Dorothy called around 8 am this morning to cancel the hike to Cañada Bonita to check out some big trees. She has too much work to do - a Friend's report to get out and preparing for tomorrow's meeting with the congressional aides. She'll be gone to Iowa for her granddaughter's high school graduation next Monday.
Spouse not interested in hiking because of discomfort around his appendectomy incisions that he experienced on yesterday's hike on the Upper Crossing Trail, going out to the rim of Frijoles Canyon.
Storm clouds were hanging over Pajarito Mountain around 10 am so I headed down to White Rock (sometimes known as Hot Rock) to the White Rock Rim Trail, accessed from the Blue Dot trailhead.
I was nearly speechless when up pops Dale, a local park service ranger, as I'm fiddling with adjusting the waist belt on my fanny pack. He said he was going for a short run and had to work today. I never saw him again. In his running shorts and T shirt, he looks like such a youth!
Saw some men flying their radio controlled aircraft. Everyone has their own fun way of spending Memorial Day. Saw various joggers enjoying the rim trail and hikers going for the downhill delights of the Blue Dot into White Rock Canyon.
Saw a lots of yellow prickly pear blossoms. Admired a line of flowers at the side of the trail composed of purple penstemons, yellow perky sues and red Indian paintbrush.
I call myself the Velveteen jogger because, just like the Velveteen bunny, I'm not a real jogger. Others could (and did) go out and back in the time it took me to make the roundtrip. Regardless, I enjoy so much that, by faithfully doing my leg exercises, I'm able to do jogging intervals.
I stopped and saluted as two fighter jets went overhead, a Memorial Day tradition. I blessed all the people that have served our country.