http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW Travels and Journeys... Fri, 30 Jul 2010 17:27:31 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Copyright © 2010 Footsteps heather@heatherdugan.com (Heather Dugan) heather@heatherdugan.com (Heather Dugan) posts 1440 http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/wp-content/plugins/podpress/images/powered_by_podpress.jpg http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW 144 144 Footsteps Travels and Journeys... Travel, outdoors, adventure, Heather, Dugan, stories Heather Dugan Heather Dugan heather@heatherdugan.com no no http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2010/04/13/in-town-tourist-bald-eagles-at-highbanks/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2010/04/13/in-town-tourist-bald-eagles-at-highbanks/#comments Tue, 13 Apr 2010 18:23:26 +0000 Heather Dugan http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/?p=4606 http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2010/04/13/in-town-tourist-bald-eagles-at-highbanks/feed/ 3 http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2010/02/17/record-snowfalls-record-fun/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2010/02/17/record-snowfalls-record-fun/#comments Wed, 17 Feb 2010 14:04:49 +0000 Heather Dugan http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/?p=4022 http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2010/02/17/record-snowfalls-record-fun/feed/ 9 1:08 Cocooning is overrated and easily overdone. Long periods of inactivity may be a course of self improvement for caterpillars, but the results are generally ... Cocooning is overrated and easily overdone. Long periods of inactivity may be a course of self improvement for caterpillars, but the results are generally not so favorable for people. If there were ever a winter to compel hibernation, this might be the one. Record snowfalls and low temperatures make for interesting reading and better than average "how about this weather" conversations, but they also make it a lot easier to live without bananas and bread for a few days. My winter survival strategies include traveling to "summer" somewhere else in the world and taking time out for some of the indoor attractions that are forgotten with warmer weather. But my best game plan for a season that always seems to linger a little too long is simply to bundle up and get right out in the middle of it all. Then it's fun again. My daughter assures me that none of her future books will include a chapter on how her mom once made her run in snowstorms. I do hope, however, that she will include the silly fun of making snow angels in the middle of the road after a trail run through Highbanks on the day we got over nine inches of snow. *More travel posts (and travel!) coming up. Also some local attractions with international appeal. Highbanks Metro Park, Ohio, Running/Health & Fitness Heather Dugan no no http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/11/28/on-the-turkey-trail/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/11/28/on-the-turkey-trail/#comments Sat, 28 Nov 2009 20:07:42 +0000 Heather Dugan http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/?p=3113 http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/11/28/on-the-turkey-trail/feed/ 4 0:42 Birthdays and holidays always send me to the woods.  It's been a personal tradition to run on my birthdays and New Year's Day.  Yes, I ... Birthdays and holidays always send me to the woods.  It's been a personal tradition to run on my birthdays and New Year's Day.  Yes, I generally run on most other days too, but it's especially affirming to not take a "day off" when the day is marking a significant event.  Thanksgiving and Christmas are all about family and friends though, so even better than a solo run, is a family hike through a favorite park on Thanksgiving Day. It's no surprise that my kids and I ended up at Highbanks Metro Park.  Hannah and I run its trails frequently. The leaves are all on the ground now, revealing the topography of land once chosen by the ancient Adena Indians. 1 Adult/3 Children, Highbanks Metro Park, Hiking, Ohio Heather Dugan no no http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/11/02/trespassers-welcome/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/11/02/trespassers-welcome/#comments Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:02:14 +0000 Heather Dugan http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/?p=2795 http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/11/02/trespassers-welcome/feed/ 9 2:07 Technically the dogs have the right of way, and I am the trespasser buzzing through without a proper escort.  In my defense, the pet ... Technically the dogs have the right of way, and I am the trespasser buzzing through without a proper escort.  In my defense, the pet path at Highbanks Metro Park is 3 1/2 miles of loops through woods and meadows and is fairly irresistible to runners looking for a less traveled trail. Hannah and I started running it last summer to add some variety to the 300 miles she needed to log for cross-country.  The map at the trail head showed a series of loops, and I was fairly certain we'd be directionally challenged at some point.  Our strategy to take every right turn was sound and would eventually bring us back to our starting point.  