Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Thirsting for more


January 13, 2009
Day Thirteen

Today I have a few hours so I look forward to doing a nice hike of several miles.  All I have to do is drop the kids at school, change vehicles with my wife, go home and pick up my stuff and I'm off.  I drop the kids, switch vehicles, give my wife her keys and head home.  Arriving home, I discover I don't have a key to get in the house.  My keys are still lost.  So....I head back to my wife's work and get a key, eating up valuable hiking time.

Since I don't yet have a hiking routine, I am going to have to make a list until this all becomes a habit.  OK, I have keys. Check.  They are secure.  Check.  I have a hat, sunscreen, a pack and a plan.  Check.  I'm ready to go. 

I go back out to the trailhead in La Quinta and today I think I'll follow the blue arrow.
The blue arrow leads to this old tire.  The Old Tire Trail has a nice ring to it.

  If there is anyone out there who doesn't think that recycling is a good idea, this picture is for you.  Before hitting the wilderness, I get to walk through the remnants of an old garbage dump. 


I finally get to a trail sign after hiking about 25 minutes.  I guess it's not the Old Tire Trail after all.  I can see why they wouldn't put this sign closer to the road, though.  Who'd want their trail to go through a dump?

Cholla cactus.  Look but don't touch.

A view of Mount San Jacinto in the distance to the left of Coyote Mountain.  

As I look back over the desert before heading back, I reach into my pack to grab something to quench my thirst and discover there is one more thing I have to add to my list to bring on every hike.
Water.

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