Beautiful Day

     After doing the 5K on Saturday, I woke up sore yesterday. Which was a surprise to no one. When you do a 5K, a lot of it uphill in the woods, with extra challenges, and you didn't train for it, you hurt the next day. Actually, you might hurt the next day anyway. But yesterday was a beautiful day, like an absolutely perfect day to be outside. It was a high in the low 70's, sunny, and a bit of a breeze once in a while, but not the crazy wind we have been having so much of. It's like it's actually Spring finally (a perfect Beltane). So when Ethan wanted to go explore a new-to-him place in Belchertown, I said I was up for it. 

     Just look at all that blue sky! This field was inviting me to run. My super sore muscles laughed at me and said no. 

     Technically, we were scouting for turkeys. This being a wildlife management area. Ethan taught me a lot of things I didn't know about turkeys while we walked. Apparently they like to roost in old growth pine trees near big open fields. There is no hunting on Sundays in Massachusetts so we just walked and looked for signs of turkeys. I found something in the field that may have been some turkey feathers. Not sure. 

     We had to cross this little stream, which would have been much simpler without sore legs. Ethan and Travis both ended up stepping in the water (log rolled) but Ethan gave me a hand to help me cross and I got to keep my feet dry. 

      There is a lot of forest clearing going on, both by people and by beavers. So there are piles of logs everywhere. Mostly though, this was a fairly easy walk, not many steep hills, mostly even footing (my bad ankle was really thankful for that!) and did I mention it was perfect weather?

     We did lose the trail at one point (no, not lost) and ended up having to walk back to the car on the road. Which was hillier than the woods, lol. It was definitely a nice day to be outside and to have another hike. Though when I got home and settled for a while I was extra sore. There will be as much stretching today as I can manage. And hopefully I can get out for hikes much more often now that the weather is better. I would really love to go for a hike without being half-crippled for a couple of days after.