My 12 point buddy came back, just before dark. He is definitely the boss around here.

Beautiful winter we're having this year! But it's February now. It'll be warming up in about 6 weeks here in SE Wisconsin. Have to get out and enjoy it while I can. This curious doe was soaking up the sun! #hiking #wisconsin

When I came across an old history book (published 1925) which had belonged to an Uncle when he was a 13 year old schoolboy, I began reading parts of it. Check out the 1st sentence in paragraph (d), in the pic. The way our history was taught, is itself, part of our history. And it's ugly. #history

12 pointer in the back yard today. #wisconsin

I could have been shish kabob. I had this campsite in mind for my next winter camping trip. A 15 foot deadfall with a spear point end came down and stuck into the ground next to one of the trees I was going to hang my hammock from. Gotta look up before you set up camp! #backpacking #wintercamping

Yesterday I got in about 4 miles, but it was more about just being outside. Walking over pristine white crunchy snow, breathing the clean, refreshingly cool air (16 F, -9 C), soaking up the sun. Also checked the view from a local observation tower along the trail. #hiking #wisconsin

All's quiet in the #kettlemorainestateforest campground today. It's closed until around May 1st. This exact spot is where my little kitty got lost in the woods for 3 days when a sudden storm blew down my screen tent. I hung some of my smelly shirts in the bushes and she found her way back! Relief!

I needed a break from the drumbeat of awful news, so went to an actual bookstore and bought an actual book. And actually read it. Try it! This book begs the question, when does megalomania cross the line into insanity? Unfortunately, this question is pertinent to all of the awful news. #elonmusk

I'll first offer condolences to the family of Alex Pretti, killed by fed agents in Minneapolis. He was a nurse who worked for the VA caring for our military vets. May he rest in peace. And worry at home today as our daughter and grand daughter are in downtown Minneapolis for a dance competition.

I wasn't able to get out today, but it's okay, a group of friends came over.

As a citizen of the United States, to any Canadians who might see this post, I want to offer my deepest apologies for the offensive remarks our president made about your country and your prime minister in Davos today. I will work hard to erode his Congressional support in November.

One of my favorite things about hiking in winter is the sound of my boots crunching through the snow. Guess I'm just easily pleased. :-) Temp this afternoon in SE Wisconsin was 9 F (-13 C), sunny, no wind. Got in 3.8 miles. #wisconsin #hiking

Beautiful ice rainbow this morning here in SE Wisconsin. Temp is -4 F (-20 C). Refreshing! #wisconsin

Got some use out of my new microspikes today. 4 inches of new snow over ice made for a slippery trail. 16 F (-9 C), light wind, and snowing. Only 2.5 miles, but had to clear my driveway first. So still got a workout today. #hiking #wisconsin

My fellow Americans: I suspect military officers are more pragmatic than politicians. Please tell them you will vote for any future government which will hold military officers responsible for any crimes committed, such as an attack on Greenland. Imagine 1 million actual letters. Address below:

Wanted to test tweaks to my winter hammock setup last night. Pulled muscle prevented me from hiking so I slept in woods behind my house. Got down to 24 F, windy, and snowed, but I stayed warm and comfy. Tarp lines tied to dead branches often better than tent stakes. Also, the branches block wind.

Winter hammock campers can get 'cold butt syndrome'. It's a small but quite cold spot where your butt touches the hammock, even when everywhere else you're warm. I have a new solution. I place my backpack in the hammock, under the small of my back and my butt. Comfortable and warm! #wintercamping

Sun reflecting off an ice covered kettle pond in the Kettle Moraine State Forest. I had to cut my hike short at 3 miles because I seem to have pulled a muscle. #hiking #kettlemoraine #wisconsin

How can anyone look at this and not appreciate winter, at least a little bit? #wisconsin

Mid-winter thaw here in SE Wisconsin. After 4 days of highs above 40 degrees F most snow and ice was gone. What a beautiful day yesterday! I got in about 5 miles under sunny skies. It was awesome. Snowing today though. #hiking #wisconsin

My winter hammock setup 2 days ago. The silver is a homemade foil covered thin foam insulated tarp wrapped around as a windsock. There is a fabric windsock inside of that with the hammock inside of that. Temps inside are 15 to 20 degrees F warmer than outside. Its bulky but light. #wintercamping

Just got back from my 24 hour winter camping, but wasn't able to find peace in the woods like I usually do. Last thing I saw before I left the house yesterday was video of a woman being shot by an unidentified ICE agent. I couldn't get it out of my mind. Still can't. Horrible. November is coming.

Not sure what you did last night, but I was winter camping, enjoying the campfire. Lots of Youtubers tout tips, tricks, and gear for winter camping. Here's mine...the weather forecast! I saw a couple days with highs of 40 F and overnight lows of 32 F. Good to go! #wintercamping #backpacking

Nobody at the backpack campsite yesterday, but just seeing it gave me the itch. Sunny and 16 F, it was a beautiful afternoon walk. #hiking #backpacking

If you play the video, unmuted, and listen carefully, you can hear two owls calling and answering each other. It's one of my favorite things about being in the woods at night, especially in the winter.

