Distance: 2.3 miles
Significance: cool trails along shaded creek
http://www.coffeecreekwc.org/
Today was Ethan's turn to guide our hike. He chose walking around the Coffee Creek Watershed Preserve off IN49 in Chesterton. This area was developed in 1999 out of a 157-acre complex consisting of wetlands, woods, and prairie. I was first here with Sadie ten years ago, walking the 5km (3.2-mile) loop around the creek. It's gotten more developed over the years as it's become a popular place for joggers, dogwalkers, young families. And it's free!
We had lunch at Popeye's in Valparaiso, driving through the drive-thru and then eating while driving. We were both hungry. I had my usual spicy chicken sandwich, and Ethan had a three-piece mild chicken meal with spicy mashed potatoes. Zeke got all the left-overs. We both managed to finish our food before getting out of the car to start our hike.
And boy, did that humidity hit me as soon as we stepped out of the car. Holy Moly. Ethan was damp, too. I gave him one of my hiking hats to wear since he left his hat at home. "OK boss, show me the way!" I said, and Ethan gladly led me. He has a good pace on flat trails; I was impressed. He led me mostly along Coffee Creek, a shaded tannin-colored creek bordered by marsh flowers. Zeke stepped in quite a bit to drink as the humidity affected him, too.
What I then witnessed was a confident 11-year-old walking proudly down the trails, showing me special places where he likes to stop and listen to birds or watch the flowing creek. He has come here a few times with his mom to walk the trails. He stopped to look at bugs and show me them. There's a nature lover in that boy! When he gazes at the water, he is reflective. Makes me wonder what goes on in his head. He was close to his uncle Joe, who died April 11, 2020 of a heroin overdose. He was only 37 years old.
"Omi, I wished you lived closer so we could go hiking every week!" My heart melted when he said that. "Hiking is so relaxing!"
We had no map, but there were signs at every intersection. One really can't get lost here, as the main trail is a dirt trail marked the "5K" trail, and it guides along the perimeter. We crossed several foot bridges and stopped several times to rest along the creek. Ethan even found a painted rock in the creek with "Valpo Rocks!" on it . So apparently painting rocks and hiding them along hiking trails is not just a fad in Sierra Vista, but across the country. He opted to take that rock home with him.
Clouds were starting to billow and I worried we would get slammed by a downpour, but that never happened. We did see a few "interesting" cloud formations, including one that we both agreed looked like a penis. Yeah, I know...it's probably not the best thing to share with an 11-year-old grandson.
Today's walk was a mere 2.34 miles, a half-mile shorter than yesterday. But we didn't mind. The humidity really got all of us today. We stopped at Culver's for custard after the hike, ate our treat in the car since the dining area was closed, and drove back to Valparaiso. Ethan was fast asleep until we got to his house. I stayed for another two hours but left shortly after his dad Nick got home. I was tired from the heat and wanted to be back in Crown Point before the rains came, but they bypassed us this time and that is fine with me, because hail was predicted in parts of Chicago.
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