madmike's musings

More - The Shortcut Continues...

2008-07-20T17:24:00Z

Every once in a while a breeze finds its way to our shady lane. It gives a chill down the back of my neck as my biology makes the most of evaporative cooling. But the shade will not be with us much longer. Up ahead we can start to see the greening of the roadway accompanied by the clear blue sky above. The grassy road suddenly turns to oil treated gravel as we intersect a country road. We might have driven here and begun our trek from this point if only there was a reasonable place to park. But that's...(read more)

The Meaning of "Richesnay"

2008-03-09T05:40:00Z

There is a very good possibility that today was Richesnay. All the signs were there. The sudden blowing, swirling, voluminous, late winter snowfall that surely marks the coming of spring. While I am certainly not one to scoff at Punxsutawney Phil's prediction this year of 6 more weeks of Winter. It would be far less likely for me to turn my back on the perennial wisdom of my Grandfather. While the rest of the world seems to make bank on a woodchuck's shadow, yea or nay, we will put our faith...(read more)

The Shortcut Continues

2008-03-01T21:34:00Z

... So it's down the old fire road once again. After a short trek we come to our first fork in the road and in accordance with our plan we take the eastward path. This too is an old grass covered fire road. Only the faintest of hints suggest hikers have recently ventured before us. The two trampled parallel paths that form the trail were no doubt blazed many years ago by park service vehicles. There is no sign of recent vehicular traffic though, as the ground between the paths stands three feet...(read more)

The Shortcut

2008-01-10T20:21:00Z

I always claimed that I new Hoosier National Forest like I knew the back of my hand. What I should have said was that I new Terril Ridge (in Hoosier National Forest) like I knew the back of my hand. However the truth would have sounded more like, "okay who's got the map!"

Me and Richey did see alot of that area though. We did tons of overnighters and weekenders that had us trampsing all over that countryside. Flanked by Monroe Reservior on the West and North, Salt Creek to the East and to the South was the road we came in on - there was no way we where going to get lost. Sure we'd get misplaced on occasion but then again, that is what we usually tried to do.

Our usual destination was a spot we called Greenbow Ridge. We named it that because we marked the point where you left the trail with a green nylon ribbon tied around a tree. (I'd be surprized if that ribbin was not still there - even after lo these 25 years.) On this ridge was a great plateau on which to set camp and when the leaves were off the trees you'd get a fairly nice view of the Lake.

This particular hike finds us in late summer. We have been through a pretty long drought so the depth of Monroe Reservior is at a record low. Warnings have been issued against open burning. We have several cans of sterno so we can boil our water without the need for a campfire. We drive the 7 mile dirt road to the Hickory Ridge Fire Tower where we park the car - as always. Keeping true to the tradition - our hike begins with climbing the 123 steps to the top of the tower to watch the sun finish rising. With the threat of fire we take it as our civic duty to scan the area to look for smoke. Thankfully we see none. What we do see is forest for as far as the eye can see. With binoculars we would be able pick out far away towns with water towers and smoke stacks and such. Since we have no aid to vision with us today we look out over the rolling, hazy hills and pointing in the direction of Greenbow Ridge we decide to "get this show on the road."

    Last night we decided we would investigate Salt Creek. We figure it should be nearly dried up due to the drought and this might open some areas that are normally not very accessible. Maybe if we are lucky we can make it all the way to the foot of Greenbow Ridge by way of the creek bed. That will sure save a lot of hiking up and down hills and give us more time to explore the eastern side of Salt Creek. Maybe we'll discover some old foundations of buildings from the days when this area was farmed - the days before the reservoir existed.

    We've found them before. Like that old stone fireplace and chimney we came upon a couple of years ago while cutting cross-country on another of our "deep woods" short cut manuevours. Smack-dab in the middle of no-freakin'-where stood that stone obelisk as a testament to a bygone age. After just a little scratching around in the dirt, the amount of charcoal and cut nails suggested the fate of the cabin that surely accompanied this overbuilt appendage. If only we had a map with us that day. We could have marked the spot where we made this discovery. But that's okay; we have a pretty good idea where it is. Funny thing is... in the last 4 or 5 times we set out to find it again, it never seems to be where we thought we left it. It's bound to show up someday. I mean it didn't look like it was going anywhere, any time soon.

So it's down the old fire road once again. The foundations from the buildings that used to accompany the lookout tower have their stories to tell - as we hike on by them - but we've listened enough to those same old stories, today we want a new story. Today we are going to go out and get our own story. From where is this story to come? We have no idea. When will we acquire this story? We don't yet know. But by golly by the time we pitch tents tonight we will have one.

To Be Continued...

http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/hoosier/docs/hickory.htm
http://www.topozone.com
http://www.theclimber.net/blogs/madmike/

and the journey begins

2008-01-08T19:04:00Z

Anyone who knows me would ask, "Why are you writing a blog on a mountain climber website?"

Fair question.

I mean, here I am situated in the farmlands of Indiana. I would have to drive several hours just to get to some foothills. Honestly - If I did the road trip to those foot hills I would be far more likely to take pictures than to take measures to ascend.

Now, it hasn’t always been like this. Let's just say I'm no spring chicken (the kids - grand and otherwise - would liken me more to an old crow) but I do dig the outdoors. While I have never ventured into mountain climbing, I have always envied those with the opportunity and wherewithal to go for it. I have done some cliff rappelling and some rather treacherous free climbing (inside caves for the most part) so I do know the taste of dirt mixed with sweat and the feeling of stepping backwards off a cliff with a rope in my hand and a lump in my throat.

My adventures have generally come in the following forms: Hiking, Backpacking, Camping, Fishing, Caving, Scuba Diving, Sailing and Kite Flying to name those that most readily jump to mind. When it comes to this mountain climbing business, I can only say that I appreciate the metaphor - and who among the living does not?

While my adventures have not always been epic, the memories of them are grand. As I ponder the things I could blog on about, I am struck with the notion that nothing I have involved myself in - in the great outdoors - could be classified as mundane. In fact, as I mentally review my exploits I am faced with one recurring fact. The adventure is much more memorable when things didn't quite go as planned. So I'm thinking it is probably those misadventures I remember most.

It is those misadventures I intend to share with you in this space.

Stay Tuned...

Welcome Madmike

2008-01-07T00:08:00Z

Welcome to the newest member of the contributing members.

Hope you enjoy !

Ron