I headed out with a printout of the walking directions and promptly shoved them in my pocket. It was a bit cold, 18°F (-8°C), and in parts where there wasn't any windbreak it felt downright frigid but I was bundled up like the Michelin Man and I wasn't too uncomfortable. I walked along a part of the Keystone Trail, walked east past the excellent Satellite Motel that looks like something that should be on Route 66 and looked, unsuccessfully, for a geocache near an old closed elevator (I'd love to explore it but I've never seen so many no trespassing signs. There's a rumor it's being converted into a climbing/repelling facility - cool if true). The cache location turned out to be in a snow plow dumping location and was under a 10 foot by 30 foot pile of snow.
Near the elevator is the trailhead of the Field Club Trail that runs to the north-west. I followed this trail, missed where I was supposed to get off the trail and ended up getting off the trail on Woolworth. Heading east on Woolworth took me to President Ford's birthplace, now marked with a rose garden. I stopped here and sat on a bench to rest my legs and to drink some water (partially frozen after being in my coat pocket).
My turn around point was a sandwich shop in the old market area of downtown Omaha. When I got there I looked at the GPS expecting to see around 9.4 miles on the trip odometer. It said 11.1 miles (17.8 km). Not what I expected. I went in, ordered lunch, and read a local, free, what-to-do-in-Omaha newspapers while I ate and hoped that the odometer was wrong. It was nice to get off my legs and feet for a while.
The way home was pretty much hell. My legs were screaming. I stopped several times to sit down and rest including in front of this delightful establishment. I passed the cows going to the nearby slaughter house. I passed under railroad tracks and wondered about the chair covered in silly string I found under the bridge. At least I hope that was silly string.
I discover something worse than going up a hill after 17 miles of walking - walking up a snow covered hill after having walking 17 miles. People are supposed to clear the snow from their sidewalks within 48 hours or so of a storm. Well I can attest to the fact that this city ordnance is thoroughly ignored.
I made it back home and collapsed on the couch. In the end the walk was 20.65 miles (33.23 km). A little more than I intended. A new personal best. I walked like a grandpa for the rest of the evening and today ... I'm still grandpa but I'm getting better. Omaha is not a flat city. My total ascent on this hike was around 2,224 feet done in several hills as you can see in this plot.
I added some photographs to my 2008-2017 Omaha And Surrounding Cities Google Photos album.
You're practically a marathoner HD :)
ReplyDeleteoh my goodness, that is awesome! did you eat a delicious sandwich? I'm craving a philly cheesesteak.
ReplyDeleteThis is an amazing walk! I think I would need a nap afterwards. So congratulations!
Well, I'm certainly impressed. Heck, Half Dome is only 17 miles RT (with slightly more elevation gain)!
ReplyDeleteSo, gonna start running marathons next?
JaG: I really hadn't thought of that. maybe that should be my short term goal - walk a marathon.
ReplyDeleteMiss McC: Thanks! It was a Turkey sandwich and hit the spot. While I didn't take a nap, I slept like a log that night.
GH: Running ... No. Walking a marathon ... Maybe.
My longest hike was around 35 kms (22 miles). I got back home by train though. Not that sore the next day but I had a lot practice and I'm 20 years younger.:)
ReplyDeleteI am impressed!! Having wandered that area, all I can say is WOW! Did Homer go with you?
ReplyDeleteGodefroy: I hope to pass your longest sometime soon. I guess I'm becoming a walking marathoner. I wish I'd discovered hiking when I was younger. I think I've miss so much.
ReplyDeleteDobegil: Thank you. Homer, who will be 11 later this spring, doesn't handle long walks well. He's now having difficulty getting up on our bed.