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| Hiking | 10.00 Miles |
2,800 AEG |
| | Hiking | 10.00 Miles | | | |
| 2,800 ft AEG | | 20 LBS Pack | | |
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| partners | | Bob was too nice...He didn't tell you all about my big Brainfart at the end of the Day...He was also modest with his stats as he probably did almost the entire Hike twice, thanks to the Brainfart...Liz ended up doing some additional Mileage and Elevation too... 
I have not been anywhere near this part of the Mazzies before, other than to help JJ with Shuttles...Normally, I would do some research and print out some Maps, since I don't have a GPS. But I know Bob knows this area like the back of his hand, so I neglected to do any prep...Mistake #1...Not a mistake I will ever repeat, memory willing and able...  ](https://hikearizona.com/dex2/images/smilies/eusa_wall.gif "Brick wall") I neglected to keep in mind that just because I Hike with Bob, does not mean that I actually Hike with Bob...He knows that I prefer that he Hike at his own pace and just wait for me at the destination... 
But, I get ahead of myself...
After meeting Bob and Liz in FH, I enjoyed a "refreshing" ride to the Peeley TH in Bob's open Jeepmobile...  Soon after we began the Hike, Bob shows us his best impression of a Mourning Dove Call...And as I found out much later, it was pretty d*** good...  And the Bird Calls continued long into the day, both from Bob, Liz and the real McCoy...  Bob even tried to call in a Turkeyraven, but apparently they were not impressed...
Mistake #2...In trying to push through the uphill as quickly as possible, I failed to note any Landmarks and other somewhat important stuff... 
I reach the area where you leave the Trail and go up to the Saddle...Bob doesn't know how to spell my name and I don't know how to read, but the Arrow made it obvious...  And then, a Mourning Dove with really good lungs is heard from the Top...With that "Blaze Orange" shirt, Bob doesn't even come close to impersonating a Robin... He's pretty easy to pick up from afar, even through Pine Trees... By the time I reach the Saddle, I think Bob and Liz probably had time for a solid 6-pack and had gotten down to the business at hand...
I alternate from the 3 lb big Binoculars that I brought and my Camera Zoom Lens...Neither is a match for the Telescope that Bob was using...Wow! If Liz or I saw an area of interest, we could pretty much discount it with that thing...Albeit a little bulky to carry, it's a good tool for this... 
It's now midday and getting warm...No shade here, this Saddle is a crispy critter from the Fire...After a Demo from Bob about the proper form in which to launch an Agave Stalk, we change locations and climb up to the west side of Peak 6592 for a new perspective and a chance at shade. After an hour or so, glassing the area some more, it's time to head down...
I managed to keep up with Bob and Liz for most of the Hike down, even though it felt like they were practically running... And then, gradually the gap started to widen, but I could still pick out Bob's shirt in the near distance pretty easily...And then, we're almost through the Switchbacks and Bob's shirt disappears for good...
Ready for the Brainfart??? It's a good one...  I had a pretty good sense of direction, but somehow I took one turn too many at the bottom of the Switchbacks...I followed the Trail for awhile as it descended, expecting it to Switchback the other direction, (any time now would be good...  ) I follow it for about a half a mile and start to second guess myself. Things are looking not quite the same as they did this morning and I sense things aren't quite right...While I was stopped, I hear a Mourning Dove Call from below me in the Trees...It's thick down there so I can't see any Orange, but I'm thinking that maybe I was on track and continue further down...
Almost to the bottom and a Mourning Dove, impersonating a fellow Hiker and friend, flushes out of a Tree... That was only one piece of Concrete Evidence in a line of many that finally convinced me I was waaaayyyy off base here...I knew that I still going the wrong direction, and I should have hit the Mt. Peeley TH by this point...I was also starting to see Carsonite Markers for the AZT, which I think I would have remembered passing this morning...And there was no way I hiked the section of Trail that was in front of me...It was a downhill slope paved with Ankle Busting Rocks... Now, I'm pretty pissed at myself for making such a huge mistake and I'm worried about what Bob and Liz are thinking and doing at this point...S***!!!
I steel myself for the Hike back up and begin...I use my whistle a couple of times, just to try and alert Bob and Liz of where I am, because I know by now, they are no longer waiting at the Jeep and are on their way back up...About an 1/8 of a Mile from my "errant" Switchback, which by the way is also marked with Cairns but no other Markers, I use the Whistle again and hear Liz holler back from a few Switchbacks above me...We meet up and she tells me Bob has gone further up to look...
Mistake #3...I neglected to get Bob or Liz's Phone number which would have been invaluable during my little adventure, since I ended up having good service...Turns out Bob left his phone at the Jeep anyway, so by the time Liz finally caught up to him, he was already around the other side of the Mountain, running...
We finally all meet back up with me feeling like a complete idiot and completely embarrassed...We Hike back down the Trail (the right one this time) and get to the Jeep...Enjoy a nice, albeit somewhat dusty ride out, laughing at the Rock Squirrel that we caught coming and going down the road. We also flushed out a White-tailed Deer that with impressive leaps and bounds, disappeared in a heartbeat...
Got back to FH a little later than planned... Liz wasn't going to have time for her planned nap...  Thanks for driving Bob and for a mostly good day!!!
Bob was nice enough to not share my "adventure" with you all, even though I'm sure it stressed him and Liz out for a bit...I decided that these are unnecessary mistakes, and by sharing, maybe I can keep others from making them as well, if for no other reason than to spare your Hiking Companions some angst...If I had been by myself, it would have been a "no harm, no foul" kind of mistake, but when it impacts others, they are not mistakes worth making... 
Bob, Liz, thanks for being so understanding...I wish I could forgive myself as fast as you two did...I always count my blessings with friends like you guys...
Joe...Sooner or later, someone will find you so you can finally come home...I really don't care who does it, just so it gets done...I do not know you, have never had the pleasure of meeting you, but I do know that you have some awesome friends that I am also proud to call my own and they miss you very much... 
And so ends a day of friendship, laughs, hope, and lessons learned...
Sorry Bob, just couldn't resist...My voice is way too loud in these unfortunately...I need to learn to use the LCD Screen instead of the Viewfinder so that I'm farther away from the Camera....Thanks for the Laughs Bob!!! 
Turkey Impression....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoGTI-JtFsE
More Bob Impressions...This shouldn't be a Video...More like an Audio Recording with a View...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7VxnDhRmj0
And Bob's Olympic Javelin Throwing Demo...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzerD-JN_fY |
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Wildflowers Observation Substantial
The Hills are covered in Verbena, with other species making a showing every once in a while... |
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| Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty & well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, totally worn out & proclaiming, "Wow What a Ride!" |
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Route Editor
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