New Year’s Day stroll at Salem Lake
Friday, January 1st, 2010I told a guy on the trail that I always try to get out for a New Year’s Day hike, though the facts don’t back me up: Just two First Day hikes in the past five (2007 and 2005 if you’re curious). With any luck I’ll stay in a better groove in years to come, assuming no ice storms or swine flu epidemics ground me.
Salem Lake, looking eastward Salem Lake Park felt like a good place to walk in the new year. Salem Lake Trail is 6.9 mostly flat miles around the lake’s shoreline. Salem Lake supplies some of the city’s drinking water, which means the city has a vested interest in keeping the place ship-shape.
Hiking purists might look askance at the trail — it’s wide enough for a bulldozer, welcomes bike riders and has a difficulty rating of 2 on a 10 scale — but anybody who enjoys a pleasant lakeside stroll will swallow their objections after a couple miles.
