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| Hiking | 3.57 Miles |
536 AEG |
| | Hiking | 3.57 Miles | 1 Hour 18 Mns | | 2.75 mph |
| 536 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | The Magnum Distance. It also occurs twice a day and, even better, the M-16 Hour occurs four times a day (depending on if you use English or Metric). I consider 357, 223 and 556 to thus be very propitious numbers. 
It was 72° at 0740. Unfortunately, I ended up not leaving until 0800. As I wandered across my dim bedroom, towards my hiking clothes, I noticed something on the floor. Looked like a dried leaf. We have lots of plants. So, I reached down to pick it up. Instead of crinkling, it smooshed. I knew right away what it was: Cat Dingleberry.  The amusement nearly matched my disgust, similar to what a parent feels after their infant makes a particularly heroic effort in his/her diaper. Much scrubbing and Lysoling ensued.
I was maybe a quarter mile into my hike when I heard a buzz. My first thought, as I turned around, was "large bug". I've never seen a snake, of any sort, alive or dead, in the Mountain Preserve, and certainly not in the area between 7th St and Cave Creek Rd. But it was a snake, looked like a Western Diamondback, even though it's color was kind of reddish. (Action shot: youtu.be/Mso60Ho76fw ) It was right near some houses, so I thought about calling the Herp Society, but put it off, reasoning that if was there when I came back, then I would.
The nascent contour-hugging trail on the north side of the Thunderbird paralleling ridge has been completed, it now connects to both ends of the trail over the ridge, about 60-90 feet below the ridge's high line. In the area just to the south of the east junction of those trails, where on 1/25 I saw buckets and possible new trail being scraped out, I did not find any further scraping out. Instead the area had been paved with granite (1/25: [ photo ] ... 5/20: [ photo ] ). I can't imagine someone hauling a ton of gravel up the trail, so one of they must have crushed one of the small boulders in the area.
When I was about a hundred yards away from the snake bush, two people approached me with a 12-week old chocolate lab. Friendly little fella.  After scratching him, I started to walk off, and he began following me. I guess he hasn't quite yet figured out who is in his pack.
I was not rattled on approaching the snake bush, and despite cautiously peering about, failed to spot him. |
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| http://prestonm.com : Everyone's enjoyment of the outdoors is different and should be equally honored. |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
