Day 198: Waupaca River Segment, Connecting Route, Waushara County

Day 198: Thursday, June 23rd, 2022

Total Miles hiked for the day: 6.7; Net Miles 0.0 

Location 1: The southern of the two road pieces included with the Waupaca River Segment, from Foley Drive to the Townline Road turnoff

2.0 Miles of trail covered

Once again we headed out after work to hike off a few more miles of roadway. It's almost a foregone conclusion that we will be hiking every day. With just over 100 miles to go, and everything so close to home, it seems wasteful to not go out and use every minute of these long summer days. 

Theresa has been spending a lot of time during the day planning where, when and how to most efficiently hike the remaining miles. She has broken everything up in six to seven mile sections and figured out how many minutes it will take to drive to each end of the roads. Then at the end of the workday we look at the chart and the clock and figure out where we should go that night. That's how I knew it would take us 54 minutes to get to our destination. 

The Waupaca Segment has two pieces that travel on the road. Our first target tonight was the southernmost of those two sections which runs from the intersection of Cobbtown Road and Foley Drive on the north, and ends at a point along Townline Road where the IAT darts east along a fence line for 8/10ths of a mile. Looking at the map, I can only assume that someday the plans are to extend the trail north from Hartman Creek until it meets the Waupaca River, then it can continue north along the river until it meets the existing segment on Foley Drive. That would bypass this southern road walk completely, and it looks like it would be a great place to walk. 

But tonight... we hiked the road. At 5:52 pm I was in position at the north end, hiking south. I didn't bother to walk down to touch the sign because the whole area is covered in poison ivy. 

I've never been sure what to call these road walks. Officially, the miles are part of the Segment, but on the Hiker's Resource Map it's labeled as Connecting Route (although still part of the Segment). I decided long ago that I would consider this to be "Segment" rather than connecting route.

The Waupaca River is beautiful here, a clean fast-moving creek that fairly screams 'trout stream'. 

I can almost see the crayfish fliting around in the rocks, swimming backwards through the cold water, and the snails and insect larvae, and worms and all the other stuff that trout love to eat. 

After a half-mile walk west I hit the Waupaca-Portage County Line and started south along Townline Road. 

It's not easy to see from the photo, but there is a bit of a hill to go over on Townline Road, about 80 feet in all. The roadside is covered in trees, making it a pleasant walk, and what you don't see is that just west of the road near the top is an elevated kettle bog, a term I just made up to describe a marshy area surrounded by hills that sits up high like an alpine lake. 

I never saw this marshy area as I walked, and didn't know about it until I looked at the maps afterwards. I wish I had taken a peek through the woods. 

Once over the top of the hill the rest of the walk is generally downhill to level, and you start to see the traffic from Highway 54 long before you reach the end. You never actually get there, though, because the trail turns east at this old oak tree, opposite a farmhouse. 

Despite the signs indicating 'No Trespass', the trail does indeed go through there. There really isn't much by way of 'parking'. It's critical that hikers do not block the driveway, and it's important to understand that the equipment used by that farmer is broad and heavy. It is best to park well out of the way for when the farm equipment needs to maneuver near the driveway. 

Like the northern end, I didn't bother touching this sign because the grass all around the sign and the trees is filled with poison ivy. So I chucked small pebbles at the blaze until I hit it. I figured that would count as a 'touch'. 

This completed the Waupaca River Segment, since we had already hiked the other road portion years ago. I picked Theresa up by the stream where I started and we were off to our next spot. 

Location 2: The southernmost part of the connecting route north of the Skunk and Foster Lakes Segment, ending at the intersection of County Highway B and Nottleson Road

4.7 Miles of trail covered

I have very fond memories of hiking the Skunk and Foster Lakes Segment back in May of 2015, and a not-so-fond memory of running into an obnoxious landowner last year on the 4th of July when we came through and bicycled this piece of connecting route. We had pulled over on the side of the road long enough to drop off one of our two bicycles (we were crisscross biking on that day) and before we even got the bike off the rack he came driving up in his oversized white pickup and was telling us we couldn't park there. 

