February 28 - Happy Trails?

White, stark. Deep, deep, snow, trudging along. No one had been on the trail since the latest snowfall, except for some bunnies. I got a new camera today, but there was just nothing exciting to even practice on. Wish the snow would melt a little, so the trails would be more user-friendly!

The snow wears us down
Traverse with difficulty
Too much like a chore

February 27

Tufted Titmice

Today was going to be a walk along the trails in the city of Barberton. However, the recent significant additional snowfall covered the trails, making them too difficult to traverse. We went to parking lots on Snyder and Fairview in Barberton and took a few photos, but didn't do any actual hiking. We decided to go to one of our favorite bird hangouts, across from the Vanderhoof Rd. parking lot, going south on the trail. We certainly were graced with a wide variety of species, and snapped away as they posed for us. If it hadn't started drizzling, we'd have stayed all day. We plan to go back soon and set up the blind.

Although we have enjoyed the beauty of the snow on the Towpath, its rendering of the trails as passable with great difficulty is wearing thin. I know that spring will bring with it much rain and mud, but at this point I think we are ready for a change!

So kind these birds are
Posing for us without dread
Weary of winter

February 21 -The Woods are Lovely, Dark and Deep...

...but I have laundry to do!!

Red-tailed Hawk

Today I was on my own - Kay had too much school work to do. I decided to go to the Center Road trailhead, north of Clinton and walk north to Vanderhoof. The snow was compacted on the trail, making the walking fairly easy. I heard a lot of birds, including several belted Kingfishers. I also heard some scary squawking coming from some hawks. The river ran to my right most of the way up. I walked back down to Center road and kept going until I came to the Pancake Creek bridge, about a quarter of a mile in. Although I saw no other people on my hike north, there was a family arriving back at their mini-van as I was getting ready to wrap up my day on the towpath.

They've always been there
A hundred species of birds
Why weren't we watching? 

February 20, Part 2 - Sunset in Clinton

After our scary little near brush with the criminal justice system earlier this afternoon in Brecksville, we stopped off in Copley for dinner with Bill, Tim, and Jim. We left around 5:30, and decided that since it was on our way home, we would stop in Clinton to catch the sunset. The colors weren't as dramatic as we'd hoped, but it was pretty nonetheless. We stayed until it was actually getting dark. We walked north first, then south. The moon was beautiful, but eventually became covered by clouds.


Fusing sky with earth
Moon shining above the trees
Together dazzling

February 20- Our brush with The Law!!!

In the words of one of our idols - the famous yet not- so- stable Adrian Monk, Here's what happened: Kay read that the Blue Herons are seen in their nests as early as February. We decided to go to the Brecksville Reservation, where there is a heron rookery right off the Towpath. I looked on Google maps, to see where the heronry was in relation to the trailhead. We noticed that the heronry was to the west of the trail, the river and the train tracks. We decided to walk up the tracks to get a close look at the heron's nest and possible see some early herons. We walked up to the heronry and saw the nests, but no herons. Kay mentioned that one of the nests was much larger, and that a couple years ago she had seen it and had thought it was an eagle's nest. We turned around to walk back down the tracks towards the parking lot. I noticed an eagle off to the east, fairly far away, and then Kay spotted a second one. We took some photos. That's when we saw the two park rangers standing on the tracks watching us. At first we thought that maybe we were in trouble for walking on the tracks. They walked towards us and asked us for our ID's, which we had left in the car. They asked us how far up we had walked and what we had seen. We proudly said, "Two eagles." They told us that we had walked right past a sign stating that the area around the nests was closed, due to the eagle's nest. They asked for our Social Security numbers, and made us wait while they checked up on us. We told them we never saw the sign, which was true, and that maybe it needed to be more prominent. We told them we are very pro-eagle, and would have never done anything to jeopardize a nest. they let us off with a warning!
At that point we went back to the car and drove south to the Vaughn Rd. area. Kay set up her blind near the river, and I walked north. Once i got about halfway back to Brecksville, I called Kay and asked her to pick me up there when she was done. I walked all the way up to Brecksville and then kept going - on the towpath- to the point where I could see, across the river and across the tracks, the eagle's nest. I also saw signs asking for quiet along this section of the trail. Took lots of photos of one of my favorite bridges that towers over this section of the towpath.


Looking for herons
Careless, didn't see the signs
Eagles, forgive us!

