Hike # 3 North Valley Rail Trail - South

It was May 4th. My husband and I made our way to our cabin in McCall, Id. After taking a "walk around the block", I discovered something called "Valley County Pathways". It was a trail that I had never previously discovered, and it was in our own back yard - so to speak. The trail cut across a meadow, past a "pond" and wound through a wooded area. So the next day, I looked for appropriate walking shoes. I had purchased some Cabella's Hiking Shoes a few years previously (and had never broken them in), and a walking stick (picked up from the Roseberry Craft Fair) a few year's earlier. I decided that Saturday was the day to venture off on my first hike... ALONE!

At 59 years old, 4'11" in stature, I was terrified! What if I met up with some bears? aggressive elk? cougar?   Or worse... what if I was... you know assaulted? The thoughts taunted me and tried to drive me into submission - "Don't go!", screamed my insecure self. But armed with my walking stick, my false sense of  courage, my 59 year old "Moxie", and my cell phone ( with GPS running) - I chose to face the challenge.

I started at section of the North Valley Rail Trail. Not knowing what that meant, I decided to look it up when I returned from the hike. There were no maps, and I had no idea where I was headed or how long I was to hike. But the trail beckoned me.. and off I went.

According to Endomondo, I walked 3.8 miles in 1:16 minutes. A record! It was a spectacular achievement, when you consider I got lost. Thank goodness for GPS navigation.  I hit a section of the trail where I crossed a gravel road. To go further, would lead me further south and God knows where! So I chose to turn left, stay on the gravel road, and let my GPS navigation direct me as though I was in a car.

It was scary, but exhilarating at the same time. I walked past farm houses I never knew existed, fields I had never seen, ponds that were an unexpected surprise to me, and pasture lands filled with prairie dogs who chased each other with complete joy on a warm spring day. It was awesome!

By the time I made it back to the cabin, my arches were killing me (no more Cabella's 2010 sale hiking boots), my cell phone photos were fuzzy (sure wish I could have posted the pond shots), and my taunting thoughts were glad I made it back alive (after having to hike past threatening signs "Private Property. No Trespassing", even though my GPS said it was the right way home.) But I have to say... at the end of the day, I was proud of myself and slept well that night knowing that I had hiked the longest to date - almost 4 miles.