Take a Risk

It’s been awhile since I’ve been camping. In fact, I gifted most of our camping equipment to another family member. I was so happy to be asked to join my friend Peggy as she biked from her home in Illinois to Ledge Park near Horicon Marsh in Wisconsin. The last leg of her journey to Ledge Park was 70 miles! Can you imagine? Me neither, but that’s what she did. I was happy to be able to keep Peggy company that last day before she biked home again. I wouldn’t have been able to do this without my friend Liz loaning me her tent. That tent kept me warm all night long.

Ledge Park is unique in that it is part of the Niagara Escarpment where the glaciers dropped many of the rocks they scraped from the earth’s surface along their way. There are three parallel trails that you are able to follow. The first is very difficult and you need to hop from rock to rock over deep crevices. The next has occasional hopping, and the easy trail allows you to follow along the ledge without coming near the edge of the rock ledge. Here are some pictures from along the trail. The spring wildflowers are spectacular.

During the day, I was able to explore the Horicon Marsh. This is the time of year the migratory birds are coming back North for nesting. The biggest birds were the beautiful swans. I also saw geese and ducks, herons, thrush and warblers. In the evening, there were owls hooting over the campsite. A couple camping across from us had a good pair of binoculars and a telescope. This couple had logged over 100 varieties of migratory birds that day while they explored the marsh. They were kind enough to call us over to look through the glasses to better see the owls. What a great finish to a day of exploring.

Dinner that night was cooked over the campfire in a cast iron dutch oven. Pork chops in gravy with potatoes and stuffing. Yum! There’s nothing like catching up with old friends over a campfire meal. Peggy and I have been friends since grade school. We are so lucky to still have each other. Then off to bed. I learned that if you activate a couple of hand warmers and stuff one in the bottom of your sleeping bag and the other under your belt in the small of your back, you will stay warm the entire night. It really works!

It amazes me that Peggy got all her camping gear on that bike, but she did. I gifted her the little flower on her bike pack that was made by another friend’s mother. Thanks Lani! It will have quite an adventure on that bike. The next day, Peggy continued her journey homeward, but I would beat her home by two days since I had the luxury of driving my car. I was greeted by my beautiful crab apple tree in full bloom. Adventure is fun, but there’s no place like home! Still, I’m looking forward to my next adventure. Anyone out there interested in going zip lining or parasailing over a lake?