To recap: In June my daughter and I are setting out upon the famed Cotswold Way, the 102-mile walk through the English countryside.
And to prepare my 76-year old self for this ordeal I have resolved to hike some of the more popular trails in and around GNV over the coming weeks and days.
Last time out I hiked the Sweetwater Preserve.
Today, on a gloriously cool Sunday morning, I set my feet (and my hiking sticks) down upon the Old Spanish Way Trail, which loops through the southern end of the San Felasco Hammock State Preserve.
The result was a splendid five mile hike on a splendid trail. Which is to say that the trails in the preserve are well marked, well engineered and designed to be easy on both the eyes and the feet.
In fact, the nicely engineered trail system makes this an especially popular destination for runners. I know this because they kept racing by me as though I was this old codger practically standing still.
Course, most of them were much younger than yours truly. So what can they possibly know about the hazards that life the universe and everything has in store for them?
One thing though. The San Felasco Hammock State Preserve encompasses 7,360 acres of forests, wetlands, sandhills, sinkholes and other geological odds and ends.
So I shouldn’t wander too far off the trail. Especially if I was (and I am) a new user.
The wonderful thing about a really good trail is that once you set your feet down upon it, you never really know what enticements await around the next bend or over the next rise.
There is a stark, primitive beauty to the interaction of woods and water and sky.
So much so that it is difficult to not linger here and there.
If only to lose oneself in, um, deep reflection.
My name is Ron Cunningham, cyclist and (at least temporarily) hiker on my way to the Cotswold Way.
And I approve of this trail.
FreeGNV 