Erik takes a hike

Lauren has a couple of friends visiting from Wisconsin. They say that a hot day there is about 80 degrees. Still, Erik wanted to go for a hike in the desert. I didn't want to go someplace that would be to rough for somebody that wasn't used to the heat. On the other hand, I didn't want to insult Erik by going someplace that was too easy. I decided that we would hike to the top of a ridge in Bulldog Canyon. We would take a route that would keep us in shade most of the way.

I always wear long pants (denim) when I hike. I like the protection. I see people hiking in shorts and figure I must be clumsy to have to wear long pants. Erik was wearing shorts, but I didn't say anything. I probably should have since we would be hiking off-trail. I don't think he had any long pants with him, though, so it probably wouldn't have made any difference. Erik's tough, though.

Erik wouldn't stay out of the cholla balls.

He doesn't look like he's melting in the sun.

We got to the top of the ridge and cooled off in the shade of a saguaro before starting back down. On the way back, I took a slightly wrong turn. Then Erik started saying that we had come up some other way. He said he could see a way down in a direction that I didn't think there was a way down. We had enough sunlight, energy, and water so I followed him. It wasn't too long before we got to one of the tallest cliffs on that ridge. No way down. Erik was saying that he thought he could get down the cliff (teenagers are invincible, after all), but I'd had enough nonsense and didn't want to have to tell his family how he died. We went back to the top and down my way.

Erik didn't have much of a problem with the heat. He had some long pants with him to go for another hike today. I have a few things I need to do around the house today, though.

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