The Buck Stops Here

DAY ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY TWO

Every day the forecast for the desert shows a high of over 110º. Whenever possible I will be going to higher elevations for my hike. Luckily for me today, I was able to.

The closest place I can get to that is out of the heat is the Pacific Crest Trail. The temperature there is almost 90º but compared to home it feels cool to me.

Mercifully, a lot of the trail is in the shade so that helps make it very comfortable. Kahlua doesn't know what it's like to hike in such nice weather. She runs around and tries to catch anything the moves: butterflies, blowing leaves, ants and a baby rabbit. I'm happy when the rabbit gets away.

I hike up the trail a bit and see this clearing has been cleared out a bit. I don't know if it's been logged, if it's being cleared as a fire break or if development is on the way. Whatever is going on, it is a shame that it has to happen within the view of the trail. In my opinion, the trail corridor should be kept as pristine as possible.

There has definitely been some logging going on.

And this road is new.

Here is what is creating this destruction. This little area would make a nice yellow post campsite but I doubt that is what's going on here.

We decide to do a little investigation so we walk up this road to see what's up here.

OK. This sign is persuasive at getting me to turn around. If I ever had some property that I didn't want people to come onto I'd get a sign like this. Explosives and lasers! Adios.

We decide to go back and see if the road we're on takes us back to Hwy. 74. In the meadow, I see this buck grazing.

He's very wary. He takes a couple of bites and looks up. I think he senses Kahlua running up and down the road although I don't think he can see her with all the vegetation. Shortly after this he heads off into the woods.

We continue up this road, through this open gate, putting distance between us and the lasers and explosives.

There's a sign showing the Forest Service boundary. Unfortunately, we are on the wrong side of the fence.

We work our way to a place where we can hop the fence and get back to Highway 74. It'll be an easy mile to get back to the parking area and the Jeep.

The sun is going down just as we reach the parking area.

Kahlua enjoys are well deserved drink. She's not bottle trained but this bottom of a Del Taco cup works very well. For her birthday, though, I think I'll get her a real doggie hiking bowl. She's earned it.