Due to obesity and diabetes that run in her family, Theresa Jansen set a goal almost a decade ago to hike the entire 1,200 miles of Ice Age Trail. She had a friend who finished the trail and encouraged Jansen to to hike segments to get a feel for the rugged terrain. Problem is, Jansen isn’t a fan of hiking.
“I don’t like to hike,” the 68-year-old told Sheboygan Press this month. “I’m not 20 years old anymore. And I’m very overweight. … I especially don’t like hiking the IAT, it’s too difficult and rugged. … The truth is I would rather be home crocheting, reading a book, or having friends over for coffee.”
However, her love for nature and the outdoors fuels her desire to keep hiking. “I love the wildlife. We saw a bobcat this year. That was so cool. So I love that,” she explained.
The Journey Begins
On July 5, 2013, Jansen and her husband, Brock, started the 1,200 mile Ice Age Trail hike and started a blog to document their progress: Brock & Theresa’s Ice Age Trail Journey. “’Let’s walk the Ice Age Trail’, she says. OK, fine. 1200 miles – that should take us, oh – the rest of our lives,” Brock wrote in their first ever entry.
At the time of this writing, their last journal entry is dated June, 21, 2021, to record their 2.3 mile hike along Hartman Creek. “It was a good day,” the couple wrote. “Running Total: 539.1 miles of trail covered; 60.8 miles ‘extra’ hiking/biking. End of Day 75.”
