Many trails were opened up this past Tuesday, 5/5, and I could see as I was driving back that the local popular trails were busier than I had ever seen them. Oh, my, no chance of social distancing.
In contrast I chose a route that was a wide road most of the way, and almost certain to not be very busy. My plan was to go up a service road to the PTC; PTC to McClellan Butte Trail; MBT to service road NF9020; and then down that road, back to my car, which was parked way down on the side of the Homestead Valley Road.
So, that was the plan (check out the track) I wound up going up and up, then I started down, and as I got to a low point, I heard gunshots up ahead. Idiots illegally doing target practice. And, judging from the gun shooting detritus that litters this section, the shooting is generally accompanied by lots of drinking alcoholic beverages.
So, I can forge ahead and hope that drunken men shooting guns illegallly are going to be civil to me and lower their guns as I pass or – or I can turn around.
I turned around. Which meant I had to go back up and up, and since I turned back more than halfway through the intended loop, I wound up doing more than 9 miles where I planned on about 6.
But that is actually a good lesson learned. The way to stretch yourself (I needed it after not being able to hike for so long) is to do a hike where the second half is at least as tough as the first half – rather than a typical out-and-back where you are going up on the first half and down on the second.
So, a fun day.
Still Snow Up There
