Thursday, March 3, 2011

Thursday 3rd March - Wandering in the Wilderness

Woke up early even for me.
Watched some tai chi for beginners and then at 545 went out for a hike to the mountian.
It was very dark.
No moon.
No stars so there were clouds.
I walked along the golf path to the fence where we usually get out and realized that I did not have my little flashlight so using the flash on the camera found out that they had fixed it, the whole in the fence.
So using the flash from my camera I walked down the fence line till I came to an area where I could get over the fence with the use of my jacket. (barbed Wire) when finally on the other side, I walked to where I thought I remembered following a trail up tp the mountain last year.
After 15 minutes the trail ended at the fence and there was no gate. There should have been a gate. there was no gate so I turned and headed back.
once at the road again I headed off further down until I came to another trail but it looked like it met up with the one that I was just on so I continued past it.
then a very promising and familiar trail appeared before me. I followed it up and by that time the sun was rising and I could see far better.
Came to the first fence with its gate and sign.
After much labour managed to get it open and closed after me. a very well travelled trail but very windy and curvy and lots of times taking me in what appeared to be the wrong direction from where I actually wanted to go.
Lots of birds singing and moving around by now but no other wildlife. Since it was a pasture? land I thought maybe I might see some cows, but no.
Eventually there was another fence with gate and just before the fence a marker for another trail which seemed to go west but on the outside of the Superstition Wilderness park?
Which way to go? I went through the gate in the fence and into the Superstition Wilderness. The trail that I was following was not all that clear actually and eventually it petered out.
I went west thinking that the other trail would show up and since west was the original direction that I had wanted to go it seemed logical. Through washes, and clearings. over hills and around many cacti and mesquite trees. The mountain was getting closer but there was no sign of the trail. there were flowers. Like the wire lettuce and popcorn flower, or the mexican Gold poppy that hadn't even opened up yet,
At 800 am I stopped and had refreshments. Grape juice in a wine glass. Will from the coffee shop asked me to go into the desert and have a glass of wine and think of him so I did, just not fermented. I had a lot of fun placing the glass into a variety of cactus wine glass holders.
Once I had finished playing the wino in the wilderness I headed back and finally found the fence with the path that I was looking for on the other side. No way around so I crawled under but not before spilling some of that grape juice on my camera.
Horrors. I wiped it off very quickly with the kleenex that I had in my pockets and it seemed none the worse for wear.
it was now about 830 and I thought well I will just continue down the path until 9 and see how far I get.
I got pretty far actually and if I had not gone up the wrong path and then fooled around in the wilderness with wine , I could have actually gotten quite a bit further down the trail as it was a good trail. I would like to see where it ends up. maybe tomorrow.
At 9 I turned around and headed back. I passed the cave that I would really like to get to but it doesn't look as though there any trails that go up there. I passed my own footprints in the sand and decided that if I go on Man-tracker, I have to get shoes that don't leave such a clear and visible imprint.
I got to the main road about 10 am and met a jogger. Funny how we are so ritualized. We both said good morning and how are you at the exact same moment and gave our replies at the same time as well, so I think that she is great.
Got back to my fence and climbed over with aid of jacket again. of course this time I could see the little flowers that were growing right there and so I grabbed a couple of shots. very cute little Fiddlenecks. Although when I look at the photo there seems to also be some scorpion weed and a five pointed flower of some kind.
by now the temperature must have been 75 F. I saw a roadrunner across the course who was quite intent on something in the grass. I got home about 1030 am and was glad for it too. A big glass of water with ice and a nice sit down and chat with Aunt MAry and Uncle Ron.

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