Breakheart Pond, Exeter, Rhode Island, USA
As soon as the buds appear, my spirits lift. Five months of bare trees, dry sticks under grey skies. It’s more than enough. The snow sometimes beautifies the landscape, but by March or April, I desperately await the appearance of the new leaves. To walk under the green canopy, watch the gentle sway of the trees and see the green spaces come back from sleep is invigorating.
Changes to the hiking environment are dramatic. Birdsong where there was only wind in the trees, a positive. Bugs, in the negative category. Black Flies are a nuisance for the end of May in New Hampshire and Vermont, and keep me from hiking up north in the “mud season”. They are a food source for many creatures so, a necessary evil. Time to pack some “bug dope” in the pack! Spraying boots, socks and pants with permethrin to ward off ticks has already begun.
The trail may no longer be easy to navigate. The same path I hiked in March is unrecognizable, and many landmarks are now obscured.
Packs are getting lighter, and it’s easier to hike farther on longer days. The season of double digit miles is here.
In the north, snow lingers until mid to late June in some shady ravines, but trails will be clear soon. Snowshoes are hung in the shed and gloves put away.
Bring on the summer!
I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journey-work of the stars.
An Unmapped Route: A Hiker's Blog 