Saturday’s Tune-Up Hike #1 was an 11 mile roadwalk with the RI North South Trail Association – doing the Rt-14 to Vasa Park stretch.   I threw about 25lbs into the pack including water and snacks, and managed just under 3mph while chit-chatting with people along the way.   Not bad, although I don’t think western Rhode Island’s “hills” really amount to much.

( For the interested, full review of the whole North South Trail is here – Trip Report: RI North South Trail )

Yesterday I did a 7 mile loop hike in the Parker Woodland Wildlife Refuge.  As always, it did not disappoint.  A group of really big deer, some wood ducks, a 3′ long garter snake, and this beauty – an Eastern Box Turtle (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_box_turtle):

I did somewhere in the 25-30lb range, and this time tried the Chrome Dome umbrella.   While it’s kind of tiring to hold, and I’ll need to rig up some kind of holster for my spare trekking pole, I could definitely feel the difference when the sun was out.   And, as a bonus, when the rain came on later on the hike, I was already protected.

Total time about 2:15, over some more interesting and ankle-beating terrain, still making good time with good weight.   I have some recurring ankle pain, I think a tendon is getting overworked, so I’ll need to stay on top of that.