Day Seventy-one

Flying Field

Time of Walk:  5:15 PM

Temperature:  33° F (felt like 18°)

Weather:  Intermittent snow and sun; windy

The TV weatherman described this afternoon’s weather as snow globe weather.  It was an apt description.  One minute the sky was full of large snowflakes, the next minute the snow was gone, and the sun was out.  A few minutes later, it was snowing again.  The strange weather made for a strange, but beautiful sky.

My youngest son joined me for a late afternoon walk.  We headed to the Tinley Creek Trail System of the Cook County Forest Preserve, but the parking lot I had chosen was closed.  Instead, we went to the nearby Model Airplane Flying Field to walk along the edge of the field.

We enjoyed exploring this lovely area while no one was around.  We’ve been there in warmer weather to watch the model airplanes and helicopters.  The planes and the flying skills of the operators are impressive; the large prairie field surrounded by forest much more so.

Good day, good walk.

Day Twenty-four

Time of walk:  12:30 PM

Temperature:  20° F (Felt like 15° F)

Weather:  Partly sunny

I donned my boots, braved the cold, and walked between Mile Marker 6 and 6.5 (both ways) on the Old Plank Road Trail (a rail line converted to a bike and walking trail).  Most of this section is adjacent to residential areas with large homes both to the north and the south; the rest goes through farmland.

Twenty-four days into this blogging adventure, and I have officially decided what this blog is not–a bird photography blog.  The reasons are painfully obvious:

Good day, good walk.

 

Day Twenty

Time of Walk:  12:15 PM

Temperature:  21° F (Felt like a very cold 16°)

Weather:  Mostly Cloudy and Windy

My husband and youngest son joined me in walking from about Mile 1.25 to Mile 2.0 (and back) on the Old Plank Road Trail (a bike and walking trail converted from a railway line).  I’ve been walking on this trail quite a bit this year and am trying to eventually cover the entire trail.  I had been both east and west of today’s section and was glad to take care of this missing piece.

Despite all of the layers, the hat, the neck gaiter, and double gloves (including the inner ones that I can use on my phone!), I got very cold walking today.  It brought back childhood memories of Michigan winters.  As a kid, I spent a lot of time outside, even in the winter.  I walked a ways to the school bus stop, we had three recesses a day in grade school, and as a family we had fairly regular sledding and ice skating outings.  Although I have never enjoyed the cold, the exercise and fresh air were, and still are, undoubtedly a good thing.

Good day, good walk.