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| | | Over John Quartz Slate, AZ | | | |
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Over John Quartz Slate, AZ
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| Hiking | 7.40 Miles |
1,034 AEG |
| | Hiking | 7.40 Miles | 2 Hrs 36 Mns | | 2.92 mph |
| 1,034 ft AEG | 4 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | Hikin' on a Thursday. Still just feels like a long vacation plus I have to work Mon-Wed next week while my replacement retrieves her car from the east coast.
The entrance has a most interesting card reader set up. Picked this clockwise loop to get in some miles. It was a little warmer than I expected. The Clay Mine Trail once you come off of Go John entrance, is tapped down very nicely than when I was on it last as it just barely been cut. I, of course, was looking forward to the shade of Overton as I hiked the western side of this loop. Encountered 5 people two dogs on this section. Introduced one of the hikers to lichen. As you near the top of Overton, I saw some of the burn area so took a few pictures. This part was still in the shade and it's when you get closer to Go John that you can really see more of the burn that swiped across this section. There were a couple really green plants here and there though.
On my way down Go John I encountered 3 more people and then another 3 at the junction with Clay. The 3 at the junction were looking at a map so I advised them about the loop I just did. However, they wanted to get back to Overton and I advised them on that but the one lady with them said, "no, that's not what we want", so I walked away. I continued on Go John to the bench as you get part way up the eastern hill (checked the temp as it seemed warm, it was 80) and then continued toward the Quartz Trail. I did encounter a very nicely dressed gentleman that looked like he should be hiking in the tropics. A+ for style as everything matched beautifully. 
I took a break at the north Quartz saddle to take a couple bites of my granola bar; however, it had chocolate in it so it was melty and hard to eat. I headed down the Quartz and Slate only seeing one other soul on a bike. So this is what it's going to be like to hike on a weekday. Got back to Tonto Jr and realized I should have brot a beer to drink but I did go ahead and have a brew when I got home; it's just not the same as sitting at the TH. The only wildlife I saw today was a coyote on the drive in, a lizard and a squirrel. Oh, the 360 distant air was VERY smazy this morning; especially around Black Mountain area it seemed; sorry Greg and Cathy.
For my personal record - Watch numbers: 7.29 on miles in 2:36 avging 2.7 MPH and 130 bpm with a high of 155 bpm. I spent 40 minutes at max Heart Zone 5, an hour at Zone 4, an hour at Zone 3. Burned 1069 calories. Watch says it was 68 degrees and 23% humidity but google said it was 80 at 17% humidity.
So far this week I did a hike on Sunday, a hike on Monday and I went to gym class, Wed I went to a new gym class at a different gym, hike today and tomorrow I'll try a different gym and class again (I now belong to 3 gyms, I'd like to say Clubs but Denny calls me out on that  .) Currently that's why my retirement is like: what am I going to do for exercise today?, which reminds me, I need to go book a class for tomorrow AM. |
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For me, sometimes it's just as much about the journey as the destination.
Oh, and once in awhile, don't forget to look back at the trail you've traveled. |
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. If the sun would stay out it was tolerable. I hiked down the long switchbacks noting some cool geology off to the right (north); guess I never noticed the curving lines on the mountainside rock. It's nice once you get down to the flatter part as the saguaros start to line the trail. I noticed another mine shaft off to my left (southeast) that I hadn't noticed before.
](https://hikearizona.com/dex2/images/smilies/eusa_wall.gif "Brick wall"){kind=small}
. It was warm as I made my way north on the Overton where I would encounter two hikers and four horseback riders. That would be the last sign of humans until I started up the south side of Go John. The bottom stretch of this is longer than I thot and the switchback was shorter than I thought.
I followed it till I lost the trail. I then turned back to the Go John trail. 
. By getting my annual pass I could, with a clear conscience, hit the Clay Mine trail which has been on my radar for a couple of months. They extended the Clay Mine almost a year ago and I've been wanting to check out this new section. 
