Trash Walkin

Yesterday I got to take a walk down U.S. 41 from the Keweenaw Mt. Lodge. It was quite peaceful. I think only five cars passed me on that two mile stretch.

As I walked down the left side of the road, I noticed the unique landscape. Much of it was a steep slope down from the guard rail. So steep in spots, that I wondered if I could get back up from the ditch! After quite a while, the land leveled off, then actually jutted up above me! All in a 30 yard span, then it dipped back down below. For the bottom half, I even got to listen to the babbling Garden Brook.

I was realizing how much I never look around me when I am driving on a road I usually just go as fast as I can on. It reminded me of the walk Donica, Jo, Kurt and I did from Calumet last May -- except it was one thirteenth the distance and not as painful. (That walk will be in October this year, since October is Domestic Abuse Awareness Month.)

The other thing that was quite different from that walk was that I was wearing a neon yellow vest and plastic gloves and carrying a trash bag. Yes. It was Spring trash pick up day for the Copper Harbor Trails Club's section of "Adopt a Highway."

If you have driven that stretch in the last six months, I salute you. Mike, Rachel, Tammy and I were amazed at how little trash there was to pick up (compared to the last couple times). If we had to, we could have combined all our findings into one 30 gallon trash bag. For three miles of highway (Rachel and Tammy did the top mile and some), that's pretty good.

Even cigarette butts were at an all time low. We were hoping that people are just getting more conscientious about throwing trash out the window of their vehicles. It will not explode if it stays in their car until they reach a garbage can, right?

So kudos to you! Thanks for not littering! And if you have, please realize that not every stretch of road has a heroic group to clean it up. We need to keep the place we live clean ourselves!