Walking in the woods

Darling, I love you. The wind, the sea, the woods, our favorite spots, even the moon compounded to bring you very close this afternoon. You walked with me in the woods. And I thought of what you would have said if you were there.

Dorothy Freeman, in a letter to Rachel Carson, December 23, 1960

With the spring semester’s grades turned in, the second book manuscript off my desk and in editorial hands, and, dare I say it, tenure earned and now officially granted, I enjoyed not one but two walks in the woods last week. (Though not with my own darling there, alas.)

Both walks were high points in their own ways.

On Wednesday, my friend and colleague Josh and I started our usual weekly writing session with a wildflower walk in the woods. We took a side trail off the lower portion of Musser Gap, where he’d seen wildflowers the week before. We saw Mayapple, Fringed Polygala and Rue Anemone now in bloom, and Coltsfoot gone to seed. Plus a cute little snail.

Fringed Polygala

Coltsfoot

Snail

Then we parked our butts and wrote. It was a perfect writing day.

On Friday, I hiked with my friend and colleague Lib, who is also training for the Homestead Challenge on the Rachel Carson Trail. We did our longest training hike thus far, 13.4 miles!

View from the Midstate Trail

We climbed up Spruce Gap, walked on the Midstate Trail, and then passed through Bear Meadows in order to take Longberger back. By hike’s end, I felt confident I can cover the 17 miles during the Homestead Challenge, though managing the prescribed pace with the Rachel Carson’s elevation is going to be challenging indeed.

M, 5/9	Ran & walked 4 miles on paved paths
Tu, 5/10	Ran & walked 4 miles on paved paths
W, 5/11	Hiked 2 miles
Th, 5/12	Ran 3.4 miles on paved paths
F, 5/13	Hiked 13.4 miles (1,773 ft. ascent)
Weekly total on foot	26.8 miles

Weekly training log

Close as Norfolk

A night of wild wind–that brought tornadoes to the Carolinas and even as close as Norfolk–brought thoughts of Carol and Edna. Really, some of the gusts seemed almost as bad. I’ve been wondering what you had today.

Rachel Carson, in a letter to Dorothy Freeman, April 9, 1857

No tornadoes, but my April 9 hike did bring some wild spring hail and the gift of a friend’s visit from Norfolk.

My friend Liz, visiting from Norfolk

Liz and I met in Norfolk, when we were both new faculty at Old Dominion University (she’s now Chair of the Women’s Studies Department). She visited State College for the weekend, and yesterday we hiked short out-and-backs from the Galbraith Gap to the Longberger Path, Spruce Gap Trail, and Three Bridges Trail in Rothrock.

Unidentified life, growing on the forest floor

We saw moss and fungi I don’t know how to identify. The skies were mostly grey, with some glimmers of sunshine. And somewhat to our surprise, there were two rounds of hail.

Spruce Gap Trail, in Rothrock

Above I’ve quoted Rachel’s observations to Dorothy about the weather–and, mostly, I enjoyed the reference to Norfolk. In that same letter, Rachel wrote of being “very far behind” in her “responses” to Dorothy’s correspondence. I am feeling very far behind in my training.

Our toddler has another double ear infection and was home from school again a couple days this week, which meant less time for training for me. I keep going, though, and surely the toddler sick season–like the hail–has to end soon. (Right?!?)

T, 4/4	Biked 3.3 miles
W, 4/5	Ran 5 miles, on sidewalks
Sa, 4/9	Hiked 4.2 miles (982 ft. ascent)
Su, 4/10	Ran 4 miles, on sidewalks Walked 1.1, with stroller Strength training for ankle
Weekly total on foot	14.3 miles