Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self. - Cyril Connolly
Thursday, May 25, 2006
It's a Good Thing
I initially thought that renting an SUV was a bit of an extravagance, but also affordable in light of the fact that my airfare and housing are all paid for on this trip. When I was here last, it was late February, and many of the more remote trail heads and the roads leading to them were closed for the winter. Naturally, those are the trails I want to hike this time. I grossly underestimated the time it takes to get to some of these trail heads on unpaved mountain roads. At less than 10 miles an hour to navigate ruts, rocks, and sand, the 6 mile trip to the trail head for this morning's hike took almost a half hour. The back roads all have "Primitive Road" signs and warn that 4WD and high clearance vehicles are recommended. Recommended?? There is NO way a regular rental car of any type could navigate these ruts.
Here is an example of a useful sign:
When you are doing a 2,000 ft.descent over 7 miles in first gear with 4WD, trying to navigate switchbacks, no side rails, and a 1,000 ft. fall into the Canyon below? Well, this sign is not really helpful:
This morning I was up and out early to beat the mid day heat and get two hikes in. I climbed 500 feet over a mile of rocks to reach the top of "Devil's Bridge". The view from the top was worth every complaint from my out of shape thighs and calves. I met quite a character at the top. He had climbed the entire trail in his bare feet and had nothing on but an old pair of shorts. Long ponytail and grey beard, he sat out on the ledge playing an Indian flute. "Devil's Bridge" is a vortex site, and he was an artist on a "journey of personal discovery". I talked to him for quite a while and walked back down the mountain with him. Completely and totally crazy. At the trailhead, he shared his fresh strawberries with me out of the back of an ancient truck that had all his earthly belongings crammed into it. You meet some interesting types out on the trail around here. After that, I headed to "Vultee Arch", which also provided a spectacular view of a unique arch formation.
Back to the condo for soup and a sandwich, check email, and relax for a little bit to avoid the hottest part of the day. Although the sun is really strong, I am wearing enough sunblock to keep a vampire alive, and the temps aren't too bad (about 90).
This afternoon's hikes are another unique rock formation area called "Cow Pies", and a stroll along the canyon wall in Oak Creek for the "Jim Thompson" trail. If I make them all, I'll have covered almost 10 miles in trails and 1,000 feet in elevation.
I think there is a swim and jacuzzi in my future this evening...
Ignoring the spectre of jacuzzi photos, that is exactly what SUVs are for; if the only SUVs in the world were being used on ranches and rented for driving on unimproved roads, I don't think anyone would any problem with them at all. Same with pickups, really; if every other pickup I saw was loaded with stuff (since they'd still be empty one way) I wouldn't mind them at all.
jacuzzi photos? Thank goodness!!