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Wandering Knight


The Wandering Knight Podcast is created by Kenneth Knight.

 

Kenneth is legally blind, a computer geek, a world traveller, a long-distance backpacker, and so much more. This podcast brings his perspective, that of someone with low-vision, of the world to life. 

Nov 25, 2008

It was a glorious day to maintain our section of trail. This is the Highbanks section of trail that runs between 13 Mile and 16 Mile roads in Newago County about 6.3 miles of North Country Trail. The section rolls through a passing of Manistee National Forest passing by several lakes over its length, along ridge lines, and a few slightly wetter areas. It is one of the prettier section of trail and over the past few years we have whipped into shape. We all maintain the new Highbanks Campground connector trail which we had a hand in scouting and building earlier this year. To do proper trail maintenance you really need to come out three times a year, more if the trail warrants it. Autumn is an ideal time for us because we can roll our trail maintenance into the long weekend before firearms deer hunting season opens when the Great Lakes Hikes hiking group plus a few friends from outside of the group, who are always welcome to come, hold our annual Schoolhouse Gathering. This year would be our tenth such gathering at the Western Michigan Chapter Schoolhouse.

Over the next few hours we would scurry down the rest of our segment of trail, 6.8 miles of trail in all, touching up a blaze or two, removing a couple downed trees, and doing some minimal pruning. It was the fastest trail work day I think we have ever had We were walking back along the forest road that parallels the trail just to the west by mid-afternoon. The sun was still a bit above the horizon when we returned to John's car and drove to the Schoolhouse to join our fellow GLHer for the tenth annual Gathering.

The Gathering is held at the old Schoolhouse near White Cloud, Michigan. The Schoolhouse, run by the Western Michigan North Country Trail Chapter, has served us well over the years and even though we were expecting iffy weather we knew this would be another fine Gathering. In part two join me and my friends as we celebrate fall in Michigan inside and out.

Sites Of Interest

North Country Trail Assoication - www.northcountrytrail.org

Special Note: An enhanced version, that is a version with embedded photos, of this episode is here.


Florence
fifteen and a half years ago

This is terrific, Ken