Trailblazing

Almost two years ago I took a job at the Google Datacenter here in Lenoir, and we sold our house in Clayton and moved up here. Now don't get me wrong, Clayton is a decent little town, but we lived in a subdivision (Clayton is almost entirely subdivisions) and by the time we left I was really sick of the whole subdivision existence. Homeowner's associations, cramped little lots, nearly identical houses, you name it. I realize there are perfectly logical reasons for everything involved in a subdivision (most of which revolve around the almighty principle of protecting the value of your investment) but it's just not a very comfortable mode of existence for an utterly stereotypical contrarian hillbilly like yours truly.

But last summer I realized that there was something I really missed about that subdivision, believe it or not. See, I like practical exercise. Something that seems directly pertinent to the kinds of physical activities I actually like to do. I like hunting and I like hiking, so my favorite kind of exercise is just to strap on a heavy pack (or my weight vest), put some weights on my arms and my ankles, and powerwalk a few miles. I realize this form of exercise is never going to give me 'ripped abs' or anythng, but I'm 40 years old, you know? The days when I could reasonably aspire to a six pack are long gone anyway.

The subdivision in Clayton had a couple of miles of trails around a pond that were perfect for my style of walking. Where we live now we're surrounded by woods, and there simply aren't any walking trails around. So, being (as I mentioned) something of a contrarian, I've decided to build my own.

So I spent this morning out in the woods behind the house, stomping around and getting some idea of where I want to put my trail. It's kind of an interesting challenge, because I want something simple and natural (obviously I don't intend to pave it or anything) that follows the existing contours as much as possible, avoids ground where water tends to accumulate (because I don't want to be walking through mud all the time) and that won't require a bunch of chainsaw work to clear. The good news is that there are already some established deer paths to work with, and I'll probably stick pretty closely to what they've already laid out. Deer have a knack for finding the easiest ways to get from Point A to Point B, and who am I to argue with critters that already live there, you know?

I'll post some pictures as the project moves along.