Pajarito Mountain Enchanting in Late Afternoon Light

By the skin of my teeth, I got a hike in today up Pajarito Mountain.  I didn't start until sometime past 3:30 pm and got back to my car at 5 pm.  There's real enchantment walking that time of day - not a whole lot of people and the side-lighting of the setting sun gives pretty effects.  I took Zero Road East to the back of the mountain.  Saw several trees had been felled by last week's windstorm, including a giant that toppled near (but missed!) the two towers at the 4 way intersection.  Here and there are the teeniest patches of snow.

On my way up, ran into a WI hiker on his way down.  Said he had 3 strokes in the past year and lost eyesight in his right eye.  He looked good but said because of the strokes, he was hesitant about going to the top of Pajarito but the trip up, his first since his health problems, felt easy to him so he was pleased.

The golden aspen leaves have all flown away up high.  It was sunny at the back (south) of the mountain but mostly shady on the way down the front (north).  I didn't bring my backpack or a jacket so I tucked in my shirtsleeves, pants legs and shirt to preserve body warmth.

On the drive down Camp May Road, I saw a place where I can get close-up views from the side of the road of Bonita Point, aka Loco Triangle.  Maybe this will quench my desire to learn more about that place or further inflame it?

Lower down, there are still some golden aspens along the Route.

Now Let's See - What Was I Saying...

Went to Salida, Colorado last week but only for 3 days.  Spouse suggested cutting trip short by a day because of cold weather.  On Wednesday, our only full day there, we parked at the Frantz Lake State Wildlife Area and walked to Sand Lake and back, passing the Mount Shavano State Fish Hatchery along the way. 

When we started, I insisted on first walking to the left, away from the direction we wanted to go, to see where the path led.  Took a lot of "convincing" to get spouse to go along as he was sure we were only going to walk far out into a meadow (but what a meadow with glorious views of snow-capped 14ers in the Sawatch Range, one probably being Mt. Shavano!)  Shortly, the trail turned back around on itself and traveled along the other side of the lake in the "right" direction; only then did he finally feel reassured that we were on track.  My philosophy is to explore but that makes him nervous!

We had lunch on a (cold) bench at Sand Lake with beautiful views of the southern Sawatch Mountains. Geese were wheeling overhead - an umbrella would have come in handy but fortunately they ejected no slime-bombs.  The lake was full of geese and ducks - quite picturesque.  Spouse regrets that I didn't take a photo and he's right about that one.  Sand Lake serves as a settling pond for waste from the fish hatchery but the state maintains it as high quality habitat for wildlife.  It's a pretty lake.  It pours into the Arkansas River after all the waste has settled out.

Afterward, I talked spouse into trying again to find Spiral Drive.  He was reluctant because he remembers last time we tried to find it, we came to a closed, private property road.  After some more "convincing" on my part, we finally found it and started driving up it.  It's a well-graded road, no worse than the Dome Road, the portion from NM4 to Graduation Flats, in the Jemez Mountains.  It was the teeniest bit washboard-y but not excessively so.  Spouse wasn't comfortable continuing up so he parked while I walked up some more.  His last words were "Don't take too long!"

As I walked up, the views opened up of the Sawatch Mountains and the Arkansas Hills.  I could see Tenderfoot, or "S" Mountain, in the distance and figured there was no way I'd be able to walk to the top of it.  As I continued up Spiral Drive, though, Tenderfoot looked more within my reach so I didn't stop walking until I got to the gazebo on top of the mountain. 

There are fantastic views from the top of the city of Salida, the northern Sangres and the southern Sawatch mountains.  Tenderfoot is a dormant cindercone.  The townsfolk of Salida decided in 1922 to build Spiral Drive which truly does spiral up to just below Tenderfoot.  The last few yards to the top are navigated via stairs. 

I estimate that the distance I walked to the top was less than two miles and only a few hundred feet in elevation gain.  Tenderfoot is 550 feet above Salida which is right around 7,000' in elevation.  I didn't walk all that elevation difference because I started from higher up.  The whole round trip took me about an hour.  I've wanted to walk up Tenderfoot ever since I first saw it!

I have to comment about the views of the snow-capped northern Sangre de Cristos on the way to Salida, starting from the Great Sand Dunes.  When covered with snow, those mountains look like the Himalayas to me!  They are impressive!  The Rainbow Trail, I read in the travel literature, travels in the Sangres from Poncha Springs to the Great Sand Dunes.  Now, that would be a hike!!

Had we stayed another day, like we had planned, I would have hiked portions of the Arkansas Hills Trail System.  The Arkansas Hills, it seems, are southern foothills to the Mosquito Range.  Volunteers are busily building a whole system of trails into the foothills.