But one of the loops more resembles a deer trail than anything man-made, and is easy to miss.  We ran past it on a regular basis in the beginning and would have to backtrack to include it in our mileage.  Eventually we grew comfortable enough for Hannah to run on ahead at her faster pace.  She'd take the car keys and meet me with my water bottle at trail's end.   I continued to run the loops at Coyote Run, our so-called "summer trail", by myself after Hannah's high school season started. The path begins with a lengthy treed corridor, a virtual runway upon which to adjust the stride and engage the mind.  Then, the journey begins with an abrupt turn into the woods.  Feet hit packed dirt, grass and leaves and leap over roots and rocks -racing down one hill simply to wind up and around the next. This past weekend I ran it under what felt like a summer sun.  Brilliant colors and a clear sky above, the crunch of dried leaves underfoot.  The stretches of meadow can be blazing hot on a summer day but accentuate the body's cooling when one swings back into the shaded woods.  An Adena burial mound dated to more than 2000 years ago rises out of the first meadow and offers a thoughtful vantage point from which to view woods and sky. And yes, there are dogs...  My lab Lily loves this trail as does Simba, a very personable Great Pyrannese, that I met the other day. *Map was charted last summer with the My Tracks app on my G1 phone. View Coyote Run Trail, Highbanks Metro Park in a larger map 1 Adult/3 Children, Highbanks Metro Park, Ohio, Running/Health & Fitness Heather Dugan no no http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/02/09/gloves-vs-groundhogs/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/02/09/gloves-vs-groundhogs/#comments Mon, 09 Feb 2009 19:04:19 +0000 Heather Dugan http://www.heatherdugan.com/blog/in-town-tourists/gloves-vs-groundhogs/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2009/02/09/gloves-vs-groundhogs/feed/ 10 1:25 Highbanks Metro Park Visitor Information and Map Groundhogs are classified as rodents. I reaffirmed that bit of biology while voicing an informational CD on house ... Highbanks Metro Park Visitor Information and Map Groundhogs are classified as rodents. I reaffirmed that bit of biology while voicing an informational CD on house pests and rodenticides last year. Squirrels, chipmunks, porcupines; they've all gnawed their way into that largest order of mammals. So, while the idea of "Groundhog Day" is quaint and provides calendar interest for the stretch between New Year's and Valentine's Days, celebrity groundhog predictions generate little more than a shrug from me. My mom always laced the arrival of spring around the bloom of the first crocus, but for me the first hint arrives a little earlier than that. I sense the seasonal shift when I can finally peel off the winter layers and run without gloves again. Snow running is exhilarating. But, there comes a time when we're ready to be exhilarated by warmer temperatures, and yesterday was that delightful day. Winter often empties the parking lots of Highbanks Metro Park, but yesterday they were dotted with salt-splattered cars. The trails were still too icy for long strides, so I ran the roads instead. But without gloves. Without a hat. Without even a sweatshirt. It felt like spring. Yes, it could snow again. I suppose we could even revisit the ridiculous windchills of last month. But I had an infusion of April yesterday. The symbolic removal of my winter running bag from the truck comes next. And the crocuses can't be too far away now... Highbanks Metro Park Visitor Information and Map Highbanks Metro Park; Columbus Ohio 11 miles of nature trails over streams and through ravines, situated just east of the Olentangy River. Shale Cliffs, concretions, river access and Adena Indian Mounds make this a popular destination. Activities include: hiking, running, cycling, group picnics and kayaking/canoeing. Additional attractions: pet trail, winter sledding, Hutchins State Nature Preserve. "Yes" for Pets (on designated trails with leash) Directions: From I-270, take U.S. 23 north for about 3 miles. Entrance will be on the left, just south of Powell Road. Address: Highbanks Metro Park 9466 Columbus Pike Lewis Center, OH 43035 Phone: (614) 846-9962 Park Website View Larger Map Highbanks Metro Park, Ohio, Running/Health & Fitness Heather Dugan no no http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2008/10/29/senior-pictures-highbanks-metro-park/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2008/10/29/senior-pictures-highbanks-metro-park/#comments Wed, 29 Oct 2008 17:52:18 +0000 Heather Dugan http://www.heatherdugan.com/blog/photo/senior-pictures-highbanks-metro-park/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2008/10/29/senior-pictures-highbanks-metro-park/feed/ 13 1:51 Highbanks Metro Park Visitor Information and Map The best of us create scrapbooks; the rest of us take a few photos and stash them away with ... Highbanks Metro Park Visitor Information and Map The best of us create scrapbooks; the rest of us take a few photos and stash them away with our good intentions. I’ve always been better at photography and have the stacked boxes of “Kodak moments” in my basement to back that up. In recent years, I’ve added wedding and portrait photography and submitted photos