A hike - about 9 miles long. give or take a mile

5 am - off out the door with:

3 granola bars

a bottle of water

one camera

One pair of sunglasses

One minute flashlight just in case the half moon was not bright enough.

Followed the golf path to the end of the wall

Turned East on the road on the other side of the wall.

There were owls calling to each other from opposite sides of the road.

There were coyotes singing to each other from across the valley.

there were stars in the sky in abundance.

Venus was brilliant.

There was a bunch of noises in a bush so I took a picture to see if any eyes were looking out at me, but there were none.

The half moon was indeed bright enough to walk by.

at 545 I got to the trail head for the hieroglyphic trail.

I headed up and it was actually Quite fun,

challenging,

in the moonlight ones' depth perception seems to falter a little.

I moved slowly and made it up to the superstition gate by 630am. My mind is funny in that while I walk I come up with poetry to describe whatever is happening.

Usually not good poetry but it is fun. Such as.

"I followed a trail in the moonlight,

So bright that the trail was like daylight,

the stars overhead were sparkling bright

and some noises they gave me a fright,

But I know there's no Bear here

or sasquatch to fear

so I'll trip right along

with a traveling song

and get to the top

that's where I'll stop

pictures to see written on rock

of these I will talk.

now the hike is all done and now its not dark

this hike in the moonlight was really a lark.

It was still dark but by this time the sunrise was thinking about happening.

By the time I got up to the canyon, around 7 the sun was the light that I was walking with.

The birds woke up and there were some lovely songs that I have never heard before.

I climbed over rocks as big rooms in a house.

I looked at the petroglyphs.

I climbed higher in the canyon than I ever had before.

I ate a granola bar and had some water.

There were little birds who kept me company.

I could hear those little cliff squirrels but did not see any.

I got a great shot of the balancing rock.

I really does look like it should fall.

I stayed there for quite some time just poking around.

About 8 am I headed back down.

I then started to run into folks on their way up.

The first couple was very surprised to see me.

He was a photographer and carrying his tripod and camera and she was a tag along.

The next two were joggers! are they crazy running on that rocky trail?

Yes

A couple of sisters with two kids,

two gents dressed for hiking.

a family.

Going down went a lot faster than the going up took.

They really should oil the Superstition gate as it is the squeakiest thing in the world

I got down to the directional sign s for the two trails at about 8.45.

One can choose to either go to the Lost Goldmine Trail or the Hieroglyphic trail.

Since I had just finished the H Trail, and it was only 845 I figured I had time.

I decided to try the Lost goldmine Trail, never having been down that one before

It goes East and is not as rough a trail as the hieroglyphic.

It is lovely with lots of ups and downs and twists but it is much longer.

It follows the wire fence to the Superstition Wilderness for some of the time and brings one quite close to the mountain on the other side on the H. Trail.

At about 915 I turned around and headed back thinking that I had gone about two miles by that time wasn't sure how long this trail was to start with.

When I got back to the directional signs I ran into a multi generational family, a grandfather, his married children and their three children.

They wanted to take the Lost Goldmine trail and were curious what kind of trail it was.

Got back to the trail head at about 940 and ran into a couple who were hiking the trail for the first time.

The trail was very clear and well marked. I reassured her that they could not get lost. He said , "You wanna bet". We all laughed.

I took a look at the legend and found out that the last trail is about 5 and a half miles long.

Headed back to the house. The sun was out now and it was getting warm.

I saw a Raven flying to the moon.

I got back home by 1030 and shared all my stories with Aunt Mary and Uncle Ron who were just finishing their breakfast.

We went for a walk after my shower.

Then we went to the golf course and Uncle Ron hit a few balls while Aunt Mary and I did a Crossword puzzle and ordered lunch.

On the way home we toured the neighbourhood. golden eagle circle is nice.

a light supper after sitting on the patio and listening to music and Narnia.

We finished listening to the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe.

Supper and a nice chat.

Another exciting day.

