Where to next???

Actually, I don't know. All I know is that it is a 7 mile trail somewhere outside of Las Vegas. It is rocky and I'm guessing difficult, and it is at higher elevation than I have hiked at in quite a while. And my hiking partner can manage it in 3 hours. He's had more recent practice than I have, so it will definitely take me longer.

After that though, my next trek will probably be Mt. Lowe Railway.


If we complete that successfully, we will attempt Mt. Baldy once or twice in April. 11.25 mile, 7 hour trail with a 4300 foot elevation gain. This is the highest point in my local area.

Upper Arroyo Seco--second attempt

I survived.

I'm not fully certain about one of my hiking buddies though. I'm afraid he was in quite a bit of pain by the end of the first half of the trek, and definitely not doing as well as he could have been on the way back. Hopefully he won't be hobbling around too badly today. Me--no pain, no muscle pulls, no sore feet, no problems at all. I'd really like to head out and do a short easy hike right now, but I will most likely settle for a few miles around the neighborhood.

The first mile of the hike seemed very easy this time through. The water was a little higher in a couple of places, and we had to change where we crossed because of it, but there was nothing remotely strenuous. Of course, unlike most of the day time picnicers who were also walking this first portion, we had been on the trail before and we were wearing the correct shoes. I saw quite a few people fall in the water because their shoes had no traction.

Since we hit the trailhead late again (1:30pm), though not as late as last weekend, we decided to head straight out to Oakwilde campground rather than detour to the bottom of the falls. It gets too dark to be on the trail somewhere between 5:30 and 6pm, and we didn't want to get stuck on a difficult trail in the dark. As it was, even though we were making good time--this is a 5 hour trail and we were keeping to that time estimate with little difficulty--we ended up stopping about a half mile short of our goal. We were losing light at this point and knew that if we completed the trek we would still be out on the ridge when the sun set. So we took a few minutes to eat and drink and spray on some deet in defense against the knats and headed back. We ended up doing approximately a 9 mile loop and getting back to the car just as it became dark.

So was the rest of the trail difficult? I didn't think it was all that bad, at least not on the way out. Actually, I was trying to figure out why it was classified as difficult. There is a slightly steep climb up from the falls junction to the ridge, but along the ridge most of the trail is fairly easy with a few patches of loose rock and some places where the trail has eroded away a bit, after the ridge you descend into the valley for quite a while--approximately 1400 feet or more--and walk along another creek bed to a second fall. It looked like the second fall was not running right now, unfortunately. But the stream and the smaller falls we saw along the way were nice. Aside from the knats, it is a very peaceful valley. It was about an hour from the falls junction to the point where we decided to turn around. The trail along all this point is single file.

The climb back out of the valley was probably the most difficult part. It's very steep and did get us huffing and puffing a bit. It seemed endless. Meanwhile, my hiking partner had begun to stop every few minutes to compose a photo. I quickly figured out that he needed to stop more often than I did to catch his breath, and at the end of the climb he admitted that he had mostly been making excuses to rest. Still we made it out of the valley, across the ridge and back to the falls junction in an hour. The same amount of time it took us to get down into the valley in the first place.

All in all, it was a great trip. Beautiful and fun. I'm looking forward to doing it again and hopefully starting early enough to complete the trek this time.

Here we go again

The truth is written upon my chest

Look familiar



The rest of the trail

Off to Oakwilde



Sometimes you have to wait for everyone else to catch up

Stop to admire the scenery

And then move on


There are a few more photos, but not many. I just haven't uploaded them to my photo page yet.

Getting a bit boring, isn't it.

All this trail talk, that is.

Well, I'd talk about my writing, but the short story I'm working on is going absolutely nowhere. I'm not certain why. I have two characters pov's I have to bounce back and forth between--ok, well they are the same character, but they're not. Try figuring that one out. And no, it's not time travel or my usual dimensional shift stuff, well not really. I think the problem may lie in the fact that one of the characters is more fleshed out than the other. The writing group meets tonight, I think--last I heard we didn't have a place to meet--so, if I haven't managed to write at least a couple pages, maybe this will be my discuss a problem night.

Ugh. Anyone who thinks writing isn't difficult work should try it for a while. Sometimes, just like any job, it is easy. Then there are those times when you wonder why you ever thought you could do this, and why you even bother. Of course, you bother because you can't not write (great writing there, hunh). If you're not writing you become impossible to live with. Ok, well some of us are impossible to live with even when we are writing, but the reasons change. :-)

And back to the trail.

