Trampled Under Foot

 

Footprints from some intrepid people who crossed Merimere Reservoir.

Visit #1585, 15 February 26, 7:10-9:20AM, 4.8 miles, 1.0 lbs. of litter. Temps in the upper 20s, mostly sunny.

The trails are still only under foot of the hardier hiker, or those equipped properly, and the paths they make are narrow, mostly following the footprints of those preceding them.

I'm reminded of the Led Zeppelin song, Trampled Under Foot. Few people know Zep's inspiration came from bluesman Robert Johnson and his song, Terraplane Blues. And why was it called Terraplane Blues you ask? Here's an explanation:

"Johnson used the car model Terraplane as a metaphor for sex. In the lyrical narrative, the car will not start and Johnson suspects that his girlfriend let another man drive it when he was gone. In describing the various mechanical problems with his Terraplane, Johnson creates a setting of thinly veiled sexual innuendo.

And here's the original recording.

Compare that to Led Zeppelin's interpretation. Lyrically they offer a similar message; musically, not so.

My idea of trampling today would be on snowshoes.

I hiked over I-691 and picked up the Blue Trail to West Peak. Along the way I found and removed another of the seemingly endless appearance of little foam stickers. Here it is in mid-removal.

Higher up the Blue Trail near West Peak I temporarily followed a trail of blood probably from some animal carrying their lunch.

I skipped stopping at West Peak and cut through the woods straight to a trail leading down toward the reservoir. Here I was trampling virgin snow all the way.

Back on asphalt, I walked the road around the reservoir to the park. A the south end of the reservoir I spotted that someone decided to trample on Hubbard Park, Merimere Reservoir, and the environment by tossing a couple bottles of Korean alcohol known as "soju" onto the ice. It has an alcohol content similar to wine. I treaded carefully onto the ice and retrieved them.