A Little Rain?

The forecast of rain didn't stop 7 hearty souls from heading out into nature this morning. A 10 km hike was promised and a 10 km hike was completed.

The Carstairs Tract parking lot had that early fall look to it.

This is a new hike route, so we were prepared for surprises. It didn't take long and someone spotted a huge flock of wild turkeys in two adjacent fields.

Some of this hike is on quiet maintained dirt roads, some on a busy paved road, and some on unmaintained dirt roads. A nice mix. I think we were all just glad to be out in nature.

Conversations from previous hikes were continued.

This route includes a very long decline with a tiny view of Rice Lake along the way. I like long declines, but always fear that I will pay for them with a long incline later on.

There were soybean fields and corn fields plus some land that has been left to go its own way. Not that many noticed. Too many good conversations happening to notice the row of oaks in the distance.

Still no rain when we stopped to learn about a plot of land that was intentionally burned in the spring so that it can be returned to the state it was before settlers arrived. Much of this area was set afire by native folks for hundreds of years. They needed grassland for deer and elk. Their type of farming.