2nd Annual Challenge of Travel :: Stevens Point, Wisconsin

Welcome to the 2nd Annual Challenge of Travel - Staycation edition! I am delighted to have you along on this journey.

I put out a call at the beginning of the month to see if anyone would like to join me in investigating all that your own hometown has to offer. I don't often get a chance to travel anyplace, and I don't often take the time to appreciate the things that my hometown has to offer, so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to have a little fun in my own backyard.

Instead of a list of blogs, I am trying out the InLinkz system where anyone who has a post to share can do so at the end. Truly, I would do this Challenge even if no one else joined me, but given the initial interest we could learn something new about hometowns all over the world. We might need to fluff up the guest pillows if people are inspired to come and visit.That would be cool!

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I live in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Basically, find a map of Wisconsin and then point to the middle. It seems that all roads run through our area.

One of the things that is unique to our community is the Green Circle Trail. The idea took root in 1989, when a group of residents, businesses, local governments and the university banded together to make this dream a reality: creating a scenic hiking and biking trail that envelops the entire community to preserve forested land, native plants, wetlands and wildlife for current and future generations.

In 1993, the Green Circle Trail received an award from the National Park Service for outstanding cooperative effort. National Park officials consider it one, and perhaps the only, trail system to completely encircle a community. State agencies refer to it as model for trail development. In 2003, the Green Circle received a Great Lakes Partnership Award from the National Parks and Recreation Association.

The Green Circle opened on June 1, 1996, as a 22-mile trail. Today it is over 30 miles. The main trail loop has 11 contiguous segments. It is said that all urban residents are within10 minutes of a trail spur while 80% of the trail winds through forests and parks, over wetlands, and along rivers, much of it secluded. This trail recalls the days of huge pineries, pioneer settlements, and the lore of the Wisconsin and Plover Rivers.

Several local events are held throughout the Green Circle Trail, like the recent United Way Run, Bike Duathlon. The first week in June you can find the entire Green Circle Trail overrun by thousands of walkers in the Midwest's premier non-competitive walking event, Walk Wisconsin.Walkers choose from full, 3/4, 1/2 or 1/4 marathons.

The full, 3/4, 1/2 and 1/4 marathon events utilize the scenic Green Circle Trail which passes the Wisconsin River, Plover River, several lakes, and unique ecosystems. - See more at: http://www.activeportagecounty.com/index.cfm?action=walking.walk#sthash.dqaVDq0F.dpuf

The full, 3/4, 1/2 and 1/4 marathon events utilize the scenic Green Circle Trail which passes the Wisconsin River, Plover River, several lakes, and unique ecosystems. - See more at: http://www.activeportagecounty.com/index.cfm?action=walking.walk#sthash.dqaVDq0F.dpuf

See that red X? That is roughly where my house is. The green lines on the map show where the trails are. You can see that I am within blocks of several segments of the Circle. Shamefully, I really haven't been on those parts. I have walked the Riverfront (I work right there), and the Holiday trail where the Stevens Point Sculpture Park is located, and some of the parts to the west, but not really the ones that I cross almost every single day.

I noticed as I made this graphic from the trail map that the Green Circle Trail is in the shape of a heart! Do you see that? It is like the Trail is giving Stevens Point a great big hug!

Up at the top, in the crook of the heart, you see a large green space labeled Schmeeckle Reserve. This special part of the Circle is located on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.Given that we have a very well known College of Natural Resources, this is a great benefit for the students to have literally right across the street. I decided that this is the part that I would investigate.

Schmeeckle Reserve is a 280-acre sanctuary in the heart of the city of roughly 26,000 population (plus an additional 9,000 during the school year). This site was established to protect the natural habitats of Central Wisconsin. 

There are five miles of trails in this one park. Only part of the trails are actually on the Green Circle. But as I thought about it, this is like a microcosm of the entire Green Circle Trail. In this one little area I would likely experience a lot of the terrain and habitat that would be on the entire 26+ miles.

There is a 24-acre lake in the middle that is available for fishing, canoeing, and just relaxing. Swimming and motor boats are prohibited. Along the shores it is not uncommon to see many wildlife species like fox, flying squirrels, wild turkeys, white-tailed deer, Pileated woodpeckers, ducks, geese and frogs. 

Ready to take a walk with me? 

(Click the picture to see it larger.)

And here is my creation that I call Walking the Trail. Do you see my inspiration?

Lisa Peters Art ceramic leaf focal
Wood button from the fabric store
Wood plank trail
Eucalyptus pod "acorn"
Green Girl Studios squirrel
Humblebeads disk beads
Teal waxed linen thread
Seed bead goldenrod flowers
Peanut bead white blooms
Brass cornerless cubes and rounds
Hammered copper link chain
Green seed beads from a necklace my mother wore

I am thinking about using this piece for the 2014 Verse & Vision exhibit at the Gallery Q. As I understand it, this year instead of us making art from the poems, there is going to be an option for the poets to write verse based on our art. I think this would tell an interesting story! I will also look into seeing if the Green Circle Trail organization will be having any fundraisers soon.

Thank you for joining me on this staycation in Stevens Point, Wisconsin!

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Have fun hopping!

An InLinkz Link-up