Hiking isn’t all I do on Block Island. Tim and I take tandem rides, go to the grocery store and the farmers’ market, find Block Island treasures to take home, and sometimes even eat out. I have been reading and napping, but a day doesn’t feel complete without a hike or two.
Before I start the saga of my last two hikes, I will note that I finished The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. The link here is from the publisher. I also read the New York Times book review and found out why I shouldn’t like it so much. But I did. The book had an obvious message and I loved it anyway. I said in an earlier post that to me, chicory means hope. In the flower dictionary at the end of The Language of Flowers it says it means frugality. As I walk on the trails I’ve been thinking about this. I think it means hope because it grows in such impossible places. There is hope that it will live. I agree that frugality also fits. It makes do with very little and survives. I’ve enjoyed putting the two ideas together.
I also solved the problem of having no hat by buying one at the Block Island Health & General Store—just the hat I wanted at a reasonable price. This time I’m going to leave it with Sheila so I don’t have to once again remember that I need a hat to hike in the sun. Also required is the tripod we packed and pulled 360 miles to get here. I have to admit that I never used it on the bicycle journey. Next year I think I’ll send it ahead with my hiking shoes and backpack. Instead, I’ll carry my old SLR Canon camera. I miss the zoom lens for travel shooting.
The last two hikes required no cyclilng to get started. I walked up the street to the greenway entrance just south of the airport. I took the blue walk yesterday and the orange walk this morning.
After leaving the road and walking downhill for a while, there is a steep hill to ascend. There is an incredible set of stairs with nets over the two trails on either side to prevent erosion. I tried climbing the stairs the first day, but sneaked up the trails the second day. They are steeper than they look! My hands were very relieved to make it to the top.
As I traveled along the path, trying to find the Enchanted Forest, I met beside the trail. . .
another hand! My hand made contact and perhaps found a new friend in the forest. I’m not sure how well they got on. We didn’t talk about it.
After leaving the Turnip Farm and the Enchanted Forest I walked out to the ocean via Black Rock Road. Most of the Greenway trails are for hikers only. No bicycles or horses are allowed. Black Rock Road is Block Island’s answer to the freeway. On this road ONLY pedestrians, bicycles, and horses are allowed.
The short hike this morning was up the stairs again and around the Loffredo loop. Here is the description on the back of my map:
Robert Loffredo helped purchase this majestic property adjacent to the Turnip Farm in memory of his wife Elaine, who lost her life in the tragic TWA flight 800 crash. Some of the highest land on the Island, it has commanding views . . . and contains a wonderful mix of shrubs and meadows, which harbors numberous breeding birds.
The walk was well worth the climb.
Have Trike, Will Travel. 
Nice photos Suzie! Thanks for sharing. Loved especially the chicory and the self portrait.
Excellent post, Suzy! Pictures, stories, jokes – the whole package is extraordinary. I’m glad you are having a good time.
It bears noting that Tim appears to have sole custody of The Sloth. You two are a lesson in balance.
Love your hat! Love YOU in your hat! 🙂