We know it’s wrong, oh so wrong, to begin anticipating the warm, gentle caress of summer in early February in Minnesota. But today’s weather was gorgeously sunny 😎 and above freezing and not too windy. It tempted us to ignore the many weeks of winter that lie ahead. They do, but we were weak and wanted to believe.
So we believed and went outside – to Lake Elmo Park Reserve – and did a nice walk around Eagle Point Lake. And the weather was amazing for early February in Minnesota. Suspiciously Spring-like. Not exactly shorts weather but close. And we were fine with that. 😊
And there were no deer flies and we were (extra) fine with that too. 🤨
Plus, today was also the free (no $7/day vehicle fee) First Tuesday at Lake Elmo. 🤑 So we got a few hours of good exercise in suspiciously Spring-like weather for free!
And, judging from the numerous people we passed on the trail, and the many cars in the parking lots, others were fine with sunshine for free too. 😉
The park west of the entrance road harbors the multi-use trails (skiers are to the east, between the road and Lake Elmo). We started at the big lot just off the entrance road and went clockwise around the lake on the Eagle Point Trail and a bit of the Bluestem Trail.
We noticed boot, ski, and snowshoe tracks going off in various directions from the established trail. Traveling along the edge of or across the (hopefully) frozen lakes seemed popular.
On our recent hikes, we’ve often come across a single glove either affixed to, or next to, a sign post. Do these gloves eventually go to where those missing single socks go – from when you put a pair in the drier but only one comes out – The Island of Lost Socks? Or, come Spring melt-out, will we find rafts of single gloves bobbing in our creeks and rivers on their way toward the Gulf of Mexico? We might need a Jimmy Buffet song about Minnesota’s lost gloves washing ashore in Florida. 😉
All the good trails and signage we’ve encountered in Minnesota’s parks have been a bit soporific. We need to start being more adventurous again. To that end, we could see ourselves doing some cross-country snowshoeing here between established intersections when there’s good snow cover. Maybe next winter (unless, of course, it snows again this winter 🥺).
Our little loop came to 5.0 miles (8.1 km) with 190 feet (58 m) of gain. Even allowing for the time we spent wondering about the fate of single gloves, we had time for a (not too expensive) lunch out in nearby Woodbury. And it was good. 😁
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BOOTS on the TRAIL 
I understand your sunlight and shadows obsession. And, yes, the weather has been stunning. My interior front door is flung open as I write, allowing sunshine to flood my living room. And, yes, we will get more snow.
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