Fourteen Hikers

Yesterday, Julie and I led a hike for the Western Michigan Chapter NCTA's "Fall Fun Day." It was a drizzly day, but in all we had fourteen hikers.

We took the group on a 6.5 mile hike in the White River watershed of Newaygo County, from 40th Street to Centerline Avenue on the North Country Trail.

As we began our hike, we walked through a forest dominated by oaks. The leaves on the oaks seem to be more vibrant this year, less brown and more red. The misty rain made the woods a particularly quiet and colorful place.

One crazy piece of trivia from our hike was that of the fourteen hikers, five had thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail in the past. Two had just returned from their thru-hike less than a month ago.

The hike went pretty quickly. As wet as it was, no one was too eager to stand around too long to take in the fall colors or to stop and sit for a lunch or snack break. Instead, folks kept moving quickly enough to ward off the chill of the cool, damp air.

The other rather unique thing about this group hike is that there were no real speed demons or stragglers. Everyone walked just about the same speed; even Julie, who was pulling up the rear with Abigail riding in the backpack carrier.