Exploring the World with Pokémon Go: Kewannee Trail West
As promised here is my adventure down Kewannee Trail West. Given that more of the trail is on this side, there were plenty more pictures to go with it.
I started off my journey down Kewannee Trail West and quickly passed mile marker 0.75. Yes I realize that the first segment of that journey was quick. Its fine, I don’t mind shorter adventures. This one wouldn’t prove too long either. But it was different in one other way.
Most of my travel blog has been solo. And though the pictures don’t reflect it since said friend asked to be out out of them, I finally had a chance to show someone how I create this blog out in the field. They enjoyed their trip down the trail. And I was pleased that anyone cared enough about what I doing to take a look.
If you have read my last couple posts, some of the images above might look familiar. But it was a different day and time of day in a later week. Plenty of change from my earlier visit to make those photos worth a second take.
Mile Marker 1.0:
The next segment Kewannee Trail West took me past another location from a prior blog post. But even further back this time. Returning to the spot where I discovered a trail’s existence has only happened a couple times in this blog. Its magical every time. This is something I never tire of since its tangible proof of my expanding horizons.
Along the way to Mile Marker 1.0, I passed a couple off limits spots like a water treatment plant. (I think) Trails offer a unique perspective. The backside of several buildings. For whatever reason, trail goers matter less than the passing cars. As I mentioned earlier, I seek out all sorts of perspective changers. Traveling down trails that take me behind buildings has done that in an unexpected way.
Mile Marker 1.25:
On the way to Mile Marker 1.25, Kewannee Trail follows the prior sections. More of the same is only bad when features grow little variance. But the ecosystems around this trail are diverse enough that had I stayed longer, I would have noticed vast differences between the two locations.
This part of the trail did have one notable feature that I focused on. Electric meters. I’ll keep my political opinions of this issue out of the post, but I do find it baffling that sometimes these devices are built in such unusual places. I worked for the United States Census the last two years and found plenty of these meters just off the beaten path.
The tree line did seem to retreat a bit on this segment as well. Guess it was silly of me to mention that there were few differences above. Then again I did mention that the more I focused on what I saw, the more I would spot. Is that not what I’m doing in these write ups?
Mile Marker 1.5:
I knew that there was little Kewannee Trail West left to explore as Mile Marker 1.5 approached. So I went a little overboard on this part with picture. Not that there is anything wrong with that of course.
Unlike a lot of people who visit parks, I do not ignore man made structures that interact with nature. Sometimes humans can create some remarkable structures that aid in conservation rather than take away from it. I’m not sure if sewer drains are really a good example of this in play. They probably are not. But I liked how they looked, so I took a picture.
Something positive I want to point out since the above paragraph did not come off so happy is another object that I keep finding at parks. Free books. I would love to see more of those all over parks and trails. Yes I realize that its a lot of work to maintain such things, but a world that is well read is better off I think.
Mile Marker 1.6:
All fun must come to an end. The fact that there was a mile marker existing on this trail meant one thing. I would soon be done with this adventure. I enjoyed my several adventures around Kewannee Trail West. It was no different than the park and other half of the trail that share its name.
The more I explore my backyard, the larger it gets. Almost every park in this blog has been near a place I lived at some point or at least spent a lot of time at. Iowa being the exception. But some of my best friends live there, so I’m sure I’ll showcase more parks from that part of the country.
Pokémon Go:
You might notice that the above picture is not from Kewannee Park West. That is because, you are right. While I want to talk about Pokémon Go on this side of the trail, it turns out this segment lacked the pictures. This and the egg hatches below are actually from the other half of this adventure. I don’t know why it took till writing this segment to find them.
I do promise though that the park and the trail that runs through it are worth your time in Pokémon Go. Its not a terribly long trail and the park is at the center with plenty of Pokestops and Gyms. Even along the trail the spawns are plentiful. Whatever the reason, you won’t be disappointed if you visit.
I hatched these two eggs on an earlier segment of the trail. The seel was whatever, but the Popplio excited me. As you can see I almost have enough candy to evolve it all the way. I might hold off for its future community day, but I can already almost have a Primarina.
Wrap Up:
Breaking depression is hard. But genuine smiles like this one make it worth it. I never want to let this good habit of a blog become an afterthought. There is a world to explore, and I intend to go out into it.