retzer snowshoe
i started the new year off with a late afternoon effort at the nearby Retzer Nature Center. i brought along my snowshoes and headed out to the trails. much of the trails include short bridges made of wood which i have to avoid as my snowshoes have metal crampons that would rip into the wood. therefore, i improvised a loop that happened to work out to being a mile long which skipped any bridge crossings.
my first loop was slow, likely due to the cold temperatures and thinking about how to route myself. as i started my second loop my legs got used to the modified stride used while running with snowshoes strapped to your feet. i clawed my way up an icy, wooded hill then floated down a long downhill kicking up rooster tails of snow from the drifts. by the third loop, the sun was a big orange ball of light positioned low in the western sky. as i finished the fourth and final loop, i walked back to the parking lot to find i was the last car there. admittedly, it was rather enjoyable to have the place to myself.
MTD/YTD – 4 miles
Odometer – 29,512 miles