If my memory serves me, it's about 10 km long.
For a stretch it follows a long abandoned railway track. There is nothing left of it, though. No iron, no timber. Just a little rise of the earth. Makes it really easy to hike.
Each time I took this trail I saw different animals. If we're lucky, we might see a Moose."
Christin looked a bit dubious.
"That would mean a 20 km hike" she said. "I don't think I'd be fit enough for this"
"We could do half the trail and back" I suggested. "Could you do 10 km?" I asked.
"Oh yes" she said, "if we make a few stops along the way."
"Okay," I said. " It's a deal. I'll have a little lunch prepared and we leave tomorrow at about 6 O'clock in the morning. Right after Sunrise."
We spent the hour or so after dinner, lounging on the Veranda of the Dining room.
Christin nursed a glass of Napa Valley wine, while I took the occasional sip from a long Gin and Tonic.
We looked out over Little Joe Lake. Its mirror surface reflected the treeline on the yonder side perfectly, without a ripple.
The Sun had long since disappeared behind the trees, but had left with the promise of a great weather day for tomorrow.
We slept.
Coffee and a light breakfast had been prepared for our early departure.
Christin carried lunch in a comfortable shoulder bag and I dragged cameras and tripod.
What a morning this promised to become.
We arrived at the "head of the trail", in slanted Sunshine and it already became warm.
Light mist rose from the ponds and from the lazy river only meters to our left.
There were the early turtles catching the early rays.
The promise of a wonderful day lay in the air.
We took our time, walking slowly, stopping to examine flowers growing along the edge of the slight berm along which we made our way.
"This used to be the bed of railroad tracks?" Christin formed the question more like a statement.
"Yes" I said, "almost more than a hundred years ago."
"I wonder, what kind of people rode the tracks in those long ago years?"
"Settlers and Loggers, mostly" I said. "This entire area was clear-cut to supply much needed wood for the British Navy. There are only very few trees older than 85 ears."
The trail moved a little upwards and, looking down into the narrow band of water we saw him, practically at the same time.
The biggest Bull Moose I had ever seen.
My camera worked overtime.
We had reached about kilometre 4 and in another 1000 meters it was time to turn around.
---its mirror surface reflected the treeline on the yonder side
perfectly, without a ripple...
----the sun had long since disappeared behind the trees,
but had left with a promise
for a great weather day for tomorrow...
...Light mist rose from the ponds
and from the lazy river only meters to our left...
... there were the early turtles catching the early rays...
... the trail moved a little upwards and, looking down into the narrow band of water, we saw him, practically at the same time.
The biggest Bull Moose I had ever seen...
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