Short hike

Date: October 6, 2007
Location: Off Apache Trail, just before the pavement ends
Time and temperature: Start - 1513, 74
End - 1644, 70
Items removed from desert: One small ice chest, 3 bottles, one can, pieces of a motorcycle (maybe), one balloon, miscellaneous pieces of plastic
The number:
36 Pictures taken

Ramblings: It was really nice outside today. I went out Apache Trail almost to where it turns to dirt. I was thinking that I would try to get down to some mines I had seen at the bottom of a canyon several months ago. I didn't get very close, though. The sides of the canyons in that area are very steep. I started in a side canyon, thinking I could follow it down, but I kept encountering pour offs that dropped 10 or more feet. I was able to get around a couple of them, but I finally decided it was getting too dangerous. There was the danger of falling, the danger of getting lost (as you descend, side canyons join; don't take the wrong one back up or you're hosed), and the danger of rattle snakes. I didn't see or hear any, but I was walking around so many perfect snake hiding places that I was a nervous wreck. Gee, sometimes I make these hikes sound so unpleasant. It wasn't. It was beautiful out there, and peaceful, and cool.

You'll see some puddles of water in the pictures. You know what comes with puddles of water, right? This was the second time I've gotten mosquito bites in Arizona. For some reason they went after my left elbow.

2007_10_06