Circles in the Woods

Nice December day in the Woods, after three of the coldest nights of the winter thus far. Down to 11 F and not above 24 F for 2-3 days. Cold enough to put ice on the East Wash and the East Pond. But this afternoon was overcast and pleasant low 50's.

I actually found a tick on my glove (amazing), one deer in the SW quarter and a male cardinal. There were also fresh strands of spider web gossamer on the trail west of the Burr Oak bridge..although I didn't see any webs.

I entered the Woods via the NE Jenkins Gate and crossed on the new Elm Bridge; then headed west along the EW Fence Line Trail to the Fence Corner and the Big Pecan. From there I defined and cleared the flagged trail north to the Trans OWP at the junction with the pecan blow down. That trail is largely clear now but will need substantial more lopper work to shape it up and keep it clear.

I headed back to the Tall Stump and south on the north end of the Dunes Trail to the beaver dam. The main SW Wash trail no longer had puddles of standing water but the soil and leaf litter was still moist..not muddy.

My moderate easy pace stroll with occasional momentary stops from the SW Gate, along the SW Wash trail to the Tall Stump Cutoff, north along Hackberry Alley to the Trans OWP and west on the Trans OWP to the East Pond; then north and east along the Northern Loop back down to the Burr Oak bridge; and back to the Escarpment Trail took 30 minutes. A nice traverse of the Woods.