09/24/06

IAT Thru Hike

John Bauer and Bill Rhodes - 2006 Ice Age Trail Thru Hike Journal

2006-07-07 / Friday

10:00 AM Status – John meets the Strawberry Lady

Hi Friends of the IAT; 

Yesterday as John was walking down a long hot road in northern Marquette County something interesting happened.  A lady out in her yard hanging wash out to dry with her dog sees John and says “Hello” and asks if John was hiking the Ice Age Trail, John immediately walks over asks how did she know and he strikes up a conversation.   Her name is Mary Jane and she invited John into her house and offered him a plate of chocolate covered strawberries and a tall glass of ice-cold lemonade.  How sweet!   Anyway, she had a picture of both Clint and Luke from when they did their thru hike.  She offered them goodies on their way past her home as well.   Mary Jane took John’s picture, her third thru hiker, who will be next?   She filled up John’s water bottles and he was back on the road. 

John spent the night near the wayside in the Chaffee Creek State Fishery Area at the Waushara/Marquette County border.   It was a restless night because it’s right near the I-39 with tons of traffic at all hours of the day.  When I called, John was at the intersection of County JJ and County B just south of the Mecan River State Fishery Area (Map 59e).  His objective for today is to reach the Greenwood State Wildlife Area (Map 60e).  Tomorrow night he wants to be at the Waupaca County border where Butch will pick him up. 

When I called he was eating breakfast, which comprised of beef jerky, M&Ms, and cashews.   He sounded kind of low but he was moving along. 

Happy Trails,