This weekend, tomorrow morning last I heard, my hiking partner and I head back up to the Upper Arroyo Seco trail. This time we will do the entire 10 mile loop from Switzer Picnic Area to Oakwilde Camp and back. I checked the books, despite the rangers claim that this is an easy trail--trust me it's not, I've walked easy trails--the part we walked last weekend is classified as moderate. The part we have yet to walk is difficult (of the type not requiring occassional use of such tools as ice axes). I'll find out why tomorrow, but my guess is the added complication of the elevation changes along with the rocks and probably more washed out trail. As far as I know though, there shouldn't be any more creek crossings, so less chance of getting wet. Will I survive? Yep, no doubt in my mind. My hiking partner, on the other hand, I'm a little worried about. He could surprise me though.

And a week later I get to hike my first desert trail. Well, I think that's a correct description. I really have no idea what to expect, aside from rocks. I'm not even certain of the distance. I'm a mountain girl, after all--of the pacific northwest variety. I can honestly say that I have never hiked a trail that wasn't completely enclosed by trees, usually with needle and leaf strewn paths (sometimes difficult to find paths) or wet sandy gravelly and crunchy paths. And quite often filled with white granite or grey river rocks and boulders that require scrambling over. I have a feeling that I will be completely out of my environment. Will I survive this hike? Absolutely no idea. I'm certain that my hiking partner this weekend will leave me behind before I even get my footing though. Ah well, that happens sometime. It's good for the ego. I must remember to tell myself that when I am eating his dust and wondering where the heck he disappeared to. :-)

Welcome to Upper Arroyo Seco Trail

So, what did I do this weekend? I went hiking, of course.

Saturday I did a fairly easy local trail that I have walked so often I could probably do it in my sleep. To make it a little more challenging though, I weighted down my backpack and managed to get a little bit of a workout for a change.

Monday my roommate decided he wanted to try his hand at hiking too, so we headed off to the Upper Arroyo Seco Trailhead.

Upper Arroyo Seco Trailhead

According to the information I pulled off the web, this is a moderate hike. According to the local ranger, it is an easy hike. I haven't pulled out my trail book yet to see what it says, but I have a gut feeling that the classification for this trail is highly dependent on the time of year you choose to hike it and how much of the trail has been washed away by the previous year's runoff. This time of year, with the water in the river low (I'd call it a creek in parts) this is a very rocky, bouldery trail. If you are not paying attention it is very easy to lose your footing and end up wet or injured, or both. Yep, you have to boulder/rock hop across the water several times in order to follow the trail or get around the washed out parts.

And, if you're wondering why the person in the photos is so bundled up, well, it had snowed the night before and was quite cold.

Picking way through winter landslide

Nature photographer at work

Alternative route to washed out trail

Decaying rock and concrete wall becomes bridge

Just above Switzer Falls

Accomplishment??

Well, of a very small sort anyway.

It took me all day, but I finally managed to play the first 9 bars of "Don't Know Much" on my Seagull 12 string without a mistake--note wise anyway. Timing is another story completely. Though I am now thoroughly convinced that both the dog and the bird are deaf. They sat next to me for hours without a howl, moan or a squawk in comment. Ok, Princess did start snoring at one point...I'm not certain if that was a comment on my musical inability, or just her collapsing from sheer exhaustion. After all, she had been up all night and most of the morning, curled up next to me under a down comforter, hiding from the rain. That can take a lot out of a pup. :-)

Countrywalkers.com

Another trekking company, offering less strenuous, mostly short, day hikes with nicer hotel bases (read "less rustic") than others that have been mentioned previously. Chances are that you will have no need for a sleeping bag. The treks are designed to be accessible to generally healthy individuals from 12-80+ years. Basically, they are trekking with a bit of pampering.

I only looked at a few of these treks, but all looked interesting. They mix a good dose of site seeing with just the right amount of challenge for the non- to occassional hiker.

I could find no definition of "easy" or "moderate" hike classifications on the web site, so I took a look at a trek from the Puget Peninsula/Olympic Mountain area of Washington State--I grew up there. The trails used are among some of the easiest in the area, the most difficult being the Hurricane Ridge switchback trail, which, if you're not accustomed to doing a bit of inclined trail walking or consistant stair climbing, could feel like a bit of a challenge on the way up. If I recall correctly, this was the only part of that trek that was considered moderate, and I think it was optional. Though, if you decide to take this trek, I do recommend the view from the top of the switchback trail. The Hurricane Ridge views are popular even among the locals.

So, here's the link to Countrywalkers.com, courtesy of my friend David M. Gordon.

Happy Valentine's Day to All

They say this is the day of lovers, but I say it is also a day to celebrate our friendships--just like when we were kids. Remember?

So, my wish to each of you is that you will receive at least one Happy Valentine's Wish or card from a friend, admirer or lover, and that you will spend the day in good company.

