Way To Bee

DAY ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FIVE

Last night I had three unexpected guests spend the night. My brother and his daughter stayed over and one of my kid's friends also enjoyed our floor for the night. In the morning we had to feed these people. So I sent my brother off to the store to get some waffles and I went on my hike.

I didn't have much time so I decided to hike up a hill that I did a few months ago that has a cross on the top. We had some windy nights and now the cross is gone and I wanted to see if I could find where it went.

There's a bit of a trail heading up the canyon and I try to follow it. Although I do a lot of my hikes on loose, steep, crumbly rock, I prefer to follow a trail when possible. At least on this terrain. Unfortunately, the trail doesn't go very far and disappears.

I get about half way up the hill and spot a trail on the side of the hill. I make my way over to it. Slowly and cautiously, of course. Can you see it?

I get to the saddle and find a pretty good trail. Like many of the other trails in the area someone put a lot of work into this.

There is a nice view from up here.

There is also a nice view going up. I head up the trail a ways but have to turn around before I get to the top. I'll have to come again when I don't have waffles waiting.

The trail down is very well defined at least at this point. I really want to see where the trail starts so next time it'll be easier and safer to get to the top.

There is even a little fire pit that someone created. I didn't bring any firewood but it would have come in handy a bit later.

I come to this section in the trail and wonder if it's some sort of bed. It may be a directional monument because the way I take from here is obviously wrong.

It is very steep, very loose and if I make a misstep I will fall about thirty feet. I also run into a big problem. As I put my hand back on rock to support myself I disturb a swarm of bees and they start attacking me. I am trying to maintain my balance while at the same time trying not to fall and to swat bees. Since falling would be far worse than a few bee stings I move slowly and deliberately. I get past the point of immediate danger and start to move faster. Once I am clear of the bees, I stop to assess the damage. I have five stings. One on my ankle, two on my back, one on my neck and one on my ear.

That last one is the only one that hurts.