The Times Herald from Port Huron, Michigan • Page 21

Nature lures hiking club to the trails By STEVE SIBULA Blue Water Outdoors JEDDO Ripe red apples and golden leaves provided a prime setting for the pack of hikers walking the woods behind Birch Creek Orchards. Dorothy Henry, Port Huron, was at the helm with her treasured hiking stick, leading the other members of the Port Huron Hiking Club through trails she had scouted the week before. In the middle of the pack, Dorthy Vories, Port Huron, walked comfortably in the same boots she has used on every hike since she helped found the group in 1971. At the rear, Ron Graham, Port Huron, paced with his 6-year-old twins, Kari and Carl. They had no trouble keeping up with the adults.

It was the club's first hike of the fall season. They walked four miles, absorbing the beauty of colored leaves, fresh air and companionship. A love for the outdoors and learning about nature has kept the group tromping together throughout the Blue Water Area the past 14 years. The club has hiked twice a And having an organized club helps the group get permission to hike on normally inaccessible private land. "We do our own thing and the department backs us," Henry said.

Henry, who is club treasurer, said the group is very nature conscious, and is careful not to leave any indication it was even on a hike, she said. "Our motto is 'Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but she said. "We've even brought plastic bags to pick up" beer cans and other trash. Here are the details. When formed: June 1971.

Next hike: The club will hike the State Road area beyond Burtch Road on Oct. 20. The group will meet at the Lakeport Elementary School. More information is available by contacting Steve Kennedy at (313) 982-4182. Contacts: For more information on the club or scheduled hikes call the Port Huron Recreation Department at (313) 987-6000 or club president Tim Johnson at (313) 727-7126.

Blue Water Outdoors Dorothy Henry leads a hike through the Port Huron State Game Area. month since then, braving all types of weather and rarely cancelling a scheduled walk. In the hot summer months, they sometimes substitute hikes with picnics or canoe trips. "We're kind of like the postman," Henry said. "We go out in rain or sleet." Members of the club have walked trails weaving along the Black River, cutting through the during cider time.

"The game area is one of our favorites if we have someone who can keep us from getting lost," Vories said. Although hikes are open to the public, the club does have an organized membership of 43. The Port Huron Recreation Department sponsors the group, helping with publicity and providing a place for the club to meet. Port Huron State Game Area and even with permission on the beautiful Ford Estate and other private land. They seldom cover the same trail twice, concentrating on areas within 50 miles of Port Huron.

Vories said the club does repeat hikes for seasonal events, such as walking across the Blue Water Bridge each summer and through Birch Creek Orchards SANILAC vs si uu L-za Li cal EETJIM DONAHUE Your Times Herald Connection NOBODY DOES IT BETTER! Contact Jim at the SANILAC COUNTY BUREAU 41 E. Sanilac Road 648-3023 FOR HOME DELIVERY, CALL 1-800-462-4057 Jim has been writing about Sanilac County for the Times Herald since 1971. But his experience with the Thumb goes back to his birth in Harbor Beach 48 years ago. Jim brings a wealth of experience to the job, having worked previously for the Kalamazoo Gazette, the News-Palladium in Benton Harbor, and the Huron Daily Tribune, Bad Axe. Jim and his wife, Doris, have four children.

1 I LnjyLi csJUltL 1 Copyrigdl, Timn Herald Company, IV85 A Gannett Newspaper Port Huron, Michigan Tuesday Oct. 15, 1985 i PAGE FIVE.