Happy Anniversary!

Today is the 32nd anniversary of the day T and I married. Yay! And they said it wouldn't last. (Just kidding. Everyone who knew us knew that it was going to last forever.)

This last year has been kind of stressful for us, with parents' health, major life events (2 weddings in 2 years!), work, etc. So we decided that there is nothing we need to give each other so much as time together. Our anniversary gift to each other this year, therefore, is 4 days in each other's company.

Today, we went to Brown County State Park. This is symbolic for us because, when we were poor college students, we couldn't afford to do a lot of expensive things on dates. So we often went to Brown County State Park and spent the day hiking. It was always a fun date--outide, active, very playful, and cheap. And we always took the rugged trails because, you know, what's the point in hiking if you're not hiking?

So, we decided to do a rugged trail this time, too. This is actually a pretty rigorous trail that goes down into an area about 150 feet, then over/under logs, through creeks and underbrush, etc. All the way down, I kept remarking about how glad I was we took the rugged trail because there was so much more to see and do.

You know this is going to be an adventure
if you're letting me work the map! Ha! Ha!

It starts out easy enough.

Nice steps leading down a ways.

Oh, well that should be invigorating.

There's a squirrel over there, somewhere.

Down, down we go. Still a pretty good
path here.

Uh-oh.

Lots of downed trees.

Also lots of ferns.

 

Most of the trees are really, really tall.
You don't see a lot of that kind of forest
these days.

You can see, it just keeps going down. This whole area
was formed when the glaciers pushed southward. So lots of
hills and crevaces in the landscape.

Every now and then, we'd see one of these,
pointing out a place on the map.

But seriously, who lets me work the map?

The trail ran through this creek.

Like, through it.

I don't know what kind of plant this is.
I just liked it.

I know this is catnip. How do I know? It smells like
raccoon piss. Raccoons love this stuff.

Stopped for a selfie at the bottom of the ravine.

There were a lot of downed trees.

Lots of crossing over the stream.

I kept thinking "This is where I'd hide if I were a snake."

Here's a funny thing about this: We went over/under this thing
to follow the trail. Then found out the trail looped back on
itself and we had to go over/under it again.

Somehow going up the steps was worse than
going up the trail. But... only one
way out of here.

Back in the car, red-faced and exhausted!
Not gonna lie. I had to stop a few times
on the way up to catch my breath.

Leaving the park.