Getting out there, Doing things.

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Recently, in my latest attempts to test out my allergies/asthma in the spring weather, I went to Creve Coeur Lake. Despite the crowds, it was wonderful. I did the lake trail plus a side trail for a total of maybe 5 or 6 miles. It was cathartic and even though my muscles were stiff afterwards, it was exactly what I needed. Fresh air, sunshine, and exercise! The day after, I took my nephew on a long evening walk through the neighborhoods near our house just to get him (and me) out, and it calculated out to just under two miles. I could get used to that kind of weekend!

I recently joined a hiking/outdoors group through Meetup.com in hopes of getting myself out of the house more when I don't go hiking on my own, and having a good outlet in which to meet new people and try some new things. I had joined a different group through the same website but somehow never made it to any outings (though now I might actually try).

This Wednesday, I actually joined the group for an evening hike at Castlewood. Hiking with a large group of people had never really appealed to me, as I tend to like hiking on my own, or with one or two people. But determined to meet some people and push myself out of my comfort zone, I went regardless. Because of getting off work late and rush hour traffic, I was actually late and did not meet the group at the starting point. But I figured why quit? I would just have to deal with traffic again if I left right away. So I decided to hike the trail anyway; if I caught up with the group, all the better. If not, oh well! At least I had done a nice hike!

Hiking in the evening is also new for me. The sounds, the light, it is very different than my usual morning/afternoon hikes. It was kind of peaceful. There were a few serious trail runners out there, but mostly I had some quiet peace while hiking. About a third of the way through I actually caught up with the group. While trying to get to know a bunch of new people in the middle of a hike is kind of awkward, as is hiking with that many people when you're not used to it, I still had a surprisingly good time. Most of the people were very welcoming, and I talked to a couple people while walking along the river and climbing up the debris on the trail. I can't make it this week, but I will definitely try it again. I also really liked the idea of an after-work hike. Some exercise was both calming and made me feel like I had a definitive finish to my day.

Over all, group hiking may take some getting used to, but I am kind of excited to see what kind of events the group plans, and start going on some hikes. Hiking with others is always safer, after all, and I might see some places I might not travel to on my own.

On a slightly related, but mostly not, note, I am currently reading: Running on Empty: An Ultramarathoner's Story of Love, Loss, and a Record Setting Run Across America by Marshall Ulrich. I won a copy of the book from a  friend's fitness/food blog, and promised to do a review. Even though I don't run, the book fascinated me and I couldn't wait to read it. Can't run, but I do want to do my own Great Walks one day in the Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails!

Castlewood State Park Revisited

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Today was overcast and chilly, though still warm enough to wear a couple layers and be comfortable, eventually having to shed hats, gloves, and top layers as we warmed up from the hike. My Dad joined me again today, and we were looking for a shorter hike nearby in case it started to rain. The last time I was at Castlewood State Park was in October of 2009, one of the first hikes I blogged about when I started this. We decided to do the 3 miles River Scene Trail even though that was the trail I did last time too, and the only trail at Castlewood I've actually done since I was a kid.

    The trail markings seemed to have improved a bit since my last trip, with more tags nailed to trees to make the trail a bit easier to follow, something I remember really fussing about last time. It was a very pretty hike, though not as stunning as it was in October with all the leaves. The river looked greenish and the sky was gray, and everything was very muddy, but standing on the top of the cliff looking out over the Meramec River and the railroad below is still really cool no matter what time of year. Terrible colors and time of day to take pictures in though, so I only snapped a few and instead enjoyed the hike and talked on and off with my Dad. These hikes have been a chance to really talk with him in a way we don't often have time to do otherwise, and I really enjoy him as a hiking companion.

The trail was still pretty busy despite the chill in the air and the mud, with families and people walking dogs and bike riders. Highlights still include the cliff overlooks, the tunnel under the railroad tracks, the eerie concrete shells of buildings and old steps left over from when the area was a big resort area, and walking next to the river to see how fast it is actually running. It is also a good hike because even though it is only a 3 mile trail, there are plenty of ascents and descents to keep your heart beating, at least at the beginning. Walking up the hill to the top of the cliffs was hard work and got me breathing pretty hard, and I was pleased with the challenge of the first half of the trail. Once you descend down the wooden steps to the railroad tracks at the riverbank, the rest of the trail is a flat and pleasant walk through the woods. It was really fun revisiting this park, and I need to return there and try out the other trails.

Castlewood State Park

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This was my first hike since Lewis & Clark, after which I came down with both a respiratory infection AND the flu, had to take a week off work, and was generally miserable. But I am glad to be back on my feet!

After my weekend roadtrip got pushed back, I decided not to let this fantastic fall day go to waste. The trail I was on was crowded with lots of people and families, which I'm not always crazy about, but granted this was a Saturday afternoon, and the first sunny day we've had after what feels like almost two weeks of straight rain. It was sunny, cool but not cold, and the fall colors were breathtaking... can't hold it against people to want to take advantage of that! I had no trouble parking or anything, and there were still moments of my hike where I was alone.

This hike was very similiar to the Lewis & Clark trail hike I did a few weeks ago in the sense that it had a variety of scenes, both rocky bluffs looking out over hills of trees and  a river (the Meramec River this time), as well as long walks through the woods. However the second half of the Lewis & Clark trail was really more deep wood walking, while this trail had a more relaxed trail, very flat, that just followed the river (and was very muddy, but again the rain is to blame there). There was really almost no hard parts, except maybe one incline right at the very beginning, with all the steeper descents helped along by wooden steps leading down to the river banks. There is a mix of outlooks that are both free rocks and then platforms as well. The trail itself is mostly rocks on the bluff part, which with all the leaves on the ground made it a little hazardous for a clumsy person like me, and the river trail is mostly packed dirt (or lots and lots of mud in this case). The scenic outlooks over the Meramec River and the fall foliage was absolutely beeeautiful, and I would definitely recommend this time of year for this hike.

My main problem was the lack of trail markings. The trailhead for the Scenic River Trail was actually to the side of the parking lot and then right when you start, I couldn't figure out if there was a trail leading to the right as well as left before noticing the red marker nailed to a tree on my left showing where to start. There weren't too many problems with keeping to the trail on the bluffs section, except for a few times were it looked like the trail split off-- usually both split offs ended up joinin back together within a minute, and a few signs mentioned which trail was the bike trail as opposed to the hiking trail. However once you get to the trail that follows the river, you cross into a large open field and a crossroads that I found incredibly confusing. Going to the left, I find a sign pointing to a different trail, and the red marker pointing back the way I came. Another sign points out the parking lot. Then to the right, the trail through the field continues back to the river through the woods, with no sign saying which trail it was, though a little way in there was another red marker that COULD have been orange. The map that I got at the park office and the map in the 60 Hikes within 60 Miles book were of no help because it was really hard to tell where you were on the trail. None of the trail maps I found along the way had markers to say where you were or a name of the trail, so I could only assume I was still on the Scenic River Trail, or at least one of the spurs that were described in my book. Then at the end of the trail (I kept following ht river), I was confused because I hit the actual road again, and went under a bridge and walked along the road until I found the parking lot I'd started in. So super confusing, and even a couple that I stopped had no idea what trail they were on or where they needed to go.

Overall, despite the confusion, it was beautiful and a great hike. The views were fantastic, the walk was relaxing and I had a great afternoon. I didn't want to miss the last chance I might have to enjoy not only the fall weather,but he changing of the leaves.