Friday, walks and rocks and gates... oh my

Woke at 630 and decided at 7 to go for a walk.

It was so cold last night that the water froze.

Yes you heard me right. Froze!

In very pretty patterns.

I could see my breath as I went up the golf path.

I followed the road around the Superstition road to the other other end of the wall and went over.

There was a nice path going up towards the mountain so I followed it.

It eventually joined on to a road which I then followed to a turn where there was another path toward the mountain then followed.

There were lots of birds out this morning.

The path wound a little bit through the desert.

then there was a gate.

a new gate.

One I had never seen before which only makes sense as I was on a trail that I had never been on before.

I went through the gate and heard a shot way off to the left.

Earlier I had seen a truck parked way over across the valley and so figured that's who was doing the shooting.

I would just take care not to go to the left to much.

there was a very nice little trail going up which apparenty at one time in the recent past had horses on it.

It was a very pleasant walk just me and the birds, the cactus and the sun.

I built an Inukshuk to keep me company.

I did this very carefully turning each rock over before picking it up as one never knows what is under a rock in the desert. I was not surprised by anything at all which made me very happy.

This trail came up to a fence that was running along the mountain east west instead of the one I had been sort of following north south.

This eventually led to the gate that I had been to previously.

the superstition wilderness gate.

I followed the road down from there and since I had travelled part of this road before I knew where it would end up.

At one point I headed east on this road and found another road going south

Now when I say road I mean a Quad trail or wide path, not a paved or even gravel graded road.

This road eventually led me to another new gate and the vehicle of the person or persons who were still occasionally shooting at something way off to my left.

This gate had a road leading to the break in the wall where I scooted in and then tried to cross the golf course only to be stopped by a very deep and steep sided wash which was for me,

without gloves or boots, impassible.

(fear of poisonous snakes and spiders being my main concern not to mention the chance of slipping and falling and laying in the bottom of this large crevice, unconscious, unseen and un-findable without the aid of baying bloodhounds who would only find me after running all through the desert following my trail with their sensitive noses)

I followed it around and was just going to head south back on the golf path when a flash of red caught my eye and turned me east.

A cardinal was feeding under a bush so I attempted to get a clear shot.

I almost succeeded.

the sun was getting warmer now and I was getting thirsty having forgotten to bring a drink along, so I headed back to the house down. Canyon view Trail another new road for me. Lots of new things today and it is not even 930 am.

Thursday 25 Nov. - Happy Thanksgiving. Birds, birds birds

Cold out there today, only 48 F. when I got up at 5.

Finished a few more months of WW1 Diaries.

After breakfast we went for a walk and I saw a cardinal.

Male.

Bright Red.

He was with a female.

I tried to get a clear photo of him but no luck.

I will try again this afternoon.

It is Aunt Mary and Uncle Ron's 66TH ANNIVERSARY!

today.

They have been getting phone calls all day.

Big lunch of turkey pie, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, salad, mashed potatoes and blueberry pie for dessert.

very full now.

Went back out to find the cardinal and found someone just as exciting.

A male Phainopepla.

related to the waxwings

with the little hat of feathers.

so cool

lots of other birds as well

A thrasher

purple house finch

doves

cactus wren.

and a cool cactus

with many arms

that seemed to be hugging each other.

Had a light dinner and am now updating the blog.

going to watch a movie tonight

and go for a hike tomorrow.

do not know where yet.

maybe the hieroglyphic trail or part of it.

Wednesday 24 november - a wee hike

This morning I woke a 4 am so typed WW1 Diaries until 630 then got ready to go out for a hike to the mountain.

The sunrise was gorgeous .

The air was freezing.

I swear I could see my breath.

I followed the golf path to the break in the wall and headed up.

Up past the wire fence to keep the cows in.

the sun was just coming out and kissed the tops of the mountains.

I did not see any cows this morning.

The Mountains cast a long shadow over the neighbouring mountains across the valley.

I continued up past the end of the road and the path.

Up past where I had never gone before.

I ate a granola bar as I walked along and thought of snakes and cougars and havelina.

