Month: May 2020

Today I took Exit 38 and drove up the service road to Garcia, where I parked. I then walked up NF9020 en route, I hoped, to the top of Zig Zag Trail.

However, what I wanted to do and what I expected to be able to do were two different things. I expected to be stopped at the Mine Creek Junction due to fast moving high water. And that’s what I found:

So I just turned around and went back, although when I got to where the car was parked I strolled west about .75 mile to the Mine Creek Bridge (where Mine Creek is at its largest and strongest) to take in the view.

About 5.3 miles, rather hilly going up to where I turned around. It was a good workout. Random images:

Looking West

Heads Up

Gotta love a good workout in such an awesome place on a perfect sunny day.

Track

Many trails were opened up this past Tuesday, 5/5, and I could see as I was driving back that the local popular trails were busier than I had ever seen them. Oh, my, no chance of social distancing.

In contrast I chose a route that was a wide road most of the way, and almost certain to not be very busy. My plan was to go up a service road to the PTC; PTC to McClellan Butte Trail; MBT to service road NF9020; and then down that road, back to my car, which was parked way down on the side of the Homestead Valley Road.

So, that was the plan (check out the track) I wound up going up and up, then I started down, and as I got to a low point, I heard gunshots up ahead. Idiots illegally doing target practice. And, judging from the gun shooting detritus that litters this section, the shooting is generally accompanied by lots of drinking alcoholic beverages.

So, I can forge ahead and hope that drunken men shooting guns illegallly are going to be civil to me and lower their guns as I pass or – or I can turn around.

I turned around. Which meant I had to go back up and up, and since I turned back more than halfway through the intended loop, I wound up doing more than 9 miles where I planned on about 6.

But that is actually a good lesson learned. The way to stretch yourself (I needed it after not being able to hike for so long) is to do a hike where the second half is at least as tough as the first half – rather than a typical out-and-back where you are going up on the first half and down on the second.

So, a fun day.

Still Snow Up There