Hiking along the River
This morning I am starting my walk at a quick pace. It is very early … 0514 hours … a bit chilly and I have to move swiftly to warm up a bit. The air is cold, the wind is out of the Northeast and the sun will not rise until 0635 hrs. The sky is overcast and I doubt I will see the sunrise this morning. I add more fuel to my step as I begin to warm up. My dog is already well into this. No need to warm up, no fancy rituals, and no complicated ideas to work on, he is simply off walking and sniffing the ground, enjoying this freedom. I often envy his uncomplicated existence. Hiking and walking are surefire ways to achieve this feeling of uncomplicated freedom.
A flock of Canada geese is flying towards me and their cacophony destroys the morning silence. As we continue westward their noise diminishes and the peace of the river bank is slowly being restored. I cannot see them anymore as the sky and the morning are still very dark. My eyes are comfortable in the dark now and my trusty headlamp is properly positioned on my head available for a quick flip to the “on” position should I require it.
I feel warm now and I quicken my pace a bit more. The first part of this journey is fairly smooth and easy walking so I use it for the cardio value. I enter a small wooded area filled with the morning chirping of the songbirds. Their songs are much more pleasant than the cacophony of the geese.
Each to his own, I guess. I can recognize many of these birds now by their songs, but still, a few elude me. With time I will surely be able to identify more of their songs. As with animal tracks, the best way to identify their song is to observe the bird singing its song and capture its picture. Identify the species and remember the song and add another wonderful part of Nature to your collection.
A sudden slap on the water draws my attention away from the songbirds. I lift my binoculars to my eyes, turning towards the sound. It is the beaver, already busy with his day. He is dragging a long, seemingly heavy, branch towards his lodge. He is certainly not intimidated by its size. It’s hard to not be amazed by this animal’s work ethic. Work like a beaver … a simile, if there ever was one.
I drop my binoculars and continue along this easy walking path. The morning is getting brighter now and I step into the hill with renewed fervor. What a beautiful ramble along the river this is turning out to be.
If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions about hiking, walking or wildlife along the river, please do not hesitate to leave them in the space below.
Have you ever started your day with a walk along the river?
If not, why not?