February 19 - Massillon and Canal Fulton

I had some flex time to take, and was working in Massillon this afternoon. Kay and I met at Lake Street. We walked south to an area riddled with geese on land and in the water. We took many photos of the geese, especially taking off and landing. We walked back to the parking lot. I stayed on the trail and headed north. Kay met me at Towpath Trail and then drove me back to my car. I drove north along Erie. I stopped at a place I hadn't been before - Lock 4 Park. There is a lock there, and a little park with picnic tables. It's a pretty area. Then I stopped in Canal Fulton and walked south. I walked onto an iron bridge that crosses the canal and took some photos from there. My next stop was Clinton. I was trying to get some nice sunset shots, but not much drama in the sky tonight.


Winter afternoon
Sunshine, ducks and geese abound  
Shimmering river

February 15 - Cleveland Rocks!!

Well, at least their Metro parks rock! The Towpath Trail is paved here and cleared, for smooth sailing, from Rockside Rd. north to Harvard. This section of the trail is maintained by Cleveland Metroparks. Today was a day that would not have been easy walking on any of the limestone trail areas, so this was a perfect way to go. We started out at the Canalway Visitor Center in Cuyahoga Heights and walked north to Harvard Road, the northernmost point of the trail so far. Round trip, the walk was about 4.2 miles. It was partly sunny the whole trip north, but the clouds started winning over on the way back south. This segment was a kind of industrial area, but still afforded plenty of woods and wildlife and views of the beloved Crooked River!!
 
Today we go north
Railroad bridges,waterworks
Canal and river

February 14

We went north to Eastern Road so I could explore the bridge over the river just to the south of where the trail ended temporarily. It was a very gray day. I walked about a quarter of a mile and Kay picked me up. I then lured her to Vanderhoof Road with the promise of plenty of birds. That was an understatement. On the south side of the road, there was an area not far in that was filled with birds. Maybe it was because it was Valentine's Day, but I haven't seen that many cardinals at once since the last time i went to Naturealm. There were so many birds and we took so many pictures, that it almost got boring. Needless to say, Kay was happy, and I know that if she is ever reluctant to come out for some towpath time, I can tempt her with this location!
 

Birds are everywhere
Looking for a winter snack
Do we have to leave?

February 13

Pileated Woodpecker

Big Bend in Sand Run Park was the next stop on our agenda. We parked and had to cut back in a bit to get to the Towpath Tail, passing an ice skating area on the way. After crossing the railroad tracks, I turned right onto the Towpath. There is a nice boardwalk here that overlooks an area below. There were lots of birds singing. I walked about a quarter of a mile in the same direction, then turned around and headed in the other direction, walking past my starting point. Very deep snow. I had to walk in the grooves made by skiers. I kept walking, curious to see where the trail led. I wound up at the corner of Merriman and Portage Path. I called Kay, who had stayed behind t watch for birds. i asked her to drive to me when she was done there. I worked my way over to Weathervane Theater, but wasn't able to walk on the towpath the whole way, because the snow was even deeper out here in "civilization."
Once Kay picked me up, we decided to drive north the short distance to the Botzum area. We knew we wouldn't be doing much walking, but we had seen a bald eagle at Botzum on January 2, right in the parking lot. We got out of the car and walked around a bit. I decided to cross Riverview and check out the towpath on that side of the street. (It crosses Riverview here.) As I was headed across the parking lot towards the road, i heard a very loud woodpecker. I yelled to Kay, "Woodpecker," and kept walking. When i got to the other side of the street, I looked up and there was a pileated woodpecker in a tree not far from where i was standing. I was able to take a few photos before it flew away. I was so overjoyed just seeing it, and being able to photograph it. Kay knew what was going on by now, and when she heard me yelling and jumping around, she asked me to be quite so I didn't scare the woodpecker away. Alas, he was gone for now.
We WILL be back to this area. First time a Bald Eagle, second time, a Pileated Woodpecker!

February 8

A Fairyland. That's how a friend described how it looked outside this morning. Today was a workday for me and I had no plans to take photos of the Towpath. Kay and I had been in the front yard at about 7:00am, watching the international Space Station go orbiting by. We notice that the trees in the yard and in the woods down the street were covered with a beautiful frosting. Kay said she would go to some sections of the towpath to photograph the beautiful frost that had been caused when the fog rolled in and then froze on the branches and twigs of the trees. I got ready for work but at the last minute I decided to drive also to where ever Kay's first stop would be. We wound up at Lake Street, mainly because the parking lot affords a panoramic view. It looked like some sort of magical kingdom, and of course we were snapping photos like gangbusters. Looking to the East, we could see the sun behind the frosty trees. A wooden walkway between the trees made for a beautiful scene. I stayed for about 20 minutes, then headed to work, very reluctantly. Kay made a few more stops, and got, of course some great bird photos.
 