to on-line stock photo sites. It was still a distinct thrill to take my oldest niece’s and nephew’s senior pictures. A few things have changed since I took my first photographs of Brittany and Chuck. For one thing, those bubbles in time were captured with a film camera, my technologically ancient Minolta 700x. For another, I was not yet a mother myself. When my sister Steph rolled by on a gurney after delivering the twins, I wasn’t sure she’d ever make it onto her feet again. Little did I realize that I’d just seen the easiest part of motherhood… Not that my niece and nephew have strayed the designated path. They are capable and talented kids. That doesn’t really matter though. Being a mom means that you wonder and hope and worry about the little details in their day-to-day every day. You try not to. But it’s difficult to escape entirely. Chuck made the arrangements with me. We met at Highbanks Metro Park on a chilly Saturday morning. My tripod kept the shivers out of the shots, and the kids’ personalities shown through. We had a lot of fun with it, walking the trails and climbing down the edge of a ravine to get the backgrounds we wanted. They were beautiful babies, and they are exceptionally attractive young adults. My sister and brother-in-law face an instant “empty nest” in the near future. My extended family has officially slid along the timeline from the new baby era into the graduation zone. And I’m oh so aware that the next cousin standing in that particular line is my son Zach. Portrait Photos on Picasa Highbanks Metro Park Visitor Information and Map Highbanks Metro Park; Columbus Ohio 11 miles of nature trails over streams and through ravines, situated just east of the Olentangy River. Shale Cliffs, concretions, river access and Adena Indian Mounds make this a popular destination. Activities include: hiking, running, cycling, group picnics and kayaking/canoeing. Additional attractions: pet trail, winter sledding, Hutchins State Nature Preserve. "Yes" for Pets (on designated trails with leash) Directions: From I-270, take U.S. 23 north for about 3 miles. Entrance will be on the left, just south of Powell Road. Address: Highbanks Metro Park 9466 Columbus Pike Lewis Center, OH 43035 Phone: (614) 846-9962 Park Website View Larger Map Heart-to-Heart, Highbanks Metro Park, Hiking, Ohio Heather Dugan no no http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2008/01/22/in-town-tourist-a-surprise-slide-at-highbanks/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2008/01/22/in-town-tourist-a-surprise-slide-at-highbanks/#comments Tue, 22 Jan 2008 17:25:29 +0000 Heather Dugan http://heatherdugan.com/blog/general-interest/in-town-tourist-a-surprise-slide-at-highbanks/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2008/01/22/in-town-tourist-a-surprise-slide-at-highbanks/feed/ 4 3:23 I idled in some “oh no, it snowed” traffic this morning, calculating the whole while how much faster I could have covered my route on ... I idled in some “oh no, it snowed” traffic this morning, calculating the whole while how much faster I could have covered my route on foot. Tempting… There is something so renewing about running through fresh white stuff. When you’re intently focused on maintaining an upright position, the trail tends to end sooner than expected or desired. Highbanks Metro Park Visitor Information and Map My first instinct with a decent snowfall is to head to Highbanks. An apparent glitch in my survival instincts and the four-wheel drive option on my truck allows me to postpone driveway shoveling without a second thought. If it’s still snowing steadily, all the better… I actually choked on some big fluffy snowflakes a couple of weeks ago, laughing and coughing (and running) at the same time. It's exhilarating to plant the first footprints into fresh snow. Hope I never outgrow that joy... On Hannah’s tenth birthday, almost three years ago now, she asked to run at Highbanks in the falling snow. My daughter is athletically gifted and a bit more coordinated than her mom, but I still gave her a steadying hand as we ran up and down the snow-covered hills that afternoon. Laughing as the snow stuck in our hair and gasping slightly when one of us slipped, holding hands the whole way… It was unspeakably beautiful. But a couple of years ago, it was just comically ridiculous... I awoke one Saturday with an ill-advised longing to run snow-dusted trails, blissfully oblivious to the slickness of the refrozen ice beneath. Half-way around Highbanks’ main loop, this was clearly a deficient decision. I had tried running on the choppy trail edges, but they were frozen so solid that I risked another ankle injury (there are better ways to build upper body strength than eight weeks on crutches). I was left to gingerly complete my run on the actual terribly slick trail. When I finally made the “big hill” on the western edge of the park, I gave in and reluctantly began an undignified elephant walk up the side of what now looked to be my very own mountain. Hands and feet splayed over the powdered ice and focused on maintaining an even weight distribution, I made it about a third of the way up the steep grade. Then, very slowly, I began sliding backwards.With my backside leading the way, I rapidly picked up momentum with no “steering” or line of sight. I remember an “uh oh” moment and then the hope