Thursday, July 22, 2021

Stayed local again today

View from the Chanterelle trail overlook

Today Melanie and I hiked up to the Chanterelle overlook to take a look at the view on a glorious sunny day. It was cool, but warming up from the last few chilly days, to around 70°F (22°C). I'll take our current weather over much of what I'm seeing right now across the country. I feel very fortunate to live here, where during the summer it's usually dry and on the warm side. Although it's been more than a month since we've seen any measurable precipitation, we are just now beginning what is thought of as the dry period, with less rain than usual for us. 

Last of the foxglove flowers

It's so dry up at the overlook, and I was surprised to see that the pretty foxglove are already almost gone. These flowers grow in long stems, but it seems early to me to see that they are not still in full bloom. Most of the stalks were completely dried out.

Sunshine lighting up this area

In this picture, also taken from the overlook, you can see how much everything has dried out. It wouldn't take much to cause a fire, so I do hope that all who visit this delightful spot will take care with any fire sources (such as cigarettes). I just realized how seldom I see someone hike up here and then light up. Times have sure changed since I was young.

Dappled sunlight on the trail

This is truly a beautiful and well-maintained trail, as you can see here. It's been extended from the short two-and-a-half mile trail to the overlook, to include another winding and lovely trail up that much distance again, making the entire trail covering five miles, ten miles round trip. We just went to the overlook, as I am still nursing my sore ankle. I was so pleased to learn that this adventure did not tax it too much, although the thousand-foot descent was challenging. Now, however, here at home I am feeling so much better and even anxious to try something a little harder. Maybe by next week I'll be able to return to the whole group.

But in the meantime, I am very happy to have my friend Mel join me on these easier hikes. She was certainly capable of doing the harder hike today, but she instead let me choose my own less strenuous outing, and she was such good company for me!

It's not easy for someone who has been so active to see her horizons shrink, for myriad reasons other than injury, but I am learning to recognize my limitations and even beginning to appreciate a slower, more contemplative pace. Things do change, don't they? Once upon a time I was a runner, a skydiver, even a smoker long ago. 

In any event, today was lovely and pretty darn perfect in so many ways. I am grateful and feeling good! Hope you're having a good day, too.

:-)

14 comments:

  1. A big hooray for lovely and pretty darn perfect days - and for a mind/soul who recognises them.

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  2. It sounds like a perfect outing, Jan.

    We’ve had a wet week. Wish we could share it with the fire ravaged areas.

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  3. I think you have a great friend!!
    Beautiful hike photos D J!

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  4. I've always admired your hiking (and skydiving!), but for me I always found that 'sauntering' worked best, following the words of Thoreau and Muir.

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  5. Lovely images.

    We had temperatures around 27 today. Thundershowers at present.

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  6. I am so thankful that Mel goes with you on these hikes! Hope you feel like going back with the other group next week. Not as smoky here today, I mowed the lawn. It is warm in the 80's.

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  7. It's good that you are taking a cautious approach to regaining your high elevation hikes. I'm glad you had a good time.
    I was very happy with the lunch Tom and I hosted today and it felt good to bring pleasure to our guests.

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  8. Yes, and when we're older we enjoy some of these experiences just a little more.

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  9. You may be slowing down, but I can tell you that you are doing better than most.

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  10. Melanie is a true friend and it is so neat that she is making your rehab so pleasurable. Keep up the good work and only progress when you are ready.

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  11. Beautiful scenery as always. Sounds a very enjoyable walk.

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  12. It is so nice to have a good friend like Melanie. And you still walked further than I could have. So, all in all, it was a good day for you.

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  13. Kind of funny...you staying close to home...during the past 18 months I have driven my car only about 100 miles a month! Staying local, very local. This past week I put over 400 miles on the car, leaving my zip code and even my county! Crossed a number of county lines, actually, coming and going with grandchildren.

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