Indy Hiker

PURPOSE: whatever you want.
► Running, ambling, nursing a nagging hip, testing new boots/rain gear/snow cleats, heart-rate training, pack questions, hiking questions, running questions, Indiana trail(s) questions, dealing with rain -- OR!!! Simply gliding along in the woods with the fellowship of fellow humans... IT'S ALL GOOD.
► Also, Existential Questions, limited Herpetology, and Small Engine Repair.

RAIN OR SHINE. SLEET & SNOW. LIGHTNESS, DARKNESS, WHATEVER.
► These are all-weather events: we take the trail as it comes.
► We take to the trail at the same time, every week, throughout the year.
► OFF-TRAIL hikes will increase while the foliage is leaf-less.
► Hikes generally run 2mph and 2 HOURS, but are circumstance-responsive.
► A pint/hour of WATER is always a good idea.
► FLASHLIGHTS may be helpful in the winter months.

Ft. Ben Trails (including the asphalt circuit and the sledding hill on those occasions when trails are soaked) are a marvelous training resource. If the trails are gooey, we may hike off-trail or hit the asphalt or the sledding hill. Test your rain gear in inclement weather; test your hydration strategies when it's broiling; test your layering when it's cold.

MEET NEAR THE REDDICK SHELTER at 4:10pm; departure 10 mins later.

HEATED/AC RESTROOMS NEARBY.

PARK ENTRY FEE/PERMIT REQUIRED. If you'd like to arrange a carpool from near the gate (or Jockamo Pizza), saving the $7 State Park fee, post a Comment.

PRE/POST BEER/WINE/PICNICing/PIZZAing: Refueling is just so wonderful! (And for those in the habit, a fine pre-fueling beverage/snack may be shared/enjoyed earlier than 4pm...) in nearby shade, up the sledding hill, and/or perhaps less commonly (as rain or heat suggest) at Jockamo Pizza (or other nearby venue).
► Bring a chair!
► Bring what you have; come as you are.
► Wonderful wines, beers, cheeses and cheeses, fruits and nuts and buttery crackers!!! Specialty salsas, fun breads, pesto(s) -- you get the idea. Perhaps a small grill might appear!
► POST-HIKE almost always, PRE-HIKE mostly On Demand. (Thus, if you wish for this and don't see it in the Event's Comment section, do post a Comment on the Event page!)

RSVPs: Close 9:30am Sundays. Your "Going" RSVP means people will rely upon your presence. A "No Show" flag befalls those who take up a limited-supply slot after 9:30. Be considerate to your trail companions. Keep your RSVP up-to-date, always.

WALK, TALK, PIZZA, PINT! Tuesday nights, Jockamo's opens it's small-but-tasty draft beer line-up for $4 pints. As well, Tuesday nights generally have a bit more breathing room for unannounced groups of 8-or-less. This makes for a fine excuse to enjoy a craft draft economically. ("Yay!")

A WALK IN THE PARK! Yipes! To keep our conditioning then, it requires (*requires!*) a post-pint stroll! Thus, a route through the Historic Irvington neighborhood will ensue, burning off those marvelous beery calories, perhaps getting in some tricky footwork or some minor hills in nearby Ellenburger Park (a 3-mile round trip), before heading back to Jockamo's for our cars (or more carbs)...

THIS 6PM EVENT WILL START & FINISH AT JOCKAMO'S (Irvington). If we sipped a beer for an hour, hike departure might be 7pm, with a finish ~8:30pm.

JOCKAMO'S IS A FAMILY RESTAURANT, and welcomes children of all ages. (But, not your puppy, weasel, cockatoo, or friendly elk.)

THIS WILL BE AN ALL-WEATHER EVENT. Test your rain gear, your lighting, your GoreTex boots, your hat selection -- whatever. I am also expecting to have some interior/non-hiking events, where we can review pack fitting, equipment choices, making stoves, sharing our favorite maps, etc. Just hikers getting in a stroll, handling equipment, talking maps and pizza and $4 pints. "Fitness" for your pack *and* your legs.

RSVPs: With a limit on space, no-shows are definitely uncool. Don't. Just don't.

This will be a beginner easy trip in late October now.We will keep distances short, under or around 7 miles each day. Day one we will meet up at the parking area, and then head off to cache items before returning to start the trip. So bring some extra water that's labeled with name and date, amd any other gear you might want in something waterproof and easy to hide.
We will be using some old forest roads throughout, but mostly wandering through the woods off trail and camping in areas I've marked well off the beaten path. Areas I have in mind for camping either have a large spread area, or two areas withing a few hundred yards so we can spread out or split up for privacy. Feel free to reach out and ask any questions you may have.

WALK, TALK, PIZZA, PINT! Tuesday nights, Jockamo's opens it's small-but-tasty draft beer line-up for $4 pints. As well, Tuesday nights generally have a bit more breathing room for unannounced groups of 8-or-less. This makes for a fine excuse to enjoy a craft draft economically. ("Yay!")

A WALK IN THE PARK! Yipes! To keep our conditioning then, it requires (*requires!*) a post-pint stroll! Thus, a route through the Historic Irvington neighborhood will ensue, burning off those marvelous beery calories, perhaps getting in some tricky footwork or some minor hills in nearby Ellenburger Park (a 3-mile round trip), before heading back to Jockamo's for our cars (or more carbs)...

THIS 6PM EVENT WILL START & FINISH AT JOCKAMO'S (Irvington). If we sipped a beer for an hour, hike departure might be 7pm, with a finish ~8:30pm.

JOCKAMO'S IS A FAMILY RESTAURANT, and welcomes children of all ages. (But, not your puppy, weasel, cockatoo, or friendly elk.)

THIS WILL BE AN ALL-WEATHER EVENT. Test your rain gear, your lighting, your GoreTex boots, your hat selection -- whatever. I am also expecting to have some interior/non-hiking events, where we can review pack fitting, equipment choices, making stoves, sharing our favorite maps, etc. Just hikers getting in a stroll, handling equipment, talking maps and pizza and $4 pints. "Fitness" for your pack *and* your legs.

RSVPs: With a limit on space, no-shows are definitely uncool. Don't. Just don't.