that I could somehow avoid the drop-off to my left. Finally, I had the sense to turn around and sit, still sliding with ever increasing momentum. Using car keys as ice picks, apparently works better when you’re climbing up, not sliding down. The keys, like mini gondola poles, were quite effective in further speeding my downward launch, however, and allowed me the illusion of aiming myself a little. At some point, the humor of my unplanned ride hit, and I let out a whoop that must have startled the wildlife at least a little. I made one more brave attempt that resulted in a similar fantastic slide before finally conceding the contest, at which point I made way for the somewhat salted and plowed roadway. Slightly chilled but utterly invigorated, I felt I’d survived one of my best winter runs ever. I felt “alive” in the very best sense of the word. And that’s what being outdoors is supposed to be all about, right? There's fresh snow outside my office window, and I'm getting that crazy urge again. Time to go ride (er; run) Highbanks… Highbanks Metro Park Visitor Information and Map Highbanks Metro Park; Columbus Ohio 11 miles of nature trails over streams and through ravines, situated just east of the Olentangy River. Shale Cliffs, concretions, river access and Adena Indian Mounds make this a popular destination. Activities include: hiking, running, cycling, group picnics and kayaking/canoeing. Additional attractions: pet trail, winter sledding, Hutchins State Nature Preserve. "Yes" for Pets Better to Laugh..., Extremes, Heart-to-Heart, Highbanks Metro Park, Ohio, Running/Health & Fitness Heather Dugan no no http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2008/01/18/in-town-tourist-highbanks-metro-park/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2008/01/18/in-town-tourist-highbanks-metro-park/#comments Fri, 18 Jan 2008 18:50:30 +0000 Heather Dugan http://heatherdugan.com/blog/general-interest/in-town-tourist-highbanks-metro-park/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2008/01/18/in-town-tourist-highbanks-metro-park/feed/ 0 3:02 I’m headed to run through my I'm favorite park in a few minutes. Now, I can be slightly fickle on “favorites”; I have three “favorite” ... I’m headed to run through my I'm favorite park in a few minutes. Now, I can be slightly fickle on “favorites”; I have three “favorite” children, for instance. And my “favorite” trip is usually the one I’m dreaming of, packing for or traveling through. But I really like Highbanks Metro Park … The park lacked even bridges when my sisters and I first visited as children, but hopping (and occasionally missing) rocks at the water crossings just added to the adventure. Today, the practical wooden stream spans have served as launch points for innumerable “leaf races” with my kids. It’s “one, two, three, drop!” and then a dash to the other side of the bridge to await a winner. Highbanks Metro Park Visitor Information and Map I run up and down the ravines of Highbanks a lot. Any season; any weather. “Too much” sometimes, as my occasional injuries will attest… But I believe that running (and weight work) allows me to give the world the best (de-stressed) version of myself. Kind of a public service thing, if you think about it… If I get bored there are eleven miles of path to choose from, plus the winding roadway, and one can always run trails backwards for a change in perspective. I’ve trained for races, sorted through heart-aches, and composed “in my head” as I’ve covered those meandering paths. No moment is wasted there. The serene ever-changing beauty of the rolling woods calms and inspires; the monkey bars at the playgrounds double as my pull up/chin up bars. The kids and I have played football, gathered leaves for school projects, climbed the bending sycamores, and waded into the Olentangy River to “islands” rimmed with good flat skipping stones. In the summers, the park is terribly crowded with “tourists”.  A sunny July weekend will jam the picnic areas and make parking a significant challenge.  But that’s as it should be…  I always hope that newcomers will discover the splendors beyond the playgrounds. Highbanks retains much of the wild glory enjoyed by the Adena Indians who loved it first and buried some of their own in ancient mounds there. It’s easy to imagine bygone neighbors wandering the slate ravines and wooded hills. Sometimes I get caught up in the beautiful simplicity of such a life and imagine running off of the trail, down one of the more gentle slopes and on up to a quiet bluff. And then I consider the stark realities of a world without hot showers and toothbrushes and am simply grateful for unpaved trails that let me dream of such flight… On the less temperate, uncrowded winter days, I recognize most of the faces there and know the names and “stories” of a few. We’re the die-hards, I guess: an elderly retired couple, a couple of widowers, and a devoted daily walker somewhere in his thirties. I rarely see the other runners, and on some days see no one at all. I have a couple of favorite wintertime memories that I’ll share in a couple of days. A sweet hand-in-hand run through the falling snow with my daughter on her tenth birthday… And then there’s the memory that delights my kids, even though they weren’t there for the actual event… Highbanks Metro Park Visitor Information and Map