I'm sure he has all kinds of people parking on "his land" right there at the end of the hiking segment, because the parking area is a tenth of a mile south of there, and it's easy to miss.  

I was kinda hoping he would show up again today, just so I could once again tell him that I had no intention of parking there. What he really needs is a sign that says, "No Parking - IAT Parking 500 feet south" with an arrow. Maybe the IATA can provide one of those to keep the landowners happy. 

The first thing I saw going north was this barn. This was not the landowner in question, I don't think, although I'm not positive. At any rate, I thought the barn quilt was one of the nicest I've seen anywhere.   

That same farm had this old pickup truck rusting away in the front yard, with a metal rooster in the bed. Somewhere over the last 20 years or so these old wrecks have metamorphosed from eyesores into something people will pay good money for, only to drop it prominently in their front yards and call it 'art'. I have to admit, I see the appeal. I really don't know why. 

It's a bit of a hike, getting up the hill on Foley Road, but once you reach the top at County Road V you get quite a view of the surrounding landscape. 

There she is!

The temperatures weren't too brutal today. You can see that reflected in Theresa's face. It's almost like she's having 'fun'. Shhhhhh... don't tell her you noticed. 

The climb to the top of the hill on County V led to a downhill slope on the other side, all the way back down to water level where Peterson Creek ran. It's a well manicured creek crossing, with a swift-moving stream to the south...

...and a cow pond to the north. 

One has to keep this in mind whenever thinking you can just drink straight from those clear-running streams. 

The way ahead was fairly level, with Gurholt Road following the height and general path of Peterson Creek. 

Goat farm.

It would be easy to miss the turn onto Gillman Road, which would be a mistake. There's a parking are there by the creek, and if you miss that turn you're headed to Scandinavia. Fortunately, I had two things helping me. One, I take photos of the maps and put them on my cell phone for reference. Two, the car was parked right there at the corner. 

Turning west had me facing the sun. 

I was hiking this next crisscross without any issues wen I saw Theresa coming down the road with her netting on. Ahead of me, she said, the mosquitoes were out. I took heed, but ended up not using the netting. I just swatted as needed, and they didn't bother me too much. 

But there in the roadway I saw evidence of just how hot and uncomfortable it's been out here recently. This is a paved road, and there in the pavement were clear tracks of a passing deer, who must have come through when the hot sun had softened the roadway. 

I have hiked roads when they were that hot; even gotten tar coming up off the road and sticking to my shoes. I feel bad for the deer who came through here and made these tracks. And this was on the north side of the hill. 

It was also in the shade of these trees. That must have been one hot day. 

At the corner where Gilman Road passes Hi Corners Road, there used to be a beautiful planter that was tended by some local resident. Today as I walked by, I saw this sign instead. 

I am both saddened by the theft and highly amused at the response. Take that, you parsimonious petunia planter pirate! The world now knows of your evil deed, and I hope you're ashamed of yourself every time you come through!

When we made it to this intersection we were successfully off of map 47, so we would be able to check that one off the list again. A short distance more and we crossed the Tomorrow River State Trail, and then Peterson Creek one more time. 

From there it was a very short walk up to County Road B, which was surprisingly busy for a Thursday night. I made my way to Nottleson Road where the car was waiting, then went back to pick Theresa up for our photo. Our day ended at 8:45 pm, with the last of the daylight fading into the west. 

The tally:

• No new Snails
• Completed the Waupaca River Segment
• Completed map 47
• Converted 6.7 miles of biking to the 'hiked' category
• 100.9 miles to go - RATS! Still over 100... 

Running Total: 1212.2 miles of trail covered (1036.1 hiked), 331.3 miles 'extra' hiking/biking. End of Day 198.

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