Sorry, I’m a bit behind in documenting these sections of the trail. I actually walked this section about a month ago. Here’s a photo of the route. This section is very different from the previous paths, which were through urban/suburban/industrial areas. This walk was almost exclusively through “metroparks.” Should I know what a metropark is?…

Day two on the Iron Belle. I drove to Gibraltar and parked on the street near the Gibraltar Grill, where I finished walking last time. Then hit the trail/bike path that heads roughly west toward Flat Rock. I guess part of what I find appealing about walking on paths that aren’t primarily walking paths is…

First day on the Iron Belle. Took an Uber to Ecorse, got started around 7:30 a.m. 13 miles, about five hours. I should have started earlier. Not surprisingly, the early morning hours were the best–quieter, cooler. Because the trail is still in development, I wasn’t sure how much signage to expect. I saw exactly no…

After completing two walks in Japan, I’ve been on the lookout for options a bit closer to home. A multi-day hike with tent, sleeping bag, food, stove, etc. just seems like more than I want to do. But there aren’t a lot of “inn-to-inn” hiking routes that I’ve discovered in the US. I’ve considered putting…

Our final day on the trail. We both took an early morning hot spring soak and enjoyed breakfast before we bid adieu to our inn. Cooler today, better for hiking. Probably the most beautiful walk yet, over the torii pass. We took a moment to admire the baby-bearing horse chestnut tree. After only a few…

A bit about last night, since I wrote my post before dinner. We ate with a couple from Italy and a dad and his two kids from the US. Our host was a character, showing us photos, telling stories, and even singing during dinner, all in half Japanese and half English. Come morning we were…

A confession: I don’t always love Japanese breakfast. I don’t dislike it really. But it’s often so similar to Japanese dinner, I end up craving variety and a bit of familiarity. So what a pleasant surprise to awake to a hot fried egg and breakfast meat (along with rice, miso soup, and natto). While not…

After a few days in Tokyo (more to come about that later, maybe), today we headed out for our first day on the hike. First, a bullet train (shinkansen) from Tokyo to Nagoya. Lunch in Nagoya was a hit: conveyor belt sushi with an amazing automated delivery system that deposited sushi to our booth. (Perhaps…

“You travel a lot, you’re probably traveling really light, right?” someone asked me before the trip. There are times when I travel light. When I was younger, it was because I was often traveling by backpack. Light was best. Better to wear the same grubby pair of jeans than to carry around a pack full…

Over-preparation or denial. The two options available to a timid and inexperienced hiker. The last time I hiked in Japan I went with over-preparation. This time … Next week I’ll be hiking a section of the Nakasendo, the original route from Kyoto to Tokyo. Why this area? It’s closer to Tokyo, I guess, and easier…