May the luck of the charmed heart be with you this day and throughout the year.

Anniversary

For better or worse--1 year and 13 days of this blog, and still counting.

And there were only two months that I missed posting in. Maybe I can do better this year? :-)

Romantic quote of the day??

Ok, maybe the year....

"A woman is like an artichoke, it takes a lot of work to get to her heart."

Disko Island

A place I'd like to visit, not now, but sometime off in the future. The pristine landscape and scenery, as well as the photographic opportunities would make any minor discomforts worthwhile.

Disko Island Tour

Hmmm....

When the manager of the local Starbucks proposes putting a reserved sign on my favourite cushy chair, I can't help but wonder...Am I spending way too much time here? :-)

Proposed Itinerary, sort of

Option 1:: head out for Paris a few days early, spend 2 to 4 days recovering from jet lag and seeing a few sites, such as the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Arc De Triomphe, and maybe get a chance to at least step inside the Louvre for an hour or so. Yes, I know that's not much, but there really won't be time for more. Then off to Montpellier, maybe a day early, to join up with the trek group. Then head home within a day or two after the trek.

Option 2:: skip Paris all together, and just fly straight into Montpellier a few days early. Join up with the trek group and then fly back home the day after the trek ends. This would be less expensive, though I'm not certain what there is to see in Montpellier. I need to research that.

Option 3:: My least favourite, but that slight chance has grown a bit--not go at all.

The exact timing still has to be worked out, and nothing has been booked yet.

A big question I have is how much time to allow to recover from jet lag. I didn't have jet lag when I went to Germany, but I had a very bad case when I went to Scotland. Of course, for the Scotland trip, I hadn't slept for 24 hours before I even stepped foot on the plane. I know there are ways around this--drink plenty of water, stay up until what would be your normal bedtime (France time) on the day of arrival, and try to switch over your sleeping schedule while still on the plane. There are probably other tricks too. Anyone have any helpful hints?

Jury Duty and other stuff

Jury duty, as in still none, thankfully. No, I'm not trying to get out of it, I just think it would be a waste of time for me to schlepp myself over to the courthouse just to prove that I am not well enough to be there, and have to go all the way back home again. Then again, if I don't get the call tonight to show up tomorrow, I am probably not going to get called. I have been called in on a Friday before, but that doesn't happen often.

Weight loss progress--well at this rate, I'll be a third of the way to my goal by the end of next week--if I can actually trust my scale. Not that anyone other than me can tell, and I'm not exactly certain that I can. That's no surprise though. A few years ago I lost 30 pounds, kept it off with no effort for a couple of years, and exactly one person noticed that I had lost weight. Chances are that no one will notice, even when I reach my halfway point which I have projected for the end of March, or when I reach my goal--I'm just not that noticeable, and most of my friends are not very observant.

Movies seen--there were two a little over a week ago, but I can only remember one. I guess that means one must not have been very good. :-) Either that or old age has finally hit and my mind is starting to go. Of course, age isn't a prerequisite for that. Nanny McPhee:: A fun, nearly modern, fairy tale that all the children in the audience enjoyed. There were quite a few adults laughing too--perhaps remembering some of the antics they pulled as children, or heard about their own parents and grandparents pulling in younger years. :-)

Silence

As in I've lost my voice--totally for the last three days, much to the amusement of my fellow employees. I'm just starting to be able to whisper. It's very inconvenient--try using sign language to get your stubborn "I like to pretend I don't hear Mommy when she calls" dog to come in--, but I have to agree with my friends, the situation is funny. And if I could laugh, I would. :-)

And, on top of that, I'm on call for jury duty this week. Luckily, I don't have to go in tomorrow--not because I have a problem with serving, but because of the lack of voice.

Meanwhile the possibilities for the hiking tour are being narrowed down. A friend and I are in the slow process of planning a 2-3 week trip for later this year. Right now it looks like France, or more specifically about a week site seeing in Paris, a week hiking in the Pyranese (or at least the foothills), and whatever is left of the alloted time doing more site seeing. If I have that wrong, I'm certain I will soon be corrected. Plans are still very flexible, and I have lots of questions.

I am doing everything I can to get into decent shape and condition for the hiking tour. That means losing weight too. And no, I'm not going to say how much, but I'm a sixth of the way there. With luck, and a lot of hard work, I'll be at least a third of the way there by the end of the month.

Any suggestions on what to see while in Paris? The Eifel Tower, of course, is a given.

I'm told by a friend

that it seems like months since I've posted.

So, here's a post. ;-)

And, btw, it's only been 13 days since my last post. Though granted, that was last month.