Our photo travel log
Forest and prairie hiking in ☞ Yellowstone Lake State Park, ☞ Governor Dodge State Park and ☞ New Glarus Woods State Park: 30+ miles, 3,000 ft total ascent, sunny days with 33+℃. Warm-up before the Smokys and beginning of Gokyo prep. Camped at Yellowstone Lake where big trees provide shade and little brown bats eat mosquitoes.
We have nice winter in Chicago this  year for Christmas, some snow and temps dropping below -10℃, perfect for an afternoon winter walk in Jackson Park: around Wooded Island and to Japanese (Osaka) Garden
Joanna’s conference in Honolulu (ASPB) and few days of sightseeing on Oahu.
Effigy mounds are ceremonial mounds in shapes of animals, built by American Indians who lived in this area. There are thousands of mounds near upper Mississipi river. ☞ Effigy Mounds National Monument Iowa is a very interesting historical site with good easy hiking trails and great views of the Mississippi. ☞ Wyalusing State Park is just across the river. Good camp site, more hiking trails and half a day canoe trail through the wetland in the triangle between the Mississippi and Wisconsin River. Good weekend spot for Chicagoans.
Lidar of Marching Bears Mound Group
Effigy Mounds National Monument and Wyalusing State Park trail maps
