I woke up and it was hiking day. Ah shit, I don’t want to hike. What happened? The crowds, the smoke, the boredom with local
trails, perimenopause and lack of good trail rig.
I need a good trail rig, I think that would really get me
back out on the trails. I hate to take
my pretty new car out there. I’m still
shopping. I want a small 4X4 pickup
truck and it has to be reliable. I have
the $$, but I am so put off by what people want for an old truck.
I sprained my ankle
in my yard right before my hike so I knew to wear my ankle brace. My ankle has been acting up again and I think
it is because I have not been hiking much.
I decided to do the Upper Skok, before the gates close. I wanted to do Church Creek but I did not
want to be too wiped out the next day.
Also I don’t like to take my car up there, the road is rough.
I don’t really like to take my car to the upper Skok either, but today the road was in really good shape.
I parked at the trail head got out and smelled the forest, it was so nice and peaceful and wonderful ahhhh.. Then two Subaru’s arrived and the noisy occupants got out. They broke the silence, I hoped that they were not going to hike on the same trail.
I don’t really like to take my car to the upper Skok either, but today the road was in really good shape.
I parked at the trail head got out and smelled the forest, it was so nice and peaceful and wonderful ahhhh.. Then two Subaru’s arrived and the noisy occupants got out. They broke the silence, I hoped that they were not going to hike on the same trail.
As I started up the trail I felt groggy and tired. I decided to stop for coffee and wait and see
if the other hikers passed me. I hike
slow, so I always get passed. I like to
let other hikers pass so I don’t have to see or hear them. But other hikers often use me as a waypoint
or something and after I let them pass me they start pacing me and I can never get rid of them!
The other hikers never arrived, so I think they went down the
trail the other way. I had the trail all
to myself all day. After my coffee I felt better and the miles
passed quickly. Soon I was near my
planned turn around point and the rain started coming down. I only had a rain coat, no rain pants.
No matter, my legs were already soaked from the wet brush. The trial gets a bit brushy after the river crossing. I was wet enough that I would be in trouble if I got hurt and had to spend the night. I will pack better next time.
No matter, my legs were already soaked from the wet brush. The trial gets a bit brushy after the river crossing. I was wet enough that I would be in trouble if I got hurt and had to spend the night. I will pack better next time.
I wondered if I should turn back before I got too wet, but
decided to push on anyway hoping, that I would get a break for the rain during
lunch. I was so glad that I pushed
on. If I had turned around I would never
have seen the elk herd!
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| Lucky to get this shot with my street style hiking camera. 1/40th, 320, 18mm |
I heard a loud noise in the brush on the trail ahead of me
and I knew it was an elk. I did not know
that it was an entire herd of elk until I saw and herd them all. I stopped and stared in awe.
The bull lifted his head up and looked at me.
It is fall but I don’t know if the rut has started yet. I hoped the bull would not attack. Sage started barking and I told her to hush. The elk soon ran away and I wished I had a different camera on me. I did my best to try to get some shots with my little street style camera and was surprised to find that I got a few. The elk went off the trail and out of sight, so I knew it was safe to keep hiking.
Sage tried to follow after them but I told her off.
The bull lifted his head up and looked at me.
It is fall but I don’t know if the rut has started yet. I hoped the bull would not attack. Sage started barking and I told her to hush. The elk soon ran away and I wished I had a different camera on me. I did my best to try to get some shots with my little street style camera and was surprised to find that I got a few. The elk went off the trail and out of sight, so I knew it was safe to keep hiking.
Sage tried to follow after them but I told her off.
My planned lunch spot was as pretty as I remembered. I
like to turn around at startup creek when I’m not up for a big hike. Right
after startup creek the trail, heads sharply uphill. The rain eased off near the end of my lunch
break and I had a nice hot lunch and hot coffee. The burn ban has been lifted so my little pop
can stove is legal to use again.
I felt pretty good most of the way out. Just a touch of sciatica but I know how to
fix that now with a few simple stretches.
I had fun taking photos with my speelight in my left hand and my camera equipped
with a speedlight controller in my right hand.
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| Russula Musroom |
I got to eat blueberries and huckle berries and I found a
few choice edible mushrooms. It was good
to be in the woods again. I’ll continue my search for a truck. I’m
tempted to go buy a brand new truck since people what so much money for used
ones.
8 miles with 300 feet elevation gain and I’m sore today even
though I have been doing the same length hikes at the ocean most of the summer.
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| Hot Coffee |
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| Hypnum moss |
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| Homalothecium moss |
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| Mount Church |
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| River dries up here during dry summers |
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| Elk! |
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