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| Canyoneering | 7.30 Miles |
1,000 AEG |
| | Canyoneering | 7.30 Miles | 7 Hrs | | 1.04 mph |
| 1,000 ft AEG | | | | |
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| | Canyon Hiking - Non-technical; no rope; easy scrambling; occasional hand use | | C - Strong current; wading/swimming; waterfalls; possible wet/dry suit | | III - Normally requires most of a day |
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| no linked trail guides |
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| no partners | | 14+ Mile Bike and Hike
This took much longer than I expected. With no available hiking partners, I ended up parking my van at Round Valley around 5:50am, unloaded my mountain bike, and started pedaling my way up towards Bushnell Tanks. What I didn't anticipate was the 1100 foot climb in elevation. I'm a hiker, not a cyclist.
The first 5 miles of the bike ride was a killer. I had to get off the bike and rest a couple of times. Luckily, the last mile or so is on a gentle downhill that leads right to the turnoff at Bushnell. I went around the barracade and rode down an additional half mile down to a trailhead. I started the hike down Sycamore at 7am sharp.
This hike is a bushwhacking, boulder hopping adventure. Beautiful pockets of slick granite are spread out along the route. A little under half-way in I experienced a painful leg cramp in my thigh above the knee. I massaged it a bit and continued on. Then my other leg started to cramp. What is going on? I continued on and soon the cramping moved to my calf on one leg and then the other. I've never experienced this kind of cramping on a hike, and assume it must have had something to do with the biking. The cramps really made the boulder hopping a challenge. Soon I found myself swimming through pools instead of climbing around them. It was easier, and actually, quite refreshing.
My cautious pace turned this into a much longer hike than anticipated. My plan to be back by 11am became 12pm, then 1pm, then 2pm. Ultimately, I reached the vehicle, drove up to retrieve my bike at Bushnell and then headed back to the valley. Didn't make it home until 3pm. |
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Wildflowers Observation Light
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| This is my gym. I have to travel down a bumpy road to get there. There are no treadmillls, no machines, and no personal trainers. I walk..I run..I breathe the fresh air. I can go any time I want, as much as I want and there is no membership fee. |
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