Happy Third Day of Autumn!
Autumn is my favorite season. I celebrated by going on a short hike yesterday with Dingo Lu while my son was in school. We went to the Spicer Lake Nature Preserve. I have written about this place previously. It’s my favorite local hide out.

It was a bright and sunny morning. The sky was an amazing shade of blue. It wasn’t too warm or cold. Just perfect. When we arrived there were two cars in the lot, but I heard them leave shortly after we set out on the main trail. We were alone. That’s part of the reason I go there, no one else usually does.
This is my favorite place to go and relax, do some thinking and just enjoy being outside. Recently, a black bear ( probably more than one ) has wandered down from Michigan and was spotted just to the east of this location a day prior. It has been traveling between the South Bend area and Michigan City. Based on its pattern (if it is indeed the same bear) there was a real world possibility I might see it. Or at least evidence of it.
You can read about that here in an article courtesy of the South Bend Tribune.
I am okay with that. My experience has made me bear savy enough. I am not afraid of the woods based on bear sightings and if I did encounter it, I am sure I would live to tell the tale. I’ve survived hiking the Smoky’s, Montana and Colorado.
The thought of the bears returning to the area doesn’t freak me out at all. As a matter of fact, it makes me happy and hopeful because they left a hundred years ago. With that said, it makes me afraid for the bears because people are stupid.
I’ll just leave it at that with one bit of advice. Stay away from the comment sections for anything that you read on the internet.
We set out on the main trail. There were dragonflies of all sizes buzzing all over the place. Hundreds of them. The air has taken on the familiar smell of transition from summer to autumn.
We hiked just a little over four miles. We sat on the pier of Lancaster Lake for awhile and simply took our time walking along the trail. It was really nice. It was exactly what I needed to clear my head after a stressful week
I love the MapMyRun application on my phone. This is what my four mile jaunt looked like on GPS from the app.
Many of you already know what getting outside can do for your mind, body and spirit. It’s more of a necessity than anything. We have to get outside in order to live as people. It calls to us.
It was another one of those rare days where I was bursting with energy. I put it to use. I am getting stronger every day but I still have those days where I have to take a nap or at least take it easy.
One day at a time.
Oh, and no black bear..
Always gotta take advantage of energy bursts when they come. Yesterday I found myself doing pushups randomly because I had 10 minutes of energy… glad your able to get out hiking! Keep fighting.
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Oh I know! Usually it’s to get my house cleaned up ect. Yesterday, after I got home for the afternoon, I push mowed my lawn and the neighbor’s lawn. My son and I did some other small lawn work too.
Today I worked a couple of hours of overtime and I’m feeling pretty tired this afternoon. I’m trying to determine at this point of it’s the Lyme or of it’s because I went to bed late, got up early, worked and have become used to napping..
Sometimes it’s hard to tell. Instead of needing an extra five hours of sleep every single day, I just laid down for an hour and I actually feel pretty recharged..
I’m hoping these are good signs….
Random push ups are always good!!!
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