With Hope Unwavering

DAY THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FOUR

Way back in January when I started this endeavor I went and hiked up the hill behind Saint Francis of Assisi Church here in La Quinta. There's a cross at the top of the hill and I thought that would be fun to hike up to. I was wrong. The hillside was mostly loose rocks and not fun at all. The view was good but that was about all. On top of that, I lost my keys. I went back a few times to try and find them but no luck. I figured I'd try one more time.

Find the original story here.

I'm looking up the chute that I have to climb and I feel like I've returned to a bad dream. These rocks are not made for climbing. They are loose and unstable, not fun.

The climbing goes quickly and I get to where I have to traverse to the cross. I won't be going down this way and I'm glad.

I traverse over to the cross and climb the final slope to the top. This is terrible climbing with loose rocks on top of loose dirt. I have to commend whoever it was that hauled a cross up here.

The view, however, is wonderful.

I hear a screech from the north and see a couple of Red Tail Hawks dancing on the breeze.

I watch them for several minutes until they disappear into the heavens.

I know my keys are somewhere on this face but I am not looking forward to the climb down.

I did come better prepared this time, though. I brought a collapsible ski pole to help my balance on the way down. I also say a prayer as well, just in case.

I hike down the face and get to the cross just above the church parking lot and while I saw old cans and tatters of mylar balloons there are no keys. I leave to hike down to the parking lot and wonder if it's really worth another trip up here. I get to where I'm about fifteen feet above the parking lot and realize I'm off route. I start to move over to get back on course and...

Oh My God! It's a miracle! I cannot believe what I am seeing but it is my keys. They are here in plain view and I cannot believe that I nor anyone else ever spotted them. They have been sitting here, exposed to the elements, for almost a full year. Even more unbelievable is when I get home the keyless remote still opens The Wife's minivan.

I have just one day left and I will have succeeded in hiking every day for this entire year. It's been an incredible experience and one I don't plan on doing again...like this hike. When you've done what you've set out to do, why do it again?

That doesn't mean I don't have plans for next year and beyond. Stay tuned for what's next. Hiking every day for a year is only the beginning.

No Right or Wrong Way

DAY TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY THREE

Leaving the house I planned to do a short flat hike with Kahlua. That didn't happen. Instead we went to see if I could find the pathway up to a cross on a hilltop that I've gone to a couple of times this year. The last time I came I was attacked by a swarm of bees and received several stings. For that reason I was reluctant to come back.

High on the hill I'd discovered a trail the last time I was here but I never was able to find where it came down. The bees made sure of that. Today I thought I could find the start of that trail, if nothing else.

At the bottom of the hill there are several options on which way to head up the hill, none of them the obvious "right" way.

We get to this place where the "trail" gets steep and I while I could easily climb it I don't think Kahlua will be able to.

So we scramble down and look for another way to get to where I want to go.

We traverse the side of the hill to determine if there is a feasible way to go up. There isn't.

Since there's not a reasonable way up for Kahlua and I, I decide to go and hike up to a cross stuck in this rocky gully.

As I work my way across the steep, loose rocks on the hillside I wonder why I didn't just go on a nice flat hike. It is something I often wonder.

The gully gets steeper and I wonder if I should go all the way up to the cross. Kahlua wouldn't let me turn back so up we went.

Lying there broken in the rocks is the cross. It is not a wooden cross like others I've seen but plastic. It is cracked and broken, garbage.

It also has someone's initials on it. I decide to carry it down and dispose of it. Thankfully, it's very light and not too unwieldy.

We make it down without mishap and find where someone has put some rocks to outline a nice, easy, flat trail. A trail that holds a lot of appeal when I think of all of the loose rocks that I have just passed over. There's really no wrong way for me when I go on a hike but I know for sure that the way I came was not the right one.

But at least we cleaned up the hillside a little bit.

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.

Going Down, Down, Down, Down.

DAY ONE HUNDRED AND SEVEN

I am not 21 years old anymore.

My post concert refractory period is much longer than it used to be. Three nights of averaging less than five hours of sleep is catching up to me. Also, catching some kind of upper respiratory infection and a sore throat isn't helping matters much. My Glory Days may have passed me by but nothing is going to stop me from getting out on the trail even for a little bit. I ain't dead yet.

I headed out toward the Bear Creek Trail area and will decide how far to go based on how I feel.

I head up the trail and have to stop at the top to rest. Who wouldn't? I must have gained 30 feet of elevation.

I follow the trail and have a nice view of this half moon over Coyote Mountain.

I get to the trail junction and have to decide which way to go. That's an easy one today; I'm going back. It seems the monumental winds we had blowing through this area did a number on the trail sign. It's not surprising since the winds hit over 60 MPH.

I haven't explored this canyon yet. I'll have to remember it for when I feel better.

On the way back I decide to go to the right and take a different tack. Mix it up a bit.

As I am approaching my starting point I look up the hill and notice that the cross that had been there for months is gone. That wind did a number on anything that wasn't nailed down.

Tonight I am resting up in case so I'll have the energy to do something a bit longer and more interesting tomorrow. I figure after a good night's sleep and a couple of medicinal shots of Jack Daniels, I'll be back to my OLD self.

Blowin' In The Wiind

DAY NINETY THREE

I'm always looking for new places to hike. I don't mind doing the same hike over and over again; I just don't want to write about it, so I try to change it up a little.

This morning I was back at the Coachella Valley Preserve, one of my favorite places to hike. I've done all the oases, explored the Moon Country and visited the pond at the McCallum Grove but I figure there's gotta be something else I haven't done.

Looking up on the hillside, I see my destination for the day. (Click on the photo to enlarge it and you'll see it, too).

I start on the trail to the McCallum Grove always keeping my eye on the prize.

Who comes up with these signs? What they should say is, "Don't cut through here. Six rattlesnake bites recorded in this area". That'd stop 'em.

Before you get to the McCallum Grove, stay to the left where all the sign tell you to go right.

Just past the home there, go left.

From here there is only one way to go, straight up!

As I get to the top, the terrain is loose rock and sand and the wind is screaming! In order to stay up I literally have to put my hands on the ground and crawl up the hill. If I let go, I am sure I will be blown all the way back to the car.

And it's a long way down.

The cross is probably eight feet tall and guyed with wires. If it can withstand this wind, it is not going anywhere. Gusts were probably over 50 MPH.

I am NOT going down the way I just came up. I look for another way and find this little trail but it peters out.

I wander around until I finally make it to where I can see the road that leads back to the parking area and the oasis.

How many roads must a man walk down?

I come upon a strong water flow from the oasis but I've got a bottle in the car so I pass.

A quick left, hop a fence and I'll be back where I started.

I am constantly amazed by the amount of tourists that visit the natural places in the Coachella Valley. On most days, they far outnumber the locals. I don't know if people living here are too busy or just too lazy to come out but they're missing out on the best time of year in the greatest place on earth. Pretty soon, it'll be hot, the tourists will be gone and I'LL be the only one out there.

At least it won't be windy.