Back to the basics

It’s been 3 weeks since I turned on a computer, a deserved break indeed. Prior to the computer hiatus, I sold my house, resigned my position with the university (early retirement;) and have embarked on a journey to explore the great outdoors. I’ve successfully lived that dream thus far, staying in a tent more often than not, realizing its only been 3 weeks however a lot of ground has been covered. My first expedition began Saturday May 30, one day after quitting my desk job.. Motive: to backpack the Centennial Trail in the Black Hills. Next post will be a trail report including pictures of the journey, still working on downloading the gps tracks and elevation profile, but in short it was a rugged adventure more up than down, packing 35-40 lbs, and covering just under 20 miles a day on average for 6 days or 116 miles of trail, mostly alone.

Since the Centennial trail, I attended the first annual Blue Ox bluegrass festival in Eau Claire, WI with a group of new and old friends. Was an absolutely beautiful park at the whispering pines campground many trees and hills surrounding the concert bowl. We had a nice camping area on a hill surrounded by wooded areas and no other campers, stayed fairly dry considering it rained a lot J The lineup was fantastic my favorites: Infamous string dusters, Pokey Lafarge, Greensky Bluegrass with Sam Bush! And of course the hosts Pert Near Sandstone. 

For the past week, I’ve had the pleasure of staying on a friend’s farm near Rochester, MN on the Root River, which has excellent small mouth bass fishing! The Galena formation limestone outcrops along the Root River and is loaded full of marine fossils. Disc golfing and hiking has filled other free time as well as reading a few books; Neil Young’s Hippie Dream and The sixth extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert. Work on the farm has mostly consisted of building a circular paver patio 20 feet in diameter into a side hill. The larger landscape blocks are set and prepping for the pavers continues, another week in this area is welcoming. Perhaps a trip to the mystery caves or paddling on the Root river will commence.