Instead we donned four layers of clothing and headed out for a day of hiking the icy canyons of Turkey Run. As an unintended transplant to Indy, Turkey Run has become one of my favorite places. Formed by the glaciers of the Wisconsinan Glaciation some 85,000 years ago, the deep sandstone canyons and gorges formed by tributary waters of Sugar Creek offer stunning landscape and challenging hiking in all seasons. Winter is our favorite season because nary a soul ventures on the trails. The pure ice and snow and the quiet crisp crystal air usher me to a secret place of peace and innocent delight.
We ventured some new trails on this visit and got lost along the way, which required us to scale down the icy walls of the canyon. It was scary and fun, working together, looking at our environs like a chess board, plotting our moves to safely traverse an icy creek strewn with boulders and logs. With no one else out on the trails, we had a chance to really connect to nature and to each other.
After a full day of hiking and climbing, we had dinner at the lodge. Nothing special, just comfort food on a buffet, but it was quaint, and the inn was moderately full with unassuming families and older couples. You could actually see other diners because the cell phone reception is so poor. For the first time in many years, I was in a public place where people seemed to actually engage with their companions.
After a hot meal of fried chicken and biscuits and pioneer cake, we decided to hit another trail to catch a winter sunset at a point on the river called Sunset Point. Cloud cover obscured the sun, unfortunately, so off we went into the woods. As we started to descend into a gorge, Larry slipped on some ice and bounced down the grade. Had he not grabbed the guard rail with his leg, he might have plummeted. It was terrifying, but luckily, he was okay. I helped him back up the icy embankment, but it took a while, and by then it was dark. Because it was something like 2 degrees F, our cell phones quit working, and fools that we are, we had no headlamps. We walked via starlight, and suddenly it began to snow. We could hear the river rushing nearby but nothing else. I felt like I was in a storybook! A wonderful feeling came over me.
We made it back to the lodge and sat in front of the fire to warm up.
I could do it ten more times!
I made a delicious cherry-vanilla heart-shaped cake!
Look, it's My Cat in a Box!
Wasn't it thoughtful of Larry to bring ABBY a dozen roses?
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