group of fully-clothed Amish. Only a few intrepid children braved the 62°F waters. Seagulls and terns also enjoyed the sunshine. The birds did not seem to mind being in mixed company. Of course, curious Ann wanted to know what species they were, but I could not identify them.

At the Old Salty Dog, we continued to take in the sunshine and the view while we ate fresh fish for lunch. We topped off the meal with Chocolate Explosion, a rich dessert made of fudge, caramel, pecans and chocolate mousse. Out on the deck, guest sat with their dogs, and I was reminded of the pubs in England that cater to the canine pet owners.

Following the meal, we went to the Marietta Museum of Art & Whimsy, one of Sarasota’s little known gems. The parking lot gardens are filled with gaily painted sculptures. There are animal statues made from horseshoes and flowers made from painted beer bottles.

All this fun stuff fit perfectly in the afternoon’s frivolity. We were carefree and enjoying ourselves, the sunshine, and the museum. The front of the pink building is decorated with a mismatch of flags, lights, flamingos, flowers—even a cement snowman.

As we entered, I saw Art, an ultra-realistic sculpture created by Marc Sijan. At first glimpse, I thought he was a security guard, which was most likely the desired effect. I saw the docent smile at me as I took a second look. I’m sure I wasn’t the first to be fooled by this creation. The docent told us that museum founder and curator, Marietta Lee, was a graduate of the Ringling College of Art and Design. She created the museum to display women’s artwork, humorous art, and works of living artists.

The indoor collection includes bright, light-hearted paintings, sculpture and stained glass. One room has a light show on the ceiling. Every nook and cranny has something to catch the eye.

The outdoor gardens feature a spinning ballerina, a stainless steel rocket ship, and a bathysphere. Gaily painted chairs and benches invite you to sit under the canopied oak grove . Cascading water adds to the garden’s tranquility. Everywhere there is something to see.

We spent several hours appreciating the art, the gardens, and the creativity. The docent returned to ask us our opinion of the museum and to tell us that it was expanding to include a room for featuring local artists, an art storage area, and more gardens. I am glad so many Sarasotans enjoyed this light side of the arts and donated for its maintenance and expansion.

Leaving the museum, we headed downtown to Bay Island Park. As usual this time of year, finding a place to park took time. The park is an excellent place for recreational fishing, scenic viewing, and people watching. We enjoyed seeing the pelicans swoop down to catch a meal—they are such clumsy but effective divers. We marveled at the amount of boats moored there, and what it would be like to live on a house boat. We sat on a bench, soaking in the late afternoon rays, looking at the Ringling Bridge, and having quiet conversation. Today was a good day. Visiting Sarasota can be a lot of fun.

Thurs. 29-Jan-2015 Red Bug Slough and Turtle Beach

Yesterday, my friend from Massachusetts and I walked through the Red Bug Slough Preserve. Since this park is near my home, it is a favorite of mine. This 72-acre preserve has several miles of hiking trails to walk and spend time with each other and with nature. We were even lucky enough to see an otter in the pond. Once inside the park, it is hard to image that this area is completely surrounded by development. It truly is a haven.

The Red Bug Slough (slow) is a water channel that flows from Phillippi Creak down to Beneva Ave., about 1.5 miles. Historically this was a series of marches connected only during heavy rainfall, but it has since been deepened and the water now flows year-round.

The Slouch is a habitat for a wide variety of wildlife. There are alligators, river otters, freshwater turtles, and a variety of waterfowl. We saw egrets and ducks. Overhead birds of prey glided on the air thermals.

There are live oak, laurel oak and water oak, though I am not adept at identifying each. The closed canopy from these trees is ideal for the plants and animals that prefer the shade cover. There are reports of raccoons and blue jays, but we saw neither.

We did encounter several dogs out for a walk with their masters. The stopped for a scratch and sniff, and then continued on.

After our visit at the preserve we went to Turtle Beach. The sand is not as softer there as as Siesta Key, but it is not as crowded. I was surprised to see how much winter erosion there was. The beach was not very wide and there was a steep drop to the water’s edge.

