Big Sky and One Meter Around Me

The rain from yesterday cleared out in the afternoon, and we were able to find what we thought was a primo “Stealth Camping” site at an undisclosed location in Walkerton, Indiana. We checked the surroundings for security lights.  That’s a mistake from the Duanesburg, NY airport that we didn’t want to repeat.

No lights.  No clear line of sight from any roads or parking lots.  Access to a convenience store and power outlets. Well drained grassy spot that would accommodate our tent. Check, check, check, check, and check. We set up the tent, and were just crawling in for a good night's sleep.

Dad in our train infested camping site - Walkerton, IN

Pro tip.  Always check your surroundings for an active railroad track that might be about twenty yards away from your campsite and hidden by a thick stand of trees.  Fortunately, not more than fifteen, but definitely not less than twelve trains passed through announcing their presence with a piercing shriek of their whistle followed by five or six minutes of metallic rumbling as they lumbered through the area.

The morning dawned bright and clear, and we headed west.  Today was almost all county roads. The traffic consisted of a couple of garbage trucks, an odd tractor or three, and a small handful of rural mail delivery cars.  The postwoman drove from the passenger seat, and I’ll tell you that I haven’t quite gotten used to seeing a minivan or a jeep headed my direction with apparently no one at the wheel.

Other than that, it was quiet.  The sun warmed our skin, and the breeze carried away our perspiration leaving a glorious cool sensation. The sky stretched overhead in a light blue dome from horizon to horizon.

Westbound county road - Indiana

The only distraction was the crunch of our feet in the gravel, the twitter of birds, the occasional irrigation pump, and the wind rustling the leaves of the trees. That last one always sounded to me like a driverless minivan delivering the post, so I spent a little time looking over my shoulder which is surprisingly difficult while walking with a pack.

Long story short, it the silence prevailed. The road arrowed westward, the blue sky arched overhead, and I was left with my thoughts.

These quiet times are when I realize the extent of my own internal chatter.  What were we thinking? What’s our destination going to be like? Will I run out of water three miles out and have to endure cotton mouth at the end of the day.  Then I catch myself and look at the sky and the road fading into the distance.

All is well right now.  In this moment, I’m good and safe and secure in this one square meter around me. Take the next step, and the rest will work itself out in the time that it’s needed. That’s the rhythm of the road and the message of the blue dome floored in greens and browns, broken by the occasional farmhouse or barn all around me.

Five Deer and Two Dogs and a Birthday Party

Today ended up being a five deer day.  Three does in a small group bounded across the trail and then hung about in the area during my pedestrian passage.  Two bucks a little later on during the morning walk were moving about in a pretty dense brush thicket, and they may have gone without notice except one of the chuffed.

Before we get to the deer, some explanation of the Dogs' Birthdays is probably in order.  My normal Sunday morning walking routine had been interrupted by the mandatory attendance at my mother-in-law's birthday celebration for her dogs.  In all fairness, her Border Collie is getting quite old, and one never knows if she'll make it another year.  I suspect this very real possibility coupled with the desire to see the family contributed to the birthday celebration for both the older Border Collie and her younger dog.  The Border Collie was born on 07 Nov, and this is a known date if you can believe the breeder.  The younger mutt is a shelter dog, and his birthday was relatively arbitrarily assigned as 01 Nov in order to always bracket a week with the Border Collie.

It's a little complex to explain much further, so the story of both Dogs' Birthday party will end right here. My pedestrian habits were once again interrupted by the universe, and my six mile plod was displaced from its normal location.  Much like yesterday, it ended up being worth every note of the birthday song for the dogs.

Back to the deer.  I ran across the does first.  More accurately, they ran across the trail in front of me first.

One of the Three Does in a Group That Crossed My Path Early in the Walk

Like many of the deer in this area, they have clearly become accustomed to encounters with humans.  Even so, they were a little wary, and they are pretty darn hard to see once they get back up into the brush.

Farm Panorama Along the Course of the Walk

After seeing the deer, anything else that happened on the walk was just another bonus.  This panoramic shot of the farm shows how great the scenery was, and just how conducive the weather has been this autumn.  It was a glorious day, and while I've said in the past that, "there's no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing," it is very pleasant when the clothing isn't the only deciding factor.

Back Side of the Same 4H Farm in the Park

This park has been extensively developed from the first time I was introduced to this area.  The farm has been completely restored, and it has become the home of the local 4H chapter.  It is open for tours, and you can see many of the prize winning animals that will eventually appear at the county fair during the earlier stages of their husbandry.

Looking Forward and Looking Back on the Trail

Even the trails have improved.  The progress is remarkable until I remind myself that the first time I came to this area was at least twenty and probably twenty-one years ago.

One of Two Bucks that Seemed to be Competing over Territory

The real surprise was stumbling across two bucks that were much larger deer then the relatively young six point from a couple of days ago.  These two were fully mature adults.  The each had at least eight points each, and I'm pretty sure that the larger one was a ten pointer.  It was also remarkable that they were out this late in the morning.  Mating season is upon us, and these two seemed to be competing over the territory.

Sunset on College Creek

Later in the evening, the sky was on fire with the sunset.  I'm really not sure any of this will ever get old.  It was grand adventure.