Midnight Rambler

DAY THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY THREE

Work and hiking sometimes do not mix. In fact, they seldom do. But today they were especially opposed to one another. I had two choices when it came to hiking today: wake up before the sun (again) and greet the day or wait until after work and wander around in the moonlight. After yesterday's debacle I figured the latter would be the best--no, the only--choice. There was no way I was waking up early this morning.

It's a couple of days until the full moon. For the hiker, it is even better than the full moon because the moon is much higher in the sky earlier than on the night that the moon is at 100%. The moonlight is so intense that I don't even bother to bring a headlamp.

I considered going to Palm Desert, Palm Springs and the Tramway but settled on hiking near home in La Quinta. I don't have a spare tire so I really didn't want to drive very far.

The moonlight is so bright it illuminates everything around. I can make out the shapes of mountains miles away. Unfortunately, my camera cannot capture that image so I have one of this palm tree instead.

Not only is the trail lit by the moon, it also sort of looks like it.

In the moonlight, plants all look fairly similar because you can make out shapes but not really detail. So, rule one is don't touch anything. You might think it's a harmless Desert Lavender but instead it's a Pencil Cholla. These hurt.

The only plant that is easy to differentiate is the Ocotillo. There's nothing else that looks like this. And don't touch these either. They have HUGE spines.

I caught Kahlua stalking something but it was only her own shadow. When I took this picture it went away.

There's a certain magic to walking in the moonlight whether in the mountains, at the beach or in the desert. The darkness adds to the feeling of solitude and requires that you move slower than in the daylight. There's an opportunity to drink in more wildness than during the day. And since the full moon isn't for two more days, you have a chance to get out and experience it yourself. Take an hour and walk around the closest trail to your home in only the moonlight. You'll come home a different person. I do every time.

Boyz in the Hood

DAY THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THREE

After two days of new hikes I was back to the familiar terrain of La Quinta today. But to make it seem new again I took my son, Nikolas, and some boys from the neighborhood.

We start at the La Quinta flood control basin. It's like a gateway to another world for these kids. We'll soon leave the concrete completely behind.

We make our way up a little draw and Johnnie says he saw a rat run into a hole. I think it was probably an Antelope Ground Squirrel but it's a rat to him.

Taking the boys out to climb on some rocks is like putting a fish in water.

Maybe I should have told them not to touch the cactus. I figured they'd have known that but I guess not.

These guys feel right at home here and while a lot of the country is buried under snow we have a perfect day for a hike.

I get the strange feeling I'm about to get ambushed.

We are headed up to the watering hole in the canyon to see if there is still any water or maybe we'll get lucky and spot an animal. Nik is ready in case we come across a mountain lion or coyote.

There's still water here almost two weeks after the last rain but Kahlua is the only one to enjoy it. The boys think it looks a little too much like pee to want to take a drink. Of course, if they were really thirsty they might not care but we're close enough to home that they will wait until we can get some clean water. I really enjoy taking the boys out so they can see what kind of things their neighborhood has to offer.

Fun In The Rain and Snow

THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY SIX

My kids are like any Southern California kids; they love to go to the snow. Since I went on Monday I figured it would be fun to take the boys and some friends up to Idyllwild for a little snow play. There was only one problem. While there was plenty of snow on the ground, it was raining all the way up to Humber Park.

The temperature at Humber Park was 36º, just above freezing. I can't think of more miserable conditions for a hike or snow play. I leave the kids to play in the snow for a bit as I head up the Devil's Slide Trail.

On this day, the wilderness is particularly wild. Without proper gear and clothing, hypothermia would set in quickly. Being cold is one thing but being cold and wet is death waiting to happen. It would be better if it were colder and snowing.

I come upon some snow that I know not to eat.

I continue up the trail but head back before going very far. I'm prepared with layers and a waterproof shell but I'm worried about the kids. Most of them are wearing cotton sweatshirts. They are going to be cold when I get back.

They're smiling because I've got the heater in the van going full blast and they're looking forward to having a sauna like ride home.

Worried that I didn't really fulfill my hiking requirement for the day, I went out with Kahlua at night just to be sure. I felt bad that I didn't take her to the snow and had to make it up to her.

There's a slight rain falling but it feels nice compared to the weather earlier today. Next time I go up to the snow I'll either wait until it's actually snowing or go alone.

