AT's AT Hiking Training Plan, Week Seven

Week: May 12 - May 18 (7 Days)
Miles Hiked (Week): 9.75
Miles Hiked (May): 21.25
Miles Hiked, (April Goal): 30
Miles Hiked (Yearly Total): 48.75
Pounds Lost: 2.4
Percentage to Next Milestone: 0%
Pounds Lost (Total):  0.2
Weekly Goal Met: Yes
Nights Camped (Week): 0
Nights Camped (Total): 2
Nights Camped (Backpacking): 0

There must be something about odd numbered weeks, as they go better than my even number weeks. A lot of the success for this weekend was courtesy of the good weekend I had hiking. Without going overboard on my meals during the two days, I hiked almost ten miles. This total is my highest for the year, and the highest since last October. Because I hit that number, I'm sitting in a comfortable place for hitting my monthly hiking goal with four potential hiking days left in the month.

Hiking the Lists #3: Volo Bog Nature Boardwalk

Hike: #3

Title: Volo Bog Nature Trail and Boardwalk

Location: Volo Bog State Natural Area

Hike list: Illinois

Difficulty: Easy

Duration of Hike: Half hour walk

Before I begin, I have to declare something, in the interest of full disclosure. Volo Bog is not a bog, at least not in terms of how a bog is defined. To be a bog, a wetland must get its moisture solely from precipitation, which is why bogs are so nutrient poor. However, there is at least one inlet into Volo Bog, and at least two outlets, which means water flows through here. Thus, it is actually a "fen" and not a bog.

Sure could have fooled me. It definitely looked like a bog, with the sphagnum moss, tamaracks, poison sumac, and various other water loving plant species to be found. Like bogs, this is a place where carnivorous plants live. I'm pretty certain I saw a few pitcher plants hidden beneath the tamaracks.