Highbanks Metro Park; Columbus Ohio 11 miles of nature trails over streams and through ravines, situated just east of the Olentangy River. Shale Cliffs, concretions, river access and Adena Indian Mounds make this a popular destination. Activities include: hiking, running, cycling, group picnics and kayaking/canoeing. Additional attractions: pet trail, winter sledding, Hutchins State Nature Preserve. "Yes" for Pets (on designated trails with leash) Directions: From I-270, take U.S. 23 north for about 3 miles. Entrance will be on the left, just south of Powell Road. Address: Highbanks Metro Park; 9466 Columbus Pike; Lewis Center, OH 43035 Phone: (614) 846-9962 View Highbanks Metro Park in a larger map Heart-to-Heart, Highbanks Metro Park, Hiking, Ohio, Running/Health & Fitness Heather Dugan no no http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2007/11/06/lily-the-labrador-vs-fall-photos/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2007/11/06/lily-the-labrador-vs-fall-photos/#comments Tue, 06 Nov 2007 18:46:52 +0000 Heather Dugan http://heatherdugan.com/blog/general-interest/lily-the-labrador-vs-fall-photos/ http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW/2007/11/06/lily-the-labrador-vs-fall-photos/feed/ 0 3:39 OK. So Lily won again... Is this really such a big deal? It's not like she talked me into something I didn't already want to ... OK. So Lily won again... Is this really such a big deal? It's not like she talked me into something I didn't already want to do. It was my idea actually. Not hers... I drove home from my zillionth soccer game Sunday (a slight exaggeration... I doubt I've watched more than half a zillion), keenly aware of some glorious moments in the late afternoon lighting. I was cruising the cement-walled interstate at the time, so you can be sure this was phenomenal kilo-wattage to grab my attention so profoundly. Light glinted off the sides of steel and glass towers with a stirring sort of intensity that made me long to see it bounce off a few trees. I knew the sun would sink fast. A visit with my grandma was the non-negotiable item on my list. I was willing to forgo the grocery. Forty minutes later with Grandma safely tucked into bed, I finally ripped into my driveway with an eye on the glowing sun, draping its way through heavy wintery clouds. Just enough time, I thought. Grabbing a warmer sweater and my camera from the house, I paused to give my hopeful Lily a sympathetic pat on the head, and raced back out the garage door. I made it halfway down the driveway. Big sigh. Shrug of the shoulders. I reversed the truck and sped back up to the house, leaped out to grab Lily's quilt and threw it onto the second seat of the truck. Highbanks Metro Park Visitor Information and Map She already knew. When I opened the door to the house she was waiting there expectantly, tail wagging, bouncing between front and hind paws in her enthusiasm. "OK," I said resignedly, "come on, Lily." In all fairness, she didn't know that I had been planning on some camera time. She only knew the "beep beep" of my remote unlocking the truck and that she needed to go wherever I was going. And I could understand that. Lily hopped in for her next adventure. Lily. My petite-sized chocolate lab with incredibly endearing social skills. If dogs really do grow to look like their owners, I'd be upgrading tremendously to gain resemblance to Lily. She's genuine. Friendly. Interested in others. Patient. Compassionate. Forgiving. Yeah, it's kind of a pain when she wants to drive. She's only sixty pounds, but lifting her out of my seat when she wants a driver's side view isn't so much fun. And she doesn't respond so well to my verbal explanations. But then, she's a dog. And actually, she responds better than many who are not. As we drove toward Highbanks, I momentarily considered the possibility of managing both Lily and my camera. But she was too happy. I've gotten some scrapes and bruises from her "happy" moments in the past. It takes two arms on the leash to handle Lily in euphoria. One hand holding a cell phone to my ear has resulted in surprising encounters with solid ground when Lily suddenly decided to follow a whim. I don't even need to explain those sudden thumps to my regular phone buddies anymore. I just say, "That was Lily", get up, and dust myself off again. So, Lily and I enjoyed a gorgeous walk Sunday afternoon. So much scent and vivid color contrasts to inhale. Exquisite lighting. Well-defined textures that shifted into silkened softness with the sun's eventual dip below the treetops. I gathered it all in as a fall harvest while Lily dug through the dropped leaves and investigated all potential wildlife in the vicinity. It was nice. I snapped a few photos once she was back in the truck, tiredly panting by her back seat window, but the amber lighting was long gone. I didn't mind. It was Lily's day. Most of these photos are from various fall hikes that I've taken without Lily (ssshh!). Highbanks Metro Park Visitor Information and Map Highbanks Metro Park; Columbus Ohio 11 miles of nature trails over streams and through ravines, situated just east of the Olentangy River. Shale Cliffs, concretions, river access and Adena Indian Mounds make this a popular destination. Activities include: Better to Laugh..., Heart-to-Heart, Highbanks Metro Park, Hiking, Ohio Heather Dugan no no