Water Canyon

DAY THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR

This morning my schedule forced me to get up early and do my hike before taking Nikolas to school. I don't like it this early but you do what you gotta do.

I don't often enjoy it but the sunrise sure is purdy.

I hiked up to some water tanks yesterday so today I headed over to another spot where water collects to see how it looks. Over twenty years ago when I hiked this trail it was faint and rarely used. Now, there's a sign and a fair amount of traffic although this time of day it's pretty deserted.

Kahlua and I have the place to ourselves.

One of these days I'm going to follow this canyon to the end but today we're just going to see if there's any water.

Someone has built this little dam but with a sandy bottom there's no chance for any water to stay for long.

Above this first dry waterfall is a tank that should have some water.

There's a significant amount of water in this tank and Kahlua says it's really tasty, too.

There may be more water further up this canyon but Kahlua, while a good hiker, isn't much of a rock climber so we'll have to stop here.

Tried and True

DAY THREE HUNDRED AND THIRTY ONE

There are days when I don't need to try some place new, do something challenging or travel very far. Today was one of those days. The day after Thanksgiving should be one of those lazy days with nothing planned but sitting around and watching sports on TV (or getting up at 2 a.m. to get a deal on that TV to watch sports on). Unfortunately, some of us have to work but that didn't mean I didn't have time to take Kahlua out for a little walk.

Kahlua and I went up to the top of the Cove here in La Quinta for a little two mile loop and saw we weren't alone. Other people decided it would be a good day to walk off yesterday's gluttony.

It seems Kahlua didn't get enough bird yesterday. She tries to catch a raven to no avail.

We're soon on the trail and it's more relaxing than all the Tryptophan we took in yesterday.

It's so relaxing, in fact, that we bypass the place I'd planned to turn and just kept on going. That's not a problem out here because there isn't a wrong way out here.

You always seem to come across something interesting.

This Ocotillo has absolutely no leaves or sign of life but this one blossom.

It seems that some people have worked off their Thanksgiving surplus by hiking up this sandy hill that Nikolas and I broke in a while ago but I don't have energy for that today.

Plenty of families are out today, which is nice to see, but I'll be seeing plenty more families coming in at work so a two mile loop is just what I need today to stretch out the muscles and unfurl the mind. Now it's back to reality.

Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood

DAY THREE HUNDRED AND TWENTY THREE

Pain usually gets worse on the second day after a big physical push for me but I actually feel OK today. OK except when I move. Then, my calves hurt, my knees are a bit wobbly and my kidneys feel like they've been punched. I haven't figured out if sitting or lying down is preferable because they but have their own problems. When I sit down my glutes hurt and while I lie down I start cramping up. I wish I felt good enough to go somewhere but I don't so I got Kahlua and went out to our little neighborhood trails.

Kahlua hasn't been out in a few days so she's very excited to chase anything that moves even it's just the wind blowing on a creosote bush.

It's great to be able to just leave my house and go out and hike but I'd sure like to see some different scenery, like maybe Zion National Park or the Na Pali Coast.

I just wish the trail was not quite so rocky; my footing is not so great today for some reason.

There are so many ways to go that even the trail makers here weren't sure. There is the more modern trail with the rock outline and the rock piles from the original Indian path.

But none of that matters to Kahlua. Regardless of whatever path there is, cross country is her favorite mode of travel. In a few days, when I'm back among the living that'll be mine, too.

Home Again, Home Again

DAY THREE HUNDRED AND TWELVE

After two days out on new trails it was time to get back to the familiar. I asked the kids and the wife if they wanted to go but they declined. Kahlua had no such choice; she's on a leash. I wish I had one for the other family members but they probably wish the same thing for me.

I headed out on this familiar trail and am happy that as I'm heading out six people are heading in. Kahlua and I have this little wilderness to ourselves.

Kahlua the hunter is always on the lookout for something. If a bug so much as moves, she's on it.

I don't think she should mess with this, though.

We go a different way then we've ever gone before and it looks like some moron painted his IQ on this rock.

This trail continues and is one we've not done before but it looks in good shape and well traveled.

The trail heads up to this mountain. It's an interesting spot with lots of holes in the rocks.

This area near the hill is flat and smooth and would make a wonderful campsite.

We didn't bring any camping gear so we have to head back but we'll be back. There's no end to what we might find out here and that's what keeps us coming back.