Having a really nice day here. Have a few things like changing the oil and rotating tires on the one vehicle then I'll stop by my parents then head up on the mountain in the laste afternoon for a nice run. Hoping for 15+ miles. I'm really far behind in my longer runs and the next two weeks have so much going on that it's going to be hard to get any in.
QOTD: How is the health of the woods/forest in your area?
In the area where I run I don't think it's too good. Too many places that I don't want to run in even a moderate wind because of the dead trees. There is just so much dead and dying stuff for some reason. In some of the areas it's poor forestry management. There are mature trees that are still living but are sickly. They block the light so new trees can't grow but are a danger of falling over. Some selective cutting and clean up would really help for the long term health of the forest. In other areas there is just so much scrub trees that it really doesn't pay anyone to cut it even for pulp wood. The problem is that there are enough tall trees with dead limbs and tops that it's dangerous to run in. There are a few areas where the state forestry department has went in a cleaned out the junk. Now after a couple of years there is some really nice new growth.
Forgive me if I've asked this one in the past as I've been thinking about it from time to time but can't remember if I've actually posted it. It's that early Alzheimer's thing .
Sort of a slow 7 last night with the Lady at French Creek. My ability to run rock laden trails last night was about nil on the 1-10 scale. Plan is for only 5 this evening since I am cutting back for the taper.
QOTD: I guess healthy enough, though I've only seen small amounts of thinning at French Creek in the past few years. I tend to look at things I see in the forest to assess it's health. Certain areas of French Creek I see healthy mountain laurel and even wild lady slipper orchids... and lots of wood frogs lately.
In dog beers, I've only had one.
Tim
SRD today. Running with a friend tomorrow, and he knows to take it easy on me.
Have a nice weekend everyone. Full work week next week.
QOTD: We had a lot of blow downs during a big storm last fall, so what's still standing is the healthy stuff. Some of the lesser traveled trails have a few trees that you have to climb over, but I like that. There are a few places where trees are leaning into other trees, and I always pass gently by those widow makers.
“Paralysis-to-50k” training plan is underway!
Coffee by canoe again this morning. Can always tell up here when the weekend is upon us as I can hear more traffic on the roadway and there were a few boats already out fishing as opposed to none yesterday. Nice mountain biking yesterday and I ran into a dude who was biking out there with his dogs and one of them had gotten involved with a porcupine. He had no clue what to do so I offered to help telling him how to deal with it and I had a needle nose back at my car but all he wanted to know was where the nearest vet clinic was ($$). I wanted to lecture him about the legalities of running dogs off line on public lands during spring and summer but hopefully he learned a little lesson anyway. I found two tiny fawns curled up on one another yesterday near my shack that must have just been born. Very vulnerable and exhibit A for keeping dogs under control.
Going to be heading out for 6 trail miles shortly. I decided to to do a real light mileage week after my struggle doing that long run last Saturday. Trying to heed the signs.
QOTD-The forest of Northern Wisconsin are aggressively managed, some would say over managed. Good for deer and grouse but.... And yeah I live in a wood house and still use toilet paper and recognize the value of managing the forest but they go a little overboard around here.
Hi all. Yesterday ended up a rest day and today might not involve any running, either. I did get to the gym this morning for some rowing and weights.
NH- that was nice to offer with the porcupine spines. I bet that dog will not make that same mistake again. My sister's dog aggressively re-routed me on a run once to avoid a porcupine. Unfortunately he wasn't that smart about skunk encounters.
qotd: We have lots of tall, older soft trees (ie tulip poplars) that like to come down in high winds. They like to come down and land on cars and garages in my neighborhood, as evidenced by spring storms this year. The woods are sketchy in storms-- too many big, older trees with compromised roots from erosion and age. I'm wary on windy days after lots of rain.
QOTD-The forest of Northern Wisconsin are aggressively managed, some would say over managed. Good for deer and grouse but....
Never been in the northern part of WI but I know that there are some areas around here, down south and in the pacific northwest were they don't let the trees grow long enough to make a single 2X6 out of them. Sometimes I'll see them clear cutting a area where there are few trees above 16" and most are only about 12" but straight, so in 30-40 years they would have made some good timber. Some of the best people in this area that actually promote sustainable forestry practices are the Amish sawmills. They'll buy up woodland, cut out the mature stuff, chip the junk then they plan on holding for the long term so their kids or grand kids can inherit it. I know of several nice plots that they've saved from being clear cut and developed.
Nice that your running partner learned from it's porky experience. The late Springer in my avatar would remember his last encounter and vow to get even with the next one he saw, time after time. It never ended well for him but despite a lack of learning ability I did like his attitude.
I've got a lot of experience removing quills.
Daydreamer--The paper industry here drives forest management and while we do get some saw timber of course by and large it's all about paper. So yeah I know exactly what your saying when you look at some areas being harvested and just shake your head.
Rest day
Qotd the hemlock are all dieing. There is no value in harvesting so they are lying everwhere.
Harvesting depends on the landowner. As it should be. Some want money now and cut everything,
some only cut 27" diameter and larger so you can go
back and cut again in only 6 years. If a paper mill owns land they only want pulpwood.