Page 21 - Spring 2020 MT_v5.indd

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CROSSE Tomah WINNEBAGO CALUMET G G A A N N
MONROE H H I I
THOUSAND-MILER journals La Crosse JUNEAU MARQUETTE GREEN DU LAC du Lac Sheboygan M M I I C C
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S S S S S S S S
VERNON LAKE SHEBOYGAN E E
K K
A A
L L
Hiking the Ice Age Trail Blink. Bristol and Piper on the edge of a cliff night. Little presents and stickers are external
motivations and help keep the girls going
above Devil’s Lake, posing with their mother
with Children foot wiggles. Lifting her foot reveals a snake, believe it or not, not everything on the Trail
through some of the tougher sections of Trail,
Nicole. Suddenly, something under Bristol’s
frantic to escape. Seeing no immediate exit, it
was fun!
hurtles over the granite ledge and shoots 60
feet down to the rocks below. Blink. Hearing Piper start crying over a
rise in the trail ahead of me, then Nicole’s
Blink. As the girls grow weary of hiking voice rising in alarm. Bristol, too, crests
endless connecting routes, we declare a the rise and disappears before she also
different theme each day. They relish dressing starts screaming. She comes running back,
up as princesses, fairies, and paleontologists. tears and mucus streaming down her face.
But, on their favorite day, they fi nd a Unbeknownst to them, they’ve disturbed a
personalized note from the Easter Bunny Bald-faced hornet’s nest.
saying he’s hidden Easter eggs for them Blink. In cold, mucky thigh-high water,
along the Trail. They run ahead the entire day, the girls, with their backpacks, sit on our
looking behind nearly every tree, root, rock, shoulders, on top of our packs, as we wade
and bush for brightly colored plastic eggs with through the fl ooded Trail along the Storrs Lake
little toys and candies inside.
Segment. Long grasses and sticks combined
Blink. We make up games for the girls to with the mud, threaten to trip us at every step.
keep their minds occupied as their little feet We debate if we should keep going, possibly
churn out the miles. We award points for into even deeper water, toward the next visible
solving a mental puzzle, or coming up with blaze. The girls perched motionless above us, Bristol (left) and Piper (right) hike along a
the correct trivia answer. We also give them sing little made-up songs of encouragement. connecting route between Arbor Ridge and
“kindness” points for helping someone out, or Only a whimper escapes their lips when one Albany segments. Photo by Jeremy Nowicki.
climbing a particularly diffi cult section without of us almost falls. much fun as we could into as many aspects
complaining. Later, they’re able to redeem It’s a challenge to motivate children to hike, let of the Trail as possible. Even a near miss from
these imaginary points for extra play time, alone hike the length and breadth of an entire a tornado seemed like an adventure (to the
swimming, or a McDonald’s Happy Meal.
state. Yet with a little creativity, ingenuity, and kids). We hope that you, too, will venture out
Blink. We celebrate mileage accomplishments always being willing to stop for a playtime on the Ice Age Trail, and create snapshots
with hundred-mile parties, whether we’re at break, it can be done. The key for us was with your family. Savor every moment you can.
home on a zero day or at a campsite for the to foster a sense of excitement and inject as Blink.
Magic Woolies Bio
Nicole is a teacher and youth
soccer director. She loves to
have adventures whenever she
has a spare moment. Jeremy
is a full-time dad, part-time
soccer and wrestling coach, and
consummate wanderer who has
spent most of his life outdoors.
Bristol and Piper are busy with
school and sports. The rest of the
time, they’re busy playing. Their
adventures are on Instagram
@MagicWooliesHikingFam,
or at their website and blog,
MagicWoolies.com.
The MagicWoolies: Parents, Nicole and Jeremy, along with Piper (left) and Bristol (center) on
the St. Croix Falls Segment. Photo by Jeremy Nowicki.
Spring 2020 | MAMMOTH tales 21