Group Hikes Getting to Me

I'm beginning to think that large group hikes are not my cup of tea.  I didn't count how many hikers there were this morning but there were so many parked vehicles at the meeting place that I had to park across the street.

I was very grateful for the ride to the trailhead given me by the WRSC hiking couple.  FR376 to San Antonio Hot Springs is a bladder-busting ride but the driver skillfully navigated the many rocks and uneven surface.

San Antonio Canyon was beautiful, of course, but the group stopped for lunch far short of the Valles Caldera National Preserve (VCNP) locked gate.  In years past, they walked to the gate, walked under it and had lunch on a hillock in the Preserve (trespassing all the while - I was looking so forward to my annual civil disobedience!)  Our much beloved, long-time hiking leader, though, has a serious, chronic disease which has sapped all her former energy.

On the way home, our driver told me the hike was almost 4 miles but I, not being the least bit hungry at 11:30 am, went further in search of the locked Preserve gate to take its portrait.  I haven't lost my Wrong-Way Whine Child touch, though, because instead of turning left and paralleling San Antonio Creek, I continued straight and crossed the creek, ending up at the Preserve fence but not even near my desired destination, the locked gate!  Oh, well - at least fording the stream was very refreshing and the cattle were friendly!  I was right where FR106 comes into San Antonio Canyon from Mushroom Basin/Thompson Ridge.

I took a portrait of the sign on the fence which says "Access Only with a Valid VCNP Permit".  That's incredibly misleading because the sign is even posted on areas that require NO special access permit, like the free Valle Grande Trail.

After the hike, I spoke to the receptionist at the BESC.  She said her hiking group was dissuaded last Friday from going on the free Valle Grande Trail due to the sign implying there was no access to the FREE Valle Grande Trail without a VCNP permit!!  I told her to not believe that sign - the trail is open and we hiked on it last week with my sister.  It's a beautiful trail that takes you right to the edge of the Valle Grande.

Back to my dissatisfaction with group hikes:  It's safest for me to go on the ones to which I can drive myself and then if I want to go further, I'll go further.  These long drives for a short hike are not satisfactory to me!!