We walked south for about a mile. One Sandhill Crane stood immobile. It watched me as a walked close to it, but did not move. Most of the shore fisherman had a disappointing catch.

On our return trip, we walked past the entrance to the beach. I just did not recognize the walkway to the parking lot because of the beach’s changed appearance. After about a quarter of a mile, we turned around. Prior to leaving the beach, my friend sat and enjoyed the Gulf view.

In all, visiting Red Bug Slough and Turtle Beach was a wonderful way to spend a morning in sunny Sarasota.

Wed, 28-Jan-2015 Tampa Electric’s Manatee Viewing Center

I welcome having guest and exploring Florida with them. Wednesday, a life-long friend from Massachusetts and I visited the Tampa Electric’s Manatee Viewing Center in Apollo Beach. The cool weather attracts manatees and other fish to the warm water in the discharge canal, which was designated an official state manatee sanctuary in 1986.

I’ve been seeing the cooling towers of the coal-fired power plant from the highway for years, but had never visited the Big Bend Power Station. It is located on 1500 acres near Apollo Beach.

Walking from the parking lot, we saw the sixteen solar “trees” and the panels atop of the Manatee Education Center building that produce 43,800-watts, enough energy to power 10 to 20 homes, depending on how energy efficient they were. Unfortunately, this is Tampa Electric’s largest installation of photovoltaic arrays. After seeing extremely large solar panel setups in Europe, I found these disappointing, nothing more than a token effort to supplying green energy. 20150128_104017 manatees 400

As soon as we walked onto the viewing platform, we saw hundreds of manatees. There was a sea cow with her calf and I learned that a young manatee will nurse for one to two years. I guess calves don’t need to breathe to suckle, because they nurse underwater from teats located behind the mother’s flippers. They begin to eat plants a few weeks after birth.

Manatees are herbivores and consume about 4 to 9% of their body weight daily and require a source of fresh water for drinking. I was surprised to see signs not to feed or water the manatees; I never thought that a salt water animal would need a supply of fresh water.

Most of the manatees have scars and damaged flippers. These injuries result from collision with boats, boat propellers, and entanglements in fishing nets. Even though the manatees are an endangered specie, many boaters would like them declassified to “threathened” so they can encroach on the manatees’ habitats. I think this would be a shame.

In addition to manatees, the warm waters attract other fish, such as mullet, snook, tarpin, sting rays, and shark. We saw fish chases and jumping fish.

The Manatee Viewing Center education building provided information on the manatees, the mangrove habitat, other wildlife found in the estuary, and the TECO plant itself. The docents were well-informed to answer questions and provide learning experiences for groups of children.

After leaving the viewing platform we strolled along the nature trail that followed the canal and onto the break wall. We saw the mangroves and other flora, and a variety of birds. It was a beautiful day to explore this environment.

I highly recommend others to visit Tampa Electric’s Manatee Viewing Center. It is worth the drive.

Friday, July 4, 2014 Paddleboarding in Sarasota

Several years ago, an author friend Gina Greenlee told me about paddleboarding and how much she enjoyed it. At the time, I was writing Women of the Way and did not take time to try this new sport. Today, Elizabeth Chandler, Dennis and I slathered ourselves in sunscreen to try SUP, stand up paddleboarding. Gulfside Padddleboards had a special introductory price that included a brief lesson, board rentals, and a convenient location for us.

Wanting to beat the holiday beach crowd and the glaring Florida sun, we arrived at the boat launch at 9:30 A.M., just as the truck with the boards and kayaks was pulling in. We wore boat shoes, but since shoes are not required, we decided to go “naked,” at least on our feet. Nate Dunn, the proprietor, showed us how to get on the board and basic paddling techniques. He offered us a waterproof bag for our shoes, water bottles, etc. In the excitement of getting started, we forgot the camera, so no pictures of us on the water.

