Monday was one of those days that got away from me, and I never got around to “doing stuff.” So, I told myself that I would force myself outside Tuesday morning for a hike no matter what.
With that, I headed to Deerfield Park with the hopes of another 5+ miles of lumbering around the woods with my camera and the chance to break in my new trail running shoes that, as previously discussed, will most likely never be run in.
There was no humidity in the air, and the temperature was about 20 degrees cooler than my last lumber at Deerfield. This, combined with shedding hiking boots for trail runners, made me feel like someone had lifted a 16-ton weight off my shoulders. I wouldn’t dare say I was moving fast, but for a 51-year-old man with a BMI in the 30s, I felt great, had an excellent 5+ mile hike, and even took a few shots along the way.
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The new shoes hooked up well and, for the most part, felt great. I maybe could have used more width, but there wasn’t an option when purchasing. My main concern was that the GORE-TEX® outer would make my feet too hot, but they were just fine, and kept my piggies nice and dry while walking the long stretches of wet grass on Covered Bridge Trail. Based on the fit and comfort of my actual running shoes (that also never get run in), I kind of wish I would have gone with the Hoka Anacapa (and still may), but I think I can make these work.
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Side notes:
- Nearly every time I’ve been to Deerfield park over the last 11+ years, I have run into an older gentleman with long white hair briskly hiking with trekking poles along with his wife/lady friend. And today, he spoke to me, thus confirming that they are not just figments of my imagination. We just happen to be on the same schedule for “doing stuff.”
- About a mile into the hike, I passed a woman walking her dog, with a full-sized live cat draped over her neck and shoulders like a fox stole. To be honest, I thought it was a second dog that got too tired to walk, and it wasn’t until I passed and said, “did the little one get tuckered out?” that I realized it was actually a cat and was left speechless (yes, a cat got my tongue). Despite her odd choice of neckwear, the woman was nice and actually pretty normal; she even wished me good luck with my shooting. Thanks, cat-stole lady.
- Today I shot with the crop sensor Nikon z50, FTZ adapter, and the lightweight Nikon 70-300 DX lens. I could have used more light, but overall it was fine.
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Later.