I went back to Reimers Ranch on 3 out of 4 days, January 16-19 and hiked different trails each time.

On January 16, I decided that cool or not, I needed to get outside and exercise my legs and what better way to do that but to take a hike (literally). I went back to Reimers Ranch as I had left it a little late in the day and it was the closest place for me to go. Not only that, I like hiking there.

The wind was really blowing and there was quite a chill in the air. When I arrived at the parking lot, I went through my usual routines, boots, camera, water and snacks but this time I had an additional item to get ready as one of my sons in England, Peter and his wife Vickie has sent me a pair of hiking poles which arrived just minutes before I left the house and was one reason that I decided to go on a hike. I adjusted them to my required height and added them to my “tools of the trade”.

I really didn’t plan too well as I thought that just a shirt would be sufficient protection from the wind but when I got out on the trail, it was really cold and when I was out in the open, I felt chilled. I thought that I could walk fast enough to stay warm and on the whole I did manage to but I did wish I had put on my jacket. I chose to hike one of the bike trails on the inner circle of the park and a couple of bikes and one runner came by me going in the opposite direction.

I didn’t take a single picture the whole time I was out as I saw nothing of interest that I had not already snapped. Altogether, I covered 4.1 miles and chilled or not, still enjoyed it.

My second hike was on January 18th and this time, it had warmed up considerably enough to where I didn’t need a shirt or jacket. I had decided that I really needed to explore the main multi use trail that encircles the whole park. One of the problems I have had on previous hikes here is finding the right trail that bisects the circle and cuts the main loop in half. All of my previous efforts had led me onto bike trails that tend to wind and twist back on themselves and don’t appear to go anywhere. One of them that I followed on a previous hike led me 8 miles and still didn’t get me back where I wanted to go.  Of course they do get somewhere but take a lot longer walking. I was determined to find the right trail this time out.

I decided to take the inner trail heading West and follow it past Turkey Loop. Three horses and riders passed me going in the opposite direction and I took their pictures. I eventually got  to Johnny’s Homestead. There I took another Multi-Use Trail going South which brought me back to the Mountain Bike Parking Lot and to my car.I covered 4.7 miles of fairly easy walking and had finally figured out the system of trails.

I took a few pictures but the problem with going to the same park on a consistent basis is that the scenery doesn’t change a lot. Everything has it’s winter browns and greys and not much color.

The last hike I took on Tuesday, January 19th. This time, I decided that I was going to walk the entire main loop of Multi Use Trails. Following my usual procedure of boots, camera, water and fruit and now my new walking poles, I was almost ready to go. This time I wore my camera vest to keep warm. I started off in the opposite direction than I did the day before as at least one half of the trail was going to be new to me and I wanted to take a few pictures of that. I followed the Multi Use trail which incidentally is wide enough for the Park rangers to drive as they patrol the park and for the most part, really easy walking.

The  trail at the southernmost  end of the Park leads through more wooded areas breaking out into the occasional prairie. At one point and for a distance of a half mile or so, the trail follows a fairly large stream that may be called Pogue Stream but I am not sure of that.I took several pictures of it and in places, it is fairly wide with the usual Bald Cypress trees growing up from the bottom of the canyon. I believe it is the same stream that acts as the boundary on the Northernmost end of the Park.

We left the stream as the trail follows in a northerly direction and eventually arrived at Johnny’s Homestead only this time from the opposite direction. I figured I was about halfway around the loop and making good time. The double walking poles are a godsend and really help to move me along at a good pace. Now, I was covering the same ground as I did the day before as I walked towards and then past Turkey Loop. I eventually ended up in the parking lot by my car having covered a distance of 6.0 miles.

This Park is a really a nice place to hike and I am sure I will be going back in a couple of days especially now that I have figured out the Multi Use trail system.

Note: If you click on one of the pictures, you will get full size. You can use the side arrows to move the pictures. Use the “Escape” key to get back to the blog.