Walking

One of my goals for this break is to work out regularly. I'm trying to mix it up and do things I wouldn't normally have time or the opportunity to do. Since the days are so short and the weather is typically chilly in the winter, taking a walk is on that list. The weather today was 50-60. In Ohio and Michigan, that doesn't happen too often so I figured I'd better seize the opportunity.

Unfortunately I didn't get my act together until around 4:30 and by the time I got my shoes on and drove to the place where I was going to take my walk it was 4:45. This was solstice-eve, i.e., the second shortest day of the year. You know, when the sun sets at 5:06. OK, better get my walk on. Here's a picture of me rockin' my headphones. I love to listen to This American Life while I am walking.

I decided to go on a trail that I am very familiar with. Turns out, I am not as familiar as I thought. I thought that I remembered the trail was lit; it isn't. No big, except that last year there was a rape on this trail (mind you, there are two sections of the trail: a nice, paved section, and a more rugged, unpaved section in the woods. I was on the [safer] paved section, not the unpaved section but I was still kind of freaked out when I realized the trail had no lights).

The trail is 5.5 miles and goes around the circumference of Lake Fayetteville. The lake is actually pretty gross (stagnant -- manmade I think, and with no inflow/outflow, you can imagine how disgusting the water is). However, the trail is nice. The paved part has mile markers every 0.25 miles to help you track how far you've gone. I figured they'd also come in handy in case I needed to call 9-1-1 about a rapist...not like I ever overreact or anything.

Anyway, I decided I would go until the end of the paved trail, and then I'd turn around and head back. When I got to the end of the paved part, though, I was greeted by construction equipment and a sign about trail expansion.

Most curious, I decided I still needed to turn back since I was headed into unfamiliar territory and since it was getting dark. Here are some shots I took on the way back.

The moon was beautiful, just a sliver of crescent.

It was too dark for this picture, but if I would have had a tripod, it would be really cool...

I think I went about 4.5 miles in an hour and 15 minutes. Not bad. I vowed that I would be back the next day to explore the new part of the trail and, sure enough, I was. More about that another time.