Great Day for a Walk in the Woods

Hard to believe yesterday and today were in the 50s. A great opportunity to use the local area trail maps that I picked up at the dump's "Free Shop". Rachel and I found a conservation area just a little further away than the pond we often walk around. The wooded area was as hilly as it gets on Cape Cod [gentle!]. Last week's snow was not gone but most of the trail area was clear. Thanks to winter's barrenness we had vistas through the trees we would never see in spring or summer. Only Rachel and I and Molly, the aging dog who seems not really aged at all when in the woods free of a leash, were there. We were delighted to find this area which has longer trails than the one we spent an hour walking. We'll go back together I'm sure and I know I will go alone sometimes when then next season makes walking especially inviting.

AS the picture shows I walked with my trekking pole. Love that little aid. Not that I actually needed it but I've enjoyed walked with a pole or cane of some kind ever since I've discovered the joy of being in the woods, alone or with someone. The pole was invaluable when actually trekking in the Himalayas where the downhill sections were hard on the knees. I keep it in my car with the snow brush waiting for whatever small adventure I can find. It's hard to believe that densely populated Cape Cod indeed has these wild areas. This one, the guide said, is 180 acres, a nice size for walkikng trails.