20's, foggy and frosty

Magic fairyland
Created when fog meets cold
Elusive, fleeting

February 7

Today Kay was busy with school work. I decided to scope out some of the trail heads North of Clinton and into Barberton. I started out at Center Road. I pulled into the parking lot, but the snow was just too deep. I got out and crossed the street and took a few photos of the trail going North. Then I drove back to Van Buren and drove North. The road was snowy and a little slippery. I turned left onto Vanderhoof and pulled into the parking lot on the North side of the street. I took a few photos but again, the snow was too deep to go too far in. I then moved my car to a spot on the same side of the street, but closer to the trail head on the South side. I had been here a few times before. There is a boardwalk not far in. There were lots of birds here. I walked in a little ways. I didn't bring my big camera out of the car, but snapped a few photos anyway. When I spotted a hawk in a tree, I went back to the car and got my DSLR with my telephoto lens. I took several photos of the hawk and went back to my car. I drove back to VanBuren went North again. I could see the trial on my left and saw a beautiful bridge over swampy land. There was no place to stop but snapped a photo from the car. When I reached Eastern Road I turned left and saw a sign to the north saying "trail closed". I stayed on VanBuren to Snyder where I turned left. I found another trail head here and it looked like there was a parking lot here but it hadn't been plowed.
The lot was on the North side of Snyder. I was not able to find the trail on the South side of the street.
At this point I went West to Second street then North. I had planned to find a few more trail heads, but the roads in Barberton were bad and I got myself turned around. I pulled into a gas station and used my phone to navigate my way home. I was back on the road in about 30 seconds, headed South on Manchester. I planned to stop at the Trailhead on Nesmith Lake, but the parking lot had not been plowed. I consider today a success because I was reminded of some beautiful areas of the trail that I had hiked before. I was also able to check out some new areas. I can't wait to come back and walk every inch of these trails. By the way, I saw where a section of the towpath - a wooden walkway - was under construction between Eastern and Snyder. Of course I took some photos!

21 degrees, partly cloudy, lots of snow, icy roads.

A fine indoor day
Cold, cloudy, icy, snow-drenched
A fine outdoor day!


 

February 6

The password is snow, at least a foot of it. Our neighbors, shoveled our drive and Kay forged through Agate to get us to the Clinton Trail Head. No where to park and nothing plowed, including the Clinton trail head parking lot. We parked at a car garage on Main Street and took a few photos of the trail facing South. We then headed North to the main parking lot. The snow was very deep, but it looked like it had been plowed at some point, as there was a slight depression on the trail. There were footprints, but they stopped in the middle of the bridge. After that point, we were the first ones on the trail. It was so beautiful. We saw some interesting tracks in the snow that started and stopped abruptly, and were not accompanied by human footprints. We walked all the way to Lock 2. We didn't plan to go that far, we just couldn't help it - it was so beautiful.
Our next stop was Canal Fulton. Again the parking lot was not plowed, so we parked in a public parking lot up the street. I walked south down the street next to the ice cream shop. The trail - which ran on the other side of the shop was not passable. I got to the park, but only went a few feet in - the snow was just too deep. I went back up the ally where Kay was, heading North. We took some photos and went back to the car. We drove south to the Lake street area. We couldn't go south at all because the snow had been plowed in front of the trail, blocking it. We took some photos of the river and went North under Lake street.
We then stopped at Towpath trail. Very deep snow again. Ran into some cross country skiers. I walked down to the Rt. 21 bridge. The trees were very snow covered here. When we went to leave, we got stuck trying to get back out to Erie. A man who lived on the next street South of Towpath trail where we got stuck, pushed us out. On our way home, we stopped at both Forty Corners and Highmill. The snow was very deep in both locations so we didn't venture far from the car. Overall, a very wonderful day.

Sunny, 22 degrees, deep snow.

Snow as barricade
It is winter after all
Amiable sun
 

February 1

Going into work a little late today. I wanted to start off the new month with at least a few minutes on the trail. I went to the Center Road trail head and walked South to a very pretty bridge about 1/4 mile in. I then turned around and walked back to the car. Happy February Towpath trail!