I cut over west, following the easiest and most open areas and found another road.

I walked up it up for a while and when it twisted back down the hill I set off again into the wilderness, only to find,

possiby the same road again about 5 minutes later.

It must have twisted back towards the mountain later on.

Again I followed the small rocky trail until it came to an opening and there was another wire fence.

The gate to Superstiton wilderness.

Now I was really going where I had never been before.

There was a trail of sorts which led

north into thick brush in low arroyos so that I could not even see the valley below.

I could of course still see the mountain and just kept going that direction.

The trail disappeared and I ended up weaving my way through brush and cactus, over rocks and around trees.

Sometimes I felt like I was going back downhill in order to find a way uphill.

I saw an openish kind of area and headed for that

and then wound my way up the hill until I could go no further without actually climbing some rocks or going off to one side or the other to find a path up.

I had decided that actually climbing in piles of rocks would probably not be the safest thing for a loan hiker to do.

Since it was then 8:15ish I thought well maybe now is a good time to turn around.

I had succeeded in my mission and had reached the part of the hill that I wanted too.

About 1 third up from the bottom of the ridge that then goes up the mountain.

So I looked for a place to put the camera to film my success and managed to poke my finger with a jumping cactus.

They do not make very good stands for cameras.

I ended up just filming myself.

Going down was not as difficult as I thought it would be .

There was, at one point, something poking me in the leg.

and when I checked to see what it was discovered a large cactus spine had somehow gone through my jeans and was sticking into my leg.

After I pulled the needle out of my leg, I poked it back through my jeans poking my finger in the process.

I took a shot of those misty mountains through my sunglasses. I think the photo is other worldly.

I found a wire fence running up and down the hill instead of across and thought I was on the wrong side so slid under it carefully and followed the trail along the fence for quite awhile.

When I thought that I had gone far enough down that I should be able to cut over to the road I ventured away from the fence and headed west.

It was not too long and I was indeed on a road of sorts. A trail really for Atvs that was not the road that I thought it would be. How many roads are there out here?

I followed this road down until it came to the wall that surrounds the subdivision.

I followed the wall back to the opening and came home.

the golf maintenance guys were still out so I followed the golf path.

It seems so funny to see them bundled up in toques and coats when they are cutting the grass on a golf course. The rest of the day was quiet. a breakfast , a crossword, a lunch, a nap, a few laughs with Aunt Mary and Uncle Ron. Tomorrow is their 66th anniversary.

Tuesday 22 Nov - Hair cut and Pizza

today we all got our hair cut and went out for launch at Bashaw's.

I finished typing Nov and Dec. WW1 Diaries.

Monday - kittens

a bob kitten walked right into the courtyard

of the house this afternoon. I saw it .... no camera..... ran to get my camera. When I went to get a photo the batteries were dead.... grabbed some new batteries...... he was still there and I got some shots. He was not as big as the first one I saw so we think that it was a young one. It was very exciting!

Sunday Evening - Thunder and lightning

It rained a little and then the sun came out.

We thought... OK... the worst is over.

There was even two rainbows in the sky.

After dinner it started.

Rain

Lightning and Thunder.

A desert storm.... very cool.

Sunday 21 November - speed and wind and reflections of the moon.

We went to church this morning after a phone call from Jo. The children's service and it was very nice. Then we went to Power road and Cocos bakery and restaurant. Very lovely and bought 2 pies, a blueberry and an apple.

off to costco but Uncle Ron went in alone and Aunt Mary and I stayed in the van. He said it was the shortest trip he has ever made into costco.

On the way home Today I drove 75 mi. p hour = 120.700 km. just keeping up with the rest of those folks on the freeway.

It was windy gusty and rainy. The flags were all standing straight out. (W at 14 mph Gusts: 29 mph... that converts to 23 Km and 47 Km respectivley)

Last night i took some shots of the moon which was full and then I got a brain storm, went out to the pool and took some photos of the moonsreflection. They turned out awesome!