hiking

The last few weeks have been full of some great Fall-type weather.  It's been sunny and not too warm (mid-70s or so) during the day paired with some cool crisp mornings where you step outside and shiver on the way to the car.  The kind of morning where you're glad to be alive, when you inhale and just feel invigorated from that one breath.

Today was another one of those great days and what made it even better was not watching it through my office window.  While everyone else was heading to work and the usual 9-5, I was sleeping in without an alarm (finally), making bacon & eggs for breakfast and heading out for a adventure.  It was like playing hooky, but actually having the day off  - a win/win!

I haven't gotten out to many woodsy areas for hiking yet.  I try to take a walk each day around the neighborhood, but that's usually in the evenings and not very difficult.  This weekend I finally gave into the urge to go hiking and checked out some of the surrounding places.  I ended up at Ferne Clyffe State Park in IL which was beautiful.  Some muted colors in the trees, huge rock formations 7 bluffs and some easy to follow trails.  

For those inquiring minds, (you know who you are...) I packed a lunch & a snack, my camera, picked up a map at the office, but did not have a compass.  The ranger told me about the easy/moderate trails and even showed me where to go to start so I figured I couldn't get too lost!   ;)

this was huge amphitheater-like cave - awesome!

It was great to get outdoors and into nature for a bit. It was also really good timing as the news informed me that a cold front is coming in this week so I'm glad I stole some outdoor-Fall time while I could.  Tomorrow it's back to work and the busy-busy-busy - hope all of you readers made it outside at some point this weekend.