Long hike

Yesterday I took Emo about 2 miles here in the Preserve and then bought a day pack similar to the one I left in Ohio. Today, we hiked the 6.8 mile loop at Huntsville State Park. I stopped in place for a break at one point and heard some rustling, about 8 feet from me was an armadillo. (S)he did not seem a bit concerned about me, I watched for a while as the critter rooted around in the leaves and pine needles looking for lunch. Emo seemed to have no interest. I was thrilled to see one that close for that long.

There is a sign on the entrance road to the park, "Alligators exist in the park." Now I know what the alligators eat - thirsty armadillos. Ummm, crunchy on the outside, soft and warm on the inside.

I was a little concerned about Emo's arthritic knee, but he seemed to do fine. I was also concerned about me, out of shape and carrying a few extra pounds, but I made the trudge. Now we are back home full of ibuprofen and rimadyl, it will be interesting to see who suffers most.

It's a great trail, multi-purpose, but very hikable. We were passed by several bicycles, 2 sets of 2 runners, and a handful of other hikers. There are several boardwalks over swamp, lots of well maintained bridges over little creeks, and a lot of hiking in the piney woods. I like it. Good day.