{"id":12410,"date":"2019-09-18T22:03:04","date_gmt":"2019-09-19T03:03:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/yogisden.us\/?p=12410"},"modified":"2019-09-18T22:03:26","modified_gmt":"2019-09-19T03:03:26","slug":"skywatch-friday-afternoon-outlaw-hike-at-oxley-nature-center","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yogisden.us\/?p=12410","title":{"rendered":"Skywatch Friday – Afternoon Outlaw Hike at Oxley Nature Center"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Earlier this week I wanted some outside time and wanted to try something different so I decided to do some running\/hiking at Oxley Nature Center. Flat, no rocks, no people, perfect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Huh!?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

So I took the back way in which is the closest access to downtown and I knew they had some gates they close on weekends and late at night. When I got there I found this locked gate??? So, okay, I’ll just go with it. So I parked outside the gate and stepped over it and off I went. There were no signs saying I couldn’t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Just before the trailhead I found this group of wildflowers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I got to the trail and started down it and noticed that it hadn’t been mowed or much of anything done in the way of maintenance. Oxley holds half the worlds population of ticks and chiggers and so I had doused myself with deet before I left the car so I wasn’t too worried.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The boardwalk had damage and had not been cleared or anything. By now, I was thinking that maybe I shouldn’t be there but I was also kind of into it pretty far so I just plowed on ahead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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See that tunnel up ahead, that is where the trail goes!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I didn’t get any photos because I wasn’t fast enough but I saw lots of deer running through the woods, a raccoon, and a turtle. Also, lots and lots of small frogs hopping here, there and everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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At the far reach of the North Woods Loop the trail was completely overgrown and I was convinced that the trail was probably closed. See that bench up there? I am a rule follower and if I had known the trail was closed I wouldn’t have gone down it. I guess that I should check the web site. I don’t generally do that before going hiking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I love being on trails where there is nobody else. In maybe fifteen years of going on this trail I have literally seen maybe a dozen people, probably less. I love it especially on bitterly cold sunny windy cold days. There is no wind at ground level but you can hear the wind howling through the trees above. I know I am weird, but I love that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It is quite watery their. The area borders Lake Yahola, Bird Creek, and some oxbow lakes formed off Bird Creek. I am glad I was deeted up as this is mosquito heaven. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Toward the end of my outing, the sky reflecting off one of the oxbow lakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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And another sky photo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n