Trekking into Retirement: Door County

David Horst, 10.28.2023

TREKKING INTO RETIREMENT: Door County

When my wife, Jean, and I retired in 2023, we vowed we would remain active outdoors. We promised to go on "mini adventures" on nearly a weekly basis. I will report on some of these in a series we’re calling “Trekking into Retirement.” Feel free to reprint or otherwise distribute these essays to others.

Never in my 65-plus years have I hit peak color on a leaf-peeping trip. That string ended Oct. 20 during a long weekend in Door County.

The drive up through Brown County hinted at what we would see. Hillsides beyond the farm fields were painted bright yellow, orange and crimson. Jean and I were on our way to our first post-retirement overnight getaway and the first one we've had in a long. long time. 

Another vehicle contained my wife's mother, brother and sister-in-law. Animals had always prevented such a vacation. A neighbor was taking care of the animals, except for the two dogs. Them we had on board.

They were in dog crates, preventing the inevitable accident should the 9-month-old unknown mixed breed named Elsie been free to climb into the driver's face. Ten-year-old Rosie, a yellow Lab, would have been fine. I have to admit we never completed the series of ever-longer trial car rides we had planned, but their car manners were perfect. 

The "Trekking Into Retirement" portion of this trip took place at the Mink River Estuary Trail, owned by the Nature Conservancy. TNC is a wonderful group. They exist to preserve special natural areas through landowner donations, grants and tax deductions. The public owes a debt of gratitude to TNC chapters for forestalling development of areas that are the legacy all of us should be able to see. 

With a trailhead located south of Ellison Bay on Mid River Road, the Mink River trail is 1.3 miles out and 1.3 miles back, with a side trail that adds about half a mile out and back. It is an old-fashioned hiking trail, not a 12-foot-wide strip of asphalt built for
bicyclists, though three off-roaders were among the few people we saw. A path the width of two human feet leads you through patches of pines, cedars or mixed hardwoods. Whether you are a fan or oaks, maples, birch or ironwood, you will find trees for you. The lingering, dry summer not only helped the color show, it sustained the ticks. Rosie has a Lab's nose and she frequently stuck it into clumps of brush. At one point, Jean removed 13 tiny ticks from Rosie's face, a reminder to tuck your pants legs into your socks and do tick checks afterwards.

No one said Trekking into Retirement was going to be without challenges. 

By the time our short getaway had endedded, wind and rain were ripping the colorful leaves from the tops of the trees. Beauty is a fleeting commodity, but we had experienced the peak. That'something that stays with you.

++ Photos show the morning sun casting color on the shoreline and dogs Elsie and Rosie.