Au Revoir, Gulch
Feb. 26th, 2016 11:06 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
christopher575I decided two things about today's walk on Wednesday. That I'd try getting ready 30 minutes before dawn, and that I'd climb up the trail by the dog park. I guess it's been on my mind a lot recently because one of the bridges recently had to be dug out after a recent mudslide. It's the first high-elevation trail I ever went on there, but it's never been my favorite one because I had a pretty difficult time with one of the steep climbs on it, several times during those early climbs. Not that I wasn't strong enough or anything, but that it was just so steep and sandy that my feet would slide down. One time I even had to use my fists on the ground and climb up on all fours. But the trails change over time so it's always worth it to revisit them after a while.
30 minutes before dawn was a bit too early to leave. I didn't want to sit in the car in the dark waiting for light at the bottom, so I drove up to the business park at the top and started from there. It was at least pretty out.
And the light was perfect as I entered.
These "no trespassing" signs on the Eastern slope crack me up. They're on a nearly-vertical surface, about 30 feet up. I don't even know how they put the signs up in the first place.
This house has a deck that overlooks the dog park and lowest part of the gulch. I bet that's pretty neat.
The huge amber waves of trees looked particularly amazing today.
This is the bridge from the link above, and the mudslide area that buried it.
On the right is the spot where I found that woman's phone that time. On the left, a scary trail I doubt I'll ever follow again. There's a bridge made of just two boards with no chicken wire for traction, across a very big drop. That was terrifying, and then just beyond it, there was a huge fallen tree surrounded by deep mud. I didn't want to climb over that, but that was a better choice than going back over the bridge. I took the path behind me, not pictured.
Today I found the second-best view of the water.
Today was the first time I've spotted a building on the East side, from the West. I know exactly which building that is, too. One of my favorite trails wraps around below it.
4.69 miles in 1:42, 10,084 steps, 469ft gain
This was a really nice last walk to have before vacation and I'm quite happy with my workout calendar for the month. Of course I might get some swims or walking in between now and the 1st, but I'm certainly not committed to it. A car's coming for us at 3pm and then it's vacation mode.
30 minutes before dawn was a bit too early to leave. I didn't want to sit in the car in the dark waiting for light at the bottom, so I drove up to the business park at the top and started from there. It was at least pretty out.
And the light was perfect as I entered.
These "no trespassing" signs on the Eastern slope crack me up. They're on a nearly-vertical surface, about 30 feet up. I don't even know how they put the signs up in the first place.
This house has a deck that overlooks the dog park and lowest part of the gulch. I bet that's pretty neat.
The huge amber waves of trees looked particularly amazing today.
This is the bridge from the link above, and the mudslide area that buried it.
On the right is the spot where I found that woman's phone that time. On the left, a scary trail I doubt I'll ever follow again. There's a bridge made of just two boards with no chicken wire for traction, across a very big drop. That was terrifying, and then just beyond it, there was a huge fallen tree surrounded by deep mud. I didn't want to climb over that, but that was a better choice than going back over the bridge. I took the path behind me, not pictured.
Today I found the second-best view of the water.
Today was the first time I've spotted a building on the East side, from the West. I know exactly which building that is, too. One of my favorite trails wraps around below it.
4.69 miles in 1:42, 10,084 steps, 469ft gain
This was a really nice last walk to have before vacation and I'm quite happy with my workout calendar for the month. Of course I might get some swims or walking in between now and the 1st, but I'm certainly not committed to it. A car's coming for us at 3pm and then it's vacation mode.
