A Walk in the Woods
I’m always amazed at how enjoyable a simple walk in the woods can be. No trails. No paths. No crowds of people. Just the silence of the woods, punctuated by the occasional whisper of the creaky tree branch or rustling dry leaves. And when it’s the winter time of the year, as it is now, there is also the added pleasure of fresh snow.
I can’t really put my finger on what it is about a vast landscape of fresh white snow, untrammeled except for the crisscross of animal tracks of varying sizes, that is so enchanting. But it is.
Perhaps it’s the joy of discovering tracks and wondering which animals made them–usually deer, squirrel and chipmunks in Ohio–that I find so enjoyable. For example, while out on this latest hike I came across two nice deer trails, a major bedding spot with what looked like 8-10 fresh lays, accompanied by some fresh scat. You can see some of these below in the photo gallery.
Living in New York for the better part of the past decade has really reminded me how much of a country boy I really am at heart, and how much I miss being able to more or less walk out into the woods at any given time without it being a chore. While there are a few places in NYC that have descent woods–such as up in Van Cortlandt Park, getting there is always such a chore.
So for now I’ll be satisfied with my little Ohio winter wonderland hike. Happy 2018!
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