One week ago we were in Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada. Here's video of visitor accomodations in 1936, built by the CCC. No pool, no spa, no TV, no air conditioning, no mini-fridge, not even a bar! How did they ever survive?!! :-) #history

After a few days of brown, our white winter wonderland is back in WI. Just a couple of inches, temp 19 F. Checking out my winter hammock setup I was rigging up yesterday. Hammock inside fabric wind sock, inside insulated wind sock, under winter tarp. I'm in it now and it's cozy. #wintercamping

Well after our 4 week blast of winter it warmed up to 40 F, we had a brown Christmas, and today it's cold and raining here in SE Wisconsin. What to do on such a dreary day? How about get out my winter tarp and rig up all the tie-out lines? That was fun! :-) #backpacking #wintercamping

Was this a celebration of family thousands of years ago? #history #petroglyphs

We had a very nice day at Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada, last week. We saw the signs; there were people living in this land for thousands of years before us. We are the newcomers here. #history #petroglyphs

Merry Christmas one and all. Pity is enjoying her present!

My last view coming down from Fletcher Peak, Nevada, on December 19. I think that is Tule Springs Lake in the center, but not sure. #hiking

The view of Mummy Mtn and Charleston Peak from Fletcher Peak Trail yesterday, in Nevada. A bit farther up the trail the snow was knee deep. That makes for slow going! #hiking

The view from the summit of Fletcher Peak, Nevada. This was December 19 and there was a lot of snow to get through to get up there. But it was worth it! #hiking

Being from Wisconsin I don't get into real mountains very often, but yesterday I had the chance to hike to summit of Fletcher Peak, Nevada. At 10,200 feet it was good views. At 6.2 miles round trip, 2,200 feet elevation gain, and lots of snow, it took me all day! #hiking

Didn't stop at the backpack campsites today, but hope to get in a winter overnight camping trip soon. These 3 campsites are along the Ice Age Trail in the Kettle Moraine State Forest. Comfy 19 degrees F today. #hiking #backpacking #iat #iceagetrail #wisconsin

Took the whole family to see A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, at the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee last night. We all had a wonderful time, including the grandkids! Most of us don't go to stage plays very often, but we should. It's a great change of pace from the daily routine.

It was 1 degree F when I got up this morning. Now it's 2 degrees F. So...warming up. :-)

A beautuful balmy winter day here in Wisconsin. 25 F and sun reflecting off the snow. I got in just over 4 miles in 2 hours of hiking. #hiking #iat #iceagetrail #wisconsin

We have a good old fashioned winter this year. Snow, cold, and icicles hanging off the eves. Kinda like it! :-)

Today I got a better look at Holy Hill. This pic is from the IAT, which travels 2.5 miles thru church property. That made my yo-yo hike 5 miles and took 3 hours on snow covered trail over some steep hills. And I saw 6 deer. :-) #hiking #iat #iceagetrail #wisconsin

Holy Hill as seen from top of Powder Hill, tied as two highest points in southeast Wisconsin, and about 5 miles apart. Today I got about 4 miles in 2 hours. Nice winter walk. #hiking #iat #iceagetrail #wisconsin

Today I'm remembering the attack on Pearl Harbor, resulting in U.S. entry into WW2. This is the war which took the life of my Dad's beloved cousin, Ray Zirbel. (With whom I share a name.) He was a radio man and gunner on a B17 shot down over Germany in November 1944. May he rest in peace.

Been busy with holiday stuff, so today's short hike was my first since winter arrived here exactly one week ago. A bit slippery in a few spots, but still enjoyed an hour out in the woods. #hiking #iat #iceagetrail #wisconsin

Its a nasty day here in Wisconsin; strong and gusty winds, snowing, and 28 F. Good day to test out my homemade insulated tarp. Inside that is my hammock with encapsulating windsock. While I was in the hammock temp was 42 F inside, 14 degrees warmer than outside. #hammockcamping #backpacking

I spend a lot of time hiking, which gives me hours with my own thoughts. Please check out my thoughts on Supreme Court Reform, on my latest Substack post. #scotus #supremecourtreform open.substack.com/pub/rayschra...

Why do I hike? For the exercise, scenery, and relaxation. Today I walked 2 hours, and relaxed at this spring popping out of the hillside. Its tiny, but I still enjoyed the sound of tinkling water. Humans are naturally drawn to the sound of running water. Its soothing. Primal. #hiking #wisconsin

When the sun gets down into the trees, its time to head back, or I'll be caught in the woods in the dark. Fine if I had my hammock and tarp along, but I don't. And it got down to about 15 F overnight. This was yesterday on the Kettlebowl Segment of the Ice Age Trail, WI. #IAT #iceagetrail #hiking

Just some of the names of Stockbridge Mohicans who served and died in the Patriot cause during the American Revolution. Mohican War Memorial on Healing Way, Stockbridge-Munsee Reservation, Wisconsin. This tragedy was part of the #kenburns documentary the #americanrevolution on PBS.

Mohican War Memorial honors those who served and those who died in American wars going back to the Revolution. After serving Patriot cause in the Revolution they were displaced from their homes and land in the East. Memorial is on Healing Way, Stockbridge-Munsee Reservation, Wisconsin. #kenburns