This morning Mrs. Life and I decided to go hiking at Eldon Hazlet state park. We parked the truck, grabbed our hiking sticks, and started out on Kaskaskian Trail. The trails there are neatly mowed and easy to follow for the most part. This trail is 2.5 miles and rated easy. The sign says it takes about an hour and a half to complete.

We had a great time hiking, but came to a fork that could have been better marked. We ended up on Osage Trail headed further away from where we were parked. After asking a few other people who had no idea how to get back where we were parked and back tracking a couple times, we started hiking along the road. We finally were able to flag someone there who knew how to get back where we were parked. Another half mile of hiking and we were able to take off our boots and sit down in the truck's padded seats.

What was supposed to be about 2.5 miles turned into about 4 or 5 miles. 1 and a half hours turned into almost 3 and a half hours. Our legs and backs are tired, but it was a good hike. We saw a few other people out hiking too. We couldn't have asked for a nicer day to be out hiking.

It sure was a great day to be lost, sorry you guys got so worn out but glad you got to get out.

Sounds like you had a good day anyway, glad you got to enjoy it. I had to work :(

Jim, we got back to Fairview Heights with just enough time for me to change clothes while Mrs Life fixed my supper for me to get to work.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.


--Robert Frost is fantastic

Yep, Robert Frost was my inspiration.

This is just after where the trail crosses over the road.

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The paths were clear and easy going.

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I saw this tree frog along the way.

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We ran into a few fungi along the way. Most were not fresh and we didn't pick any, just took pictures.

http://www.siloutdoors.com/imagehosting/4244c9ed670e0fc5.jpg

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I took this one from a couple angles.

http://www.siloutdoors.com/imagehosting/4244c9ed746a4f60.jpg

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Some mossy turkey tails.

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This butterfly just sat in the trail as we observed it.

http://www.siloutdoors.com/imagehosting/4244c9ed80fdbb3c.jpg

If we hadn't turned the wrong way on the trail we never would have found this bridge.

http://www.siloutdoors.com/imagehosting/4244c9ed81153ddb.jpg

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Life that same sort of thing happened to me in the Shawnee when I was digging roots - the trees wuth the trail markers were down from the storm - I wasn't lost but I missed the cut off to loop around back to the car and and figured out when I stopped to get my bearings that I was about 5 miles from the car vs looping back around to it.. it was long trudge back with all my root digging paraphernalia..I finally just the heck with it - worked my way to where I new a forest service road was and walked it back...
It was tough there for awhile after the storm - many of the trees with the blue diamonds on them were gone... and some of those trails aren't much more than a deer path...
That little adventure knocked me back for couple of days had the MS nipping at my fanny...

Nice pictures Life bet you were tired at work!

"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood," The poem could read, "Two roads diverged in a yellow prairie" :)

Sounds like a little adventure w as well worth it...