Autumn in August

What a beautiful Autumn day it is today, August 25 - cool, 74 degrees in the house and in the 60's outside. I decided this was perfect weather to go up the Quemazon Trail. Since that trail was toasted in 2000 by the Cerro Grande fire, it has become a cool weather hike.

On the way up the trail, mountain lions were on my mind. I had read a study about older drivers and how they are aware of their limitations of attention and compensate. They gave the example of older drivers not always registering what's in their peripheral vision. I've seen myself succumb to this on the trail - I've gone past hikers and dogs by the side of the trail and never even saw them. I decided I would carefully study the sides of the trail ahead of me and not get ambushed by a mountain lion.

I did get ambushed by inattention anyway. When the upper Quemazon Nature Trail ( a branch off the Quemazon Trail) met up again with the main trail, I followed it instead of the main trail. I started to realize that I was going back toward the view of the Omega Bridge over Los Alamos Canyon and, in addition, it looked like I was approaching the edge of the mesa. Eventually it got through to me that I needed to retrace my steps back to the main trail (which I had been so sure was another way down rather than up!).

I met a hiker with a dog coming down the trail. I asked how far she had gone. She said to where the aspens were tall - not all the way to Pipeline Road. She said she's heard there was a lion on the trail but hadn't seen it. Her dog, which she had found abandoned by the side of the road, was very affectionate. He goes up to baby strollers and kisses the babies - sweet!

Even before meeting the hiker, I noticed that the young, post-Cerro Grande aspens were becoming thicker by the side of the trail. I missed the lower part of the trail where I could see views and predators. I wondered if this is why humans started out on the African savannah - they could see clearly who would eat them and weren't so apt to get ambushed. Although, now at home, I'm thinking that tall grass can just as effectively hide an animal as tall aspens!

I went up to my 4 mile RT turnaround point (except I think it's really closer to 5) and admired the view of Pajarito Mountain Ski Area's slopes. I heard some thunder but it never developed into anything except a couple of rain drops on the way down.

I love going down the Quemazon Trail - you have to hop and skip and jump over the rocky trail and it's fun - almost like running! Also, I did very well going up it. It's a good trail to get some elevated heart rate on.