Tiger's goal was to hike to the top of the Black Mountains. Driving out there we agreed that what we didn't want to do was spend the whole morning walking up and down through the pinyon-juniper covered foothills, where we would have no view of our progress. We drove to North Kane Spring and started off towards the northwest. Pretty soon we were down in the wash, which we took to be Cottonwood Creek, and were slogging up and down through the pinyon-juniper woodlands. We could see nothing, least of all the Black Mountains. After about 90 minutes, and three or four miles, Tiger told me that he needed to be in Cedar City by 1p. And that was that. We turned around and slopped through three or four miles of muddy, pinon-juniper foothills back to the truck. It was, I suppose, a failed mission. But, as Tiger put it, we got some fresh air, a little exercise, and we learned something about the country. Or, as I was thinking, we came home with the smell of thawing sagebrush in our clothes and the quick, spring song of chickadees in our ears. We'll get to the top of the Black Mountains next week.
Wait a minute Orlemann, you forgot to mention the parts about two humans doubting the accuracy of the digital pedometer that was purchased because human assessment of distance could not be relied upon; the federal form that you carry at all times which can be filled out at a moments notice to perpetuate the ever-burdensome bureaucracy of the federal government; the mystery of saw cut pinions in an area that a rancher would have to walk to; and identifying viable gifting options for my wife’s 50th, - er, a, I mean 39th birthday. Then, the final hurrah, the part where you came crashing through the thicket following the guiding sound of the truck horn honking. You’re right; we’re goin’ back – only in a different place! It was a good day, just not a great hike. Thanks for being a willing companion.
ReplyDeleteI prefer my version of events, because it omits all the embarrassing parts. For the sake of my other reader, though, I have to admit that the truck-horn trick is a good one for a pinyon-juniper hike. I knew I was close, but I couldn't see anything. I might have walked in circles for another 20 minutes if Tiger hadn't honked. (And that would have really messed with the pedometer.)
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