Tag: elt2025

Lugnut’s Eagle Loop Trail hike for 2025.

Day 2

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I started out the day by listening to the daily poem podcast. Today’s poem (which was actually September 17ths poem – I’m behind) was a poem titled The Writer by Richard Wilbur. I immediately thought of my daughter Hannah when I heard this poem. I listened to it four times and then sent her a link to it. I hope she listens to the poem in the spirit it was intended.
I had one more peak to finish on the southbound leg of the Square (which is what the eagle loop trail looks like). That went well, and I started the bottom of the square. That portion of the trail fellows a river for more than 7 miles. , and so it’s relatively flat. The bottom, right corner of the Square is the confluence of two rivers, the Little Missouri and some other river I don’t know the name of. I forgot that you have to ford that river several times. The last time I was here in 2017, the river was almost waist high. We had to take our boots off. This time it was low enough to chance walking across. I didn’t stay dry, and my shoes got soaked and socks. For this trip, I changed to a trail running shoe and a pair of wool blend light running socks. I was really amazed because after an hour of walking in those wet shoes, they weren’t so wet, but not quite dry. I’m drying the socks and shoes out now so we’ll see how they do in the morning. I may change to a dry pair of socks, but it’ll be interesting to see if I need to.
One of the songs in my playlist today was Ed Sheeran‘s I See Fire. The chorus of that song talks about the mountains and the trees being on fire, and I couldn’t help but notice the parallel with the red yellow and gold fall colors of the trees in these woodst hat are about to fall asleep for the next three months. I know that that’s not the context under which that song was written, but it certainly described the surroundings on today’s hike.
The trees today were a mixture of pines and hardwoods, which means from an arborists standpoint, this forest is in transition. Forests start out with coniferous trees because they have acidic soil. But as the soil becomes more basic, it can support hardwoods, and so the hardwoods become the mature forest. It is fitting that I hike this forest today in the autumn of my life, and the trees are telling me that this is a time of great transition for me.
I spoke yesterday of wanting to find my spiritual purpose now that I’m no longer going to be a Deacon. Except for Diaconate training, the last time I felt that I was really fulfilling God‘s mission for me was when my wife and I were podcasting. We did a podcast called the Catholic Family for about a decade. It was a lot of fun and it felt like we were fulfilling God’s purpose for us. As our kids grew, we didn’t podcast anymore, and struggled to find our purpose in the podcast is it moved from parenting skills. Perhaps it’s time to do an empty nester podcast.
Anyway, I’m still thinking about what God wants to do with me for the rest of my days here in this world. Hiking in the forest has an uncanny ability to focus the mind on spiritual things. Perhaps it being in God‘s country.
The trail today was relatively flat, with a few peaks. The river is beautiful, but wide. Tomorrow I’ll come into Albert Pike Recreation Area, but that’s just 2 miles up the road. I still have about another 9 miles to get to the point at which I entered the trail two days ago. My plan is to get up relatively early so that I can finish the extra 2 miles. Today’s hike was precisely the same length as yesterday‘s hike, 9.3 miles
Tomorrow, hopefully after finishing the entire 27 miles, my cousin will pick me up and I’ll go back to Hot Springs Arkansas and visit with my aunt and family for a little while at least. I have a hotel in Little Rock Sunday night because my Monday flight leaves early. I’m hoping that the early flight will have less of a chance of being canceled in the light of the government shut down. We’ll see. Actually, if my flight was canceled, it would probably be a good thing because I could spend another day with my family. We must always find the good in every situation.
Today’s mileage: 9.3 miles.
Total mileage: 18.6 miles.

Day 1

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First days are always hard. This was no exception. I started the day at the little Missouri river parking lot. I’m completing the loop counterclockwise and so from the little Missouri put into the first corner, which is the upper left-hand corner of the square, it’s about 4 miles. That part of the trail was very easy because it follows the river for most of the way. There are a few ups and downs, but nothing significant.
Once you turn the corner though and head south The terrain changes. There are six peaks because they run west to east and so going south your according over the six . I’d plan to do three of the six peaks today and about 2/3 of the top edge, but when I got to the valley after the third peak, There was no water. It was already dark at this point, about 6 o’clock. So I decided to do another 1.6 The next source of water. I didn’t pull off the trail at 7:30, which is good considering that I didn’t actually put in until noon. So all in all, I did a little bit more than I thought that I would today.
I got my night I can, spending about the last 2 1/2 miles essentially in the dark. At the end of the hike, I came across a campsite which a lot of people were at. Obviously accessible by vehicle, and a lot of kids smoking marijuana. I decided I wanted to go through that and get to forest with a little solitude.
 Once I got past the campsite I had a strange feeling that I’ve been here . Seven years ago, our hiking club hike, the same trail, although we started at the upper left-hand corner and didn’t, and not at the little Missouri river, so that first day was only about 6 miles. One of our hikers, an elderly woman who had never been on a long hike, struggled with the ups and downs. Allyson and I ended up pulling her off the trail at the same campsite that I just mentioned. We found a hiker who allowed us to borrow his car, and we took her to a motel and put her up until the rest of the crew could finish the hike.
When Allyson and I got back, we hiked about a mile past the campsite just so we could be alone. It was pitch black and I use my headlight, which is exactly what I did tonight. In fact, the date of that hike was in November 2017, roughly 8 years ago almost to the day. Felt like returning to the scene of the crime. Anyway, Allyson and I were able to pitch our tent and sleep, and then the next morning we got up early and caught up with the rest of the crew who we’re taking their time getting packed up and ready to go for the day. That was a lovely hike.
We’ll see how tomorrow goes, but I’m hoping to do at least 10 miles tomorrow. If I do that, then I’ll only have about 6 miles the last day, which would be an easy hike. My plane doesn’t leave until day four early in the morning, so I’m gonna drive back to Little Rock Monday night and stay at a hotel so I can go to the airport early.
 Contemplation on this hike has been rampant. I said that I wanted to find out what felt like it was missing in my life. After day one, I think that what’s missing is probably some type of religious purpose. About a year ago, circumstance happened which removed me from what I thought was my Purpose from God. Since that day, Allyson and I have been trying to blend in and be “parishioners“ in our church rather than leaders who do everything. I think that may be what I’m missing, but I don’t know what my new purpose would be in a religious sense. I want to think about that.
Today’s mileage: 9.3.
Total miles: 9.3

Day 0: At DFW Airport

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Approach days are always filled with mixed emotions. On one hand, I’m nervous. Will I make it? Will I get injured? Will the weather be good? Is all of this effort worth it? On the other hand are exhilarating emotions. What new things will I see? What new people will I meet? Will there be trail magic? How will God reveal himself?
The good news is that my pack feels light and my feet feel good. The weather forecast is no rain during the hike and cool temps at night. There was also a super moon two nights ago so I’m going to try and get a night hike in.
I’ve felt lately that something is missing in my life. My goal for the next few days is to figure out what it is.
PS I had multiple delays and problems getting to the hotel. Thank you, Congress. Lots of annoyances such as a big loud guy who constantly kicked my chair sitting behind me. Sometimes I’m not very charitable in my mind.