The Blanch Herd: Hikes (and Bikes and Walks and Scoots) {March 2021}

I can't always convince the kiddos to "hike" with me lately, so these hiking round up posts are turning into recaps of pretty much any outdoor activity (hiking, walking, biking, scootering) we do (together or solo) that takes us from one place to another (and back).

2 Mar 2021: Wolf Barn Short Track Snow Hike

Erin invited us to hike in the snow with her and Charlie and Logan at the nearby Wolf Barn Short Track. We were on a quest to spot animal prints in the snow - and we found some birds, racoon, deer and maybe bunny? This was also the day she introduced us to "dirty snowballs" (aka rice crispy treat balls filled with nuts and oreo chunks and chocolate chips) as a treat in honor of Sam and his snow-eating ways.

3 Mar 2021: Great Salt Lake Shorelands Preserve

Gregg's parents have been exploring the edges of the Great Salt Lake lately and told us about this great spot in Layton with boardwalks, interpretive signs and watch towers . . . and plenty of birds! We met up with them one Wednesday evening for a walk in the sunshine.

This was the key for a big graph built right
into the board walk depicting levels of these
species over a year.

Not the typical marshland creatures I would expect
to see. But the calves were darn cute!

View from the top of the tower.

Sunset!

Monkeys on the tower.

That's the tower back there in the distance.

4 Mar 2021: Neighborhood Solo Walk

I got out to get some steps right after dinner (it was light enough!).

I just loved that light on the seven sisters yonder.

5 Mar 2021: Around the Loop

Sam joined me on my afternoon walk around the loop, but he opted for the bike.

Spotted some elm seed bugs (the bane of our existence!)
in the "wild"!

6 Mar 2021: Trapper Park to Rendezvous Park

We met up with my parents for a picnic followed by a walk/scoot along the Logan River Trail (or maybe it's called the Trapper Trail? I'm not sure exactly). It was delightful, even with the wind that picked up and made things quite dusty and blustery.

12 Mar 2021: Solo Loop Walk

I live for these afternoon constitutionals while the kids play with legos or cars or read at home. (I always invite them to come along, but rarely do they take me up on the offer. So I make the most of it by listening to a podcast or book while I soak in the rays.)

14 Mar 2021: Weber River Parkway (Middleton Road to 21st Street Pond)

On perhaps the most gorgeous, sunny, springtime afternoon of the year to this point, we met Gregg's parents at the trailhead parking area on Middleton Road (just off 21st Street) to walk the rest of the path north of our turnaround point on my birthday walk. We ended up at the 21st Street Pond and spent a lovely while watching the muskrats and ducks swimming and the kids splashing rocks and climbing on logs. And bonus! Back at the parking lot we chowed down on "birthday" eclairs that Kim made to share.

Rock skipping moment on the river.

What a pretty place!

Muskrat watcher.

Tree climbers - there was a little shelter
assembled in some trees by the river and
the kids thought it was the best thing ever.

Eclairs!

Train lover with an engine
nearby.

18 Mar 2021: The Triangle!

The entire path around "the triangle" (aka our house to Valley Market to the trailhead and back home is roughly triangular shaped) is clear of snow! I had to walk it at once!

20 Mar: Old Highway Trail

The path to the Old Highway lake access is clear, too (though it has been plowed pretty regularly during the winter, thankfully!), plus the dirt trail is mostly melted, so I did some actual "hiking" as part of my walk this evening! The sky was so moody and lovely and it was great to see the ice receding on the lake! Happy spring!

21 Mar 2021: Family Walk/Scoot on the Triangle

I convinced the whole fam to join me on the cleared path around the triangle. So good to have company this time around!

24 Mar 2021: North Arm to Lake

I wanted to actually hike on my walk again, so I went to the North Arm Trailhead but kept going straight (to stay in the waning sunlight as long as possible) as far as I could out into the lake bed. I heard some owls in the trees along the river!

26 Mar 2021: Old Highway

I walked out as far as I could on the Old Highway roadbed, but I couldn't cross the entire thing like I could in the fall - the water is rising! (I wonder how high the reservoir will get this year with less-than-normal snowpack?)