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| Hiking | 10.41 Miles |
1,338 AEG |
| | Hiking | 10.41 Miles | 3 Hrs 56 Mns | | 2.65 mph |
| 1,338 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | Having hiked the narrow upper end of Orofino Wash a few weeks ago, on the Orofino #107 hike, I figured further down the wash would open up. Be wider, flatter and less rocky. That's never a sure thing -- maps lie -- but in this case it was true. 70% of the loop is sandy, so the going was more tiring than I expected.
As warm as it was when I started at 0807, I expected it to be at mid-day. Worse yet, there was almost no shade. And no breeze (except on top of Hill 4690). I had my normal liquid load with me -- five 16.9 oz water bottles and two 20 oz G2 Gatorades for a total of 124.5 oz -- and I used all of it. I could have drunk more, but I timed it so I used my last sip as I approached Orofino Windmill on my return. Maybe I just drink more than most people? (Go ahead, swing at that softball ...)
I saw several blue jays, but could not get a good photo of them. There are also black cattle on the loop, especially on the outbound leg towards Holder Tank.
I took a sit down break next to the USLM. On the way down from the USLM, I saw a loose, roughly oval, pile of rocks, At one end was a larger, upright, smooth-faced rock. It looked like a grave stone, but the etching was faint, and did not appear to be a name.
A few feet down from there, I got a sharp pain in the left butt cheek. My first thought was snake -- that girl in the Daily Mail article said the copperhead bite on her foot felt like a bee sting -- but I did not see any snakes. I walked another 20 yards, and felt another sharp pain. I patted my butt, but felt no pricklers. I walked another 20 yards, and another sharp pain. I patted again, thinking maybe a scorpion had got in my pants. When I got to the jeep trail at the bottom of Hill 4690, there was luckily one of the hike's few shady spots. I put on some leather gloves, dropped trou and inspected what was inside. (Take another swing ...) It was a big red fire ant. He was big anough to grab with gloves on. I tossed him him aside, zipped up, and continued on my way. Thankfully the ant hadn't moved into the nearby neighborhood, if you get my drift. My butt was sore for the next three hours.
My wife shopped in Prescott while I was hiking, and when I returned she had a Yarnell 19 t-shirt for me.
In Yarnell, the relief station that was in the street outside the community center is no longer there. The trailers that burned near the highway are being replaced. I stopped at the flags just north of Congress, figuring they were for the Granite Mountain Hotshots. I counted only 13. I checked over the railing, and saw that several had fallen. So, I wedged them back into the railings. Made me feel like I did something positive with my day.
I was still so adrenalized when I got home that I never did get to sleep last night, other than a few minutes here or there. |
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Wildflowers Observation Isolated
Large field of mojave prickly poppies between the windmill and corral at Holder Tank. Scattered fingernail-size purple and yellow flowers. |
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Holder Tank |
76-100% full |
76-100% full |
| | | Depression tank and concrete tanks dry. Small metal circle tank full. (And has many bees.) |
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Homestead Tank |
26-50% full |
26-50% full |
| | | Only depression tank on the loop with water. | | _____________________
| http://prestonm.com : Everyone's enjoyment of the outdoors is different and should be equally honored. |
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Route Editor
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