… as I rewind to still another 5K event, the last to report on from 2025.  I am a wee bit late telling you about this 5K walk, but not because I was hibernating. 🙂  

The 28^th Annual Smokey Bear Run/Walk 5K and 10K event was held on Saturday, September 20^th at Bass Lake, California.  Happily, this event is open to virtual participants. I did my first Smokey Bear event in 2024 as it commemorated Smokey Bear’s 80^th birthday.  Did you know that Smokey Bear, the iconic brown bear whose deep voice proclaims “only you can prevent forest fires” heads up the longest-running public service advertising campaign in U.S. history?  I remember learning about Smokey Bear as a youngster in Canada as well.

I originally intended to do a once-and-done virtual event in 2024 because of the hoopla about Smokey’s birthday and also because I had collected teddy bears for years. Bass Lake and the event site is picturesque – too bad it is 2,450 miles (3,942 km) away.

After seeing videos and photos of the devastating 2025 California wildfires that raged from January 7^th to 31st in Los Angeles and San Diego, I decided to participate every year going forward.

I did my virtual walk at Elizabeth Park, like last year. 

You can read about my 2024 Smokey Bear walk here.

I figured at least some of this park’s many Oak tree leaves would have turned golden by now, but, even two days before Fall’s official arrival on September 22^nd the trees were just beginning to get their “glow-on”.  The lack of vibrant leaf color was attributed to Southeast Michigan being in moderate drought most of last Summer.  The leaves hung on forever, refusing to wiggle free from the trees.  While that may seem like a plus, i.e. enjoying the jewel-toned leaf colors a little longer, all the leaves did not produce their usual vibrant hues and when gusty winds prevailed, the dull-colored leaves finally dropped to the ground into a brown, crumpled-up mess.  I’ll be sharing some photos from late Fall in future posts and you’ll see what I mean.

But first, here’s what I saw on that September morn.

By now, you can probably identify, if not name, my favorite spots at Elizabeth Park. 

There are a trio of bridges that cross the Canal.  Two are identical to the big bridge, just a smaller version.  The big bridge will soon be the primo place for high school prom pictures.

This photo of the big bridge was shot from the vehicle bridge …

… and this photo was taken from the Canal shoreline.

You can see the marks left from the higher water level in the above photos and this one below as well.

After climbing the series of steps to get to the top of the big bridge …

… you can see Windsor, Ontario and even the new Gordie Howe Bridge.  On a Summer weekend, you can look down at the water and see anglers lining the shoreline and the Canal is filled with kayakers, paddleboarders and ducks. 

These are some of the ducks I saw that day, a few on the tail end of molting and looking frowsy …

… and some were snoozing like these Hybrid Mallards.

A pretty Pekin duck was content to simply sunbathe …

… and these two ducks were in the Canal looking for brunch.

The geese feel they own the Canal and sometimes will gather in one place blocking the kayakers and paddleboarders. Geese drama – gotta love it!

The reflections were stunning that morning.

On the Boardwalk, we’ll be having some …

… photo ops. if we’re lucky.

While the main bridge is picturesque and perfect for picture-taking, so is the Boardwalk, no matter the season. 

There are seagulls aplenty, although the gulls aren’t apt to perch if there are too many people with pooches, as is often the case on a weekend.  This sleepy-eyed Ring-billed Gull stared at me …

… but apparently I wasn’t worth a second look. It swiveled its head away in a dismissive fashion, as if to say “you can move along – nothing to see here!”

Once I even encountered a groundhog, which popped out of its burrow, looking for a handout.  I saw a guy pushing a stroller with a little girl coming toward me and alerted them to be careful of this critter and they said “that groundhog is just looking for treats!”   For a while I packed a granola bar for it, but it never popped out again. 

A pale sun emerged making it suddenly warmish and someone had ditched one of their layers on this park bench.

As I strolled on the Boardwalk that day, there was a subtle change to the leaves.

A rogue red Maple leaf had fluttered down to the walkway …

… and a brittle brown Oak leaf had tucked itself into the weeds.

The Goldenrod was still thriving, probably all that Summer sunshine and hot weather had made it flourish.

I gave this Thornapple shrub wide berth.

I’ll bet you’d get ants crawling up and into your pants if you sat on this park bench, just sayin’.

The waves were lapping up against the boulders and I spotted this plant matter draped on a fallen tree. I wondered why an opportunistic goose, swan or duck wasn’t feasting on it – maybe they left it there for a snack for later?

After strolling the Boardwalk, I climbed up the hill onto the walk a/k/a Elizabeth Drive that encircles this island park.   It’s a one-way street and drivers must share it with pedestrians, bicyclists and geese … lots of geese. 

I kept walking and soon was back at the Canal on the opposite side of the vehicle bridge.  The Canal is where most of the waterfowl gather, including the geese, but the geese also like to cross the road all day, back-and-forth, pondering which side of the road they prefer, or wondering where their friends are.  Of course, we drivers yield to the geese, even though there is no goose crossing sign, just a duck crossing sign, which I guess is needed since ducks are shorter! 

I have been following the Smokey Bear Run/Walk on Facebook for several years.  Like in 2024, there were many free photos of the event/participants taken by a professional photographer on his site, plus a few photos on Facebook as well – here are a couple of photos. 

I’m ready for the 2026 5K charity events I always participate in.  I’ve already signed up for Fish & Loaves (to help fund their food pantry) and Running to Honor (to help fund awareness of veteran suicide) and I’ll be signing up for the 2026 Smokey Bear event once the info is available. 

See ya around Smokey!

P.S. – I snagged this photo of my shaggy friend and me from WordPress AI.

Terri’s Sunday Stills Challenge is “Early” – I’ll be posting some early Spring 2025 Wildflowers along Lakeside Trail for this week’s Wordless Wednesday.