At first, I was a little shaky but I quickly learned how to keep my balance. For some reason, my stroke on the left side is stronger, so I had to make an effort to stroke deeper and more often on my right to prevent from going in circles. It didn’t take long for Elizabeth and Dennis to leave me behind…I am a slow paddler. Without them near me, I enjoyed the quiet and took time to look around. I imagined what it must have been like for Huck Finn to paddle down the Mississippi. Unlike him, I was paddling past mansions, condos, and hotels, but it was still an adventure. I loved the way the water lapped the board with little smacking sounds.

From the dock, we floated down the canal, past Midnight Pass, and then into the Jim Neville Wildlife Preserve, a 35-acre protected area that surrounds Midnight Pass in Little Sarasota Bay. There are a lot of possible paths through the mangroves. We chose one that dead-ended and had to turn around. From there we paddled over oyster beds, stopped at a sandy beach, and then walked across the dunes onto Turtle Beach. Today, the water was picture-perfect green and, for the bay, surf was up. This is so unusual that I could not resist a quick dip before returning to our boards and back to the rental place.

Though we were on the water for a little over an hour, we saw a manatee swimming slowly and then surfacing with a snort, schools of large, medium, and small fish, and jumping mullets. I experienced wakes from boats and ski-dos, the latter almost threw me off the board, and felt my paddleboarding skills improve. Though I enjoyed paddleboarding, next time, I might rent a kayak to better explore the wildlife preserve.

Tuesday, June 17, 2014 Ivinghoe Beacon

We were very fortunate to have glorious weather for our final day. It started off cool, but leaving the B & B, I immediately shed my jackets. It was a short walk past the Tring Station to the trail head. Since we thought we were only walking 5.5 miles, we carried our packs. As we entered the beech forest, and started to ascend to the ridge, Dennis asked if we should hide our packs and walk unencumbered. Not wanting to limit our options once we got to Ivinghoe Beacon, I declined the offer.

We saw squirrels, rabbits, and red kites in the beech and chestnut forests. Atop the ridge, we could see a cloud’s shadow on a red poppy field below. (photo left) All day long, fair-weather clouds drifted over us, but it was warm enough not to have to keep putting on and taking off a jacket. Even so, I kept rolling my sleeves up and down and putting my hood on and off, especially in the open windy areas.

After yesterday’s steep ascents, today’s walk was easy, with only one moderately steep climb. There were a few other walkers who started at the car park 0.3 miles (500 m) from Ivinghoe Beacon. As we approached the gate leading to the last portion of the walk, there were three classes on a school outing sitting on the path and eating lunch. The teachers had to tell the kids to move out of our way, but most of them were polite and greeted us with a “Hi, ya.”

From the top, we could see the Whipsnade White Lion. Built in 1933 to indicate the position of the Whipsnade Wildlife Park, the chalk lion measures 483 ft (147 m). For the 50th birthday, it was illuminated. That must have been interesting to see at night.

After taking photos, we sat below a tuft of grass, and ate cookies we had reserved for this day. Hidden from the wind and stretched out on our sleeping mats, we soaked in the warm sunshine and joy of completing our trek.

From the top there are many paths, but few were going to places convenient for those without a car. Most of the small villages did not have train access and we could not be certain to have bus service. So, we decided to return to the Tring Station, which provided us with more options.

Our descent was relatively easy (see left). At the Tring Station, we decide to take a local bus to Tring and find lodging there. There wasn’t any. The B&Bs listed in the book were no longer open, and the hotels were full. We went to the library to research local inns. All that we called were full. Since it was getting late in the day, we decided to take the Tring train to London and find a place to stay there.

London had no room–nor did towns 40 miles away. After hours of searching, we found a single room, up four flights, without air-conditioning, but with en suite. This was not the Ritz, but it was the Carlton. For $255.20 (150 £) we were safe, dry, and cuddly in a twin bed. After a couple of hours, Dennis spread the sleeping mat on the floor and stayed there until morning.

No one was able to explain the overcrowding. Perhaps there are too many baby-boomers retiring and traveling. For whatever reason, I will make reservations next time I come to London, or carry a tent.