Bad Moon Rising

DAY TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY SIX

Throughout the ages people have believed that the full moon has adversely affected people. The term lunacy is derived from the Latin word Luna because it was believed that the moon caused mental illness and insanity. People swear they know when the full moon is happening without even looking at a calendar because weird things happen. I've never believed any of it, until today.

I had hoped to take a trip up to Joshua Tree today to enjoy that mystical landscape under the full moon. So when I went out to get a bite to eat before leaving I noticed lots of smoke from a fire covering the Little San Bernardino Mountains and thought there might be a fire up there. I couldn't find any news report of it and the Park Service did not answer their phone so I decided to play it safe and not go. I later learn that the fire was near San Bernardino but the smoke would have ruined my hike anyway so I figure I made the right call.

Next I told the wife that I'd be hiking near home due the smoke and she said she wanted to go along. Excuse me, I said. Do I know you?

I took this picture of the smoke over Joshua Tree. The full moon also affected my camera, which went on the fritz. It's the second time this year. I really like this camera, a Canon PowerShot S3 but its reliability, or lack thereof, is a major drawback. Or maybe it's just the full moon.

Kahlua leads the way up the trail and is thrilled to go hiking no matter what the phase of the moon. I just hope she doesn't turn into a wolf.

The embankment above the wash has eroded a lot since I was last up here. I heard it rained when I was in Lake Tahoe so the erosion must have happened at that time. Someone has put a rope down the hill to assist climbing it. Looking at the rope I don't think it'll be much help.

The moon makes its awaited appearance.

The camera I have only has a 4X zoom lens but it looks like my other camera will be going back to the Canon Repair Department....again.

We hike up to the junction of this trail and enjoy the full moon before turning back.

The light from the moon fully illuminates the trail and it is a good thing. The headlamp we brought it malfunctioning and not giving us as much light as we'd like to make it down a short steep section near the trail's end. I've always loved going out in the full moon but after tonight I don't know. Maybe there's something to all those superstitions after all.

Fighting Shape

DAY TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY THREE

In sports, most of an athlete's time is spent training, very little is actually spent on the event itself. So it is with hiking. During the course of each month I tend to have one hike that qualifies as an event, a couple that could be called demonstrations and the rest would probably qualify as gym work. But since a lot of athletic competitions are won or lost during training it's important for me to do these every day, training hikes so I'll be ready when a big event comes along. Hopefully, that'll be later this month.

There's a bit of smoke in the air out here from the Yucaipa Fire although not too much. There's no smell of smoke or ash in the air so there won't be any health issues other than heat to deal with.

I head up a trail and find the beginning of a new trail. I really don't know the purpose of this new trail or where the creator intends for it to go but I'll keep an eye on it and check its progress.

Someone's also done some painting on the sign since I was last up this way. I like the look of the natural wood but the heat will destroy that in no time so it's important to cover it with paint or varnish.

Up on the hilltop is this Sphinx-like figure. One of these days I'll hike up there and check it out up close.

When the weather cools I'll head up to this pass and climb the peaks that surround them but today I'll be turning back well before I get there.

Of course, Kahlua wants to keep going but then she doesn't have to carry her water. I've got to get her a dog pack. I want her to get in fighting shape, too.

The Air Burns

DAY TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY TWO

The heat is starting to dissipate a little from the incredible highs we've been having but it's still going to be a month before it's comfortable to hike during the middle of the day. And while the heat has made it very uncomfortable here in the desert, it has been disastrous for other areas due to intense fire conditions. The Station Fire, near Los Angeles, is the largest fire in the Angeles National Forest in over 100 years. There is also a fire that has broken out in the Yucaipa area. Both of these areas are of interest to hikers because trails either go through or start at these areas. Smoke is not affecting the desert here in the desert although we can see it.

There's an area near the 1000 Palms Oasis that I've decided to go to in order to see what view I might have looking toward the west where the fires are burning.

I make my way up a hill to this Indian trail although I will soon leave it to climb a peak for a better view.

The sun is still out and the heat is intense. Even though the sun will soon disappear behind the horizon it'll stay warm although it feels better when the sun isn't beating on you.

The peak I am climbing has a little use trail heading up it so while it's rocky the climbing is pretty easy.

Looking to the west you can see smoke from the Oak Glen Fire, which just started today.

From the top of the Peak 833 I can look down over the Coachella Valley Preserve. It is a great expanse of undeveloped desert that is rare these days.

As the sun gets further beyond the horizon, the smoke starts spreading out in our direction.

Making it back to the Jeep just after dark I am happy I have a flashlight with me. It's going to be a tough fire season because although we are having one of the worst fires in LA County history the real bad months for fire season are yet to come.