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| Hiking | 4.28 Miles |
1,220 AEG |
| | Hiking | 4.28 Miles | 2 Hrs 8 Mns | | 2.49 mph |
| 1,220 ft AEG | 25 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | I left from the VC late in the day, knowing I wouldn't get back until after dark. Wanted to avoid the heat. My car gauge showed 90 d. but it didn't feel that warm on the trail.
As I got around to the summit trail on the N of Shaw, I noticed an obese woman in black clothes coming up from the Central Ave parking lot. We almost collided. She moved slowly taking small, measured steps. If the summit was the destination, I gave her less than a 50-50 chance. I thought how distressed I would feel if this tortoise beat me, the hare, to the top. After all, this was a test of how hike-ready I was for a weekend of serious jaunts around Tucson.
It was one of those days when I had known from the very first step at the VC that I was going to do well. My legs felt extra strong and I had no heavy lunch setting on my stomach as usual. Made it up to the summit towers nonstop in 51 minutes from the VC. That's a sprint for me.
Up on top, sweat rolled down from my knees and, sadly, there was no comforting breeze. The yellow and orange airsock was absolutely limp. I had the summit to myself for a long time. The views were awful. Haze in every direction, and an ugly sunset was in the offing.
Just as I was getting ready to leave I caught sight of the woman in black. She made it! It took her 21 minutes longer than me but she made it. Without praising her too much, there's a big bunch of willpower in that woman. It made me feel good to know there are people like her fighting their own battles in their own quiet way, every day. I felt somehow connected to the world again. I'm so sick of this stupid political bickering, the hatred, the anger and the meanness and posturing. It's one of the reasons I like to hike, to get away from all that stuff.
Coming down at dusk, I passed 34 hikers on their way up. That included a group of 18 adults and teens. They already had their flashlights out. About 5 minutes from the VC, coyotes broke out into howling and barking maybe 100 yards S of me. They heard the fire sirens long before I did, and their howling intensified as the fire truck passed by on 7th St. The commotion lasted a long time, maybe a minute. I love that. Ah, wilderness. Even if it is in the middle of one of the largest cities on earth. |
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Wildflowers Observation Isolated
Very few wildflowers but these hills were lit up in the yellow of flowering palo verde and creosote. |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