I Know Where It Fell - On the Route

The arrow, that is.  I found an arrow on the ground right along where I walk.  Camp May Road is on one side and a steep canyon on the other.  Maybe it was shot from the other side of the canyon or the other side of the road.  Glad it wasn't shot at me!  I stuck it in a cairn but forgot to look for it on the way back down.

I'm thinking maybe next year I can use my manual weed whacker to murder the NM locusts!  At least it would get some use since neither spouse nor I care to tackle the weeds in our gopher-haven backyard!  I could pretend I'm golfing (never, ever have or will), whack the NM locusts and yell "Fore!" 

Weather was invigorating during my walk.  It spit some but not much.  The wind was moving a front through but a pleasant wind - not too cold.  Clouds were awesomely breathtaking - what an assortment, all layered in crisscrosses across the sky.  Patches of blue were framed like windows.  Sun came and went but mostly came and when it did, the yellow aspens lit up.  Still waiting for some special aspens to turn yellow along the Route.

Someone hung a grocery bag of trash on a tree.  I should have carried it down but didn't feel like it today.  I will one day.

Yesterday was Oktoberfest at the home of a White Rock hiker.  Fun get-together!  I made dessert from a recipe I found on the Internet - Easy Apple Kuchen - but ruined it with too much brown sugar which the recipe didn't even call for!  Today, we saw 5 of the hikers enjoying the Health Fair/Arts and Crafts Fair so I know that at least 5 survived eating my sickeningly sweet dessert!!

At the Health Fair, I took a spirometry test.  The nurse practitioner who gave me my (normal) results said we need to train for old age.  I agree.  The trend is downward - we can't get around that - but we need to do all we can to assure that our quality of life remains high as we journey through life.

Sun Had Disappeared Behind Clouds by Early Afternoon

This afternoon, it had looked dark to the west; but so far, it's evening now, the rains haven't visited us like last night.

One of the librarians told me she was on top of Pajarito Mountain yesterday with her Corgi dog when the storm broke.  Getting down, amidst hail, thunder and lightning was an adventure.

I went to our dentist in Albuquerque Tuesday.  Dentist took x-rays and said there wasn't any cavity or abscess.  Digital dental x-rays are neat - very fast, less radiation and can see x-rays immediately!  Dentist adjusted night splint so maybe that will help.  I really can only chew on my left side and started having some pain on my right side which the dentist theorizes is from clamping down on that side at night. 

On way back home, we ate at Buffalo Thunder's Painted Parrot Buffet. Almost from the first bite, my stomach felt bloated and rumbly.  Maybe it's a bad idea to steal broccoli from the Asian stir fries, maybe the guacamole, green chile and salsa sundae is a bad idea? Next time we eat there, it's salad and fruit for me. 

On Wednesday, I drove spouse up to Pajarito Mountain Ski Area to enjoy the aspen colors.  He walked as far as Cañada Bonita meadow and then went back to eat at the café.  I continued on to Pipeline Road.  Met a puppy on the trail.  So adorable!  Looked like a black Labrador.  I stopped and puppy - name's Molasses - nuzzled between my ankles so I bowed out my legs to let puppy step through!!  Owner said everyone loves Molasses!

Walked downtown today.  Forgot my umbrella at Metzger's and didn't realize I'd forgotten it until I got to Ashley Pond to feed the ducks and looked at the clouds over the mountains.  Ducks didn't seem very hungry.  Ravens were feeding on cracked corn at edge of pond.

I'm tired.  Woke at 7 am for big tree trip in Valles Caldera National Preserve but it was canceled due to all the rain.

My lower right back was aching on downtown walk today.  Still is. Discouraging.

Still Plotting How to Get to Bonita Point

Wished so much that spouse would have shared seeing on Saturday the aspen extravaganza along Camp May Road and on Pajarito Mountain.  The golden leaves of the young aspens start about 2 miles up Camp May Road in the burnt area near FR2998 and continue all the way up to the top of the ski hill. 

Ski Area is so much pleasanter when lifts aren't running and when the mountain isn't invaded by testosterone-crazed bicyclists! The bicyclists that actually bike to the top are much saner!

Studied Bonita Point (Loco Triangle) from the jeep road on Pajarito Mountain.  I can see now that it would have worked to go down along the end of the conifers to edge of Cañada Bonita Canyon and over along canyon edge to get around the tangle of aspens and out to Bonita Point.

The view from on high also made me think that perhaps I had the right idea about going further east on the projection from Paul's Portal overlook. It almost looks like the projection gradually steps down to a shallower portion of the Cañada Bonita Canyon. Instead, we walked away from the overlook and went through a bunch of aspens and then we were where the bottom of Cañada Bonita Canyon looked dauntingly far below.  Perhaps I need to revisit Paul's Portal one day.

I could also see from on high that on the way back to Cañada Bonita meadow that day, we should have avoided the aspens that cascade down from the very top of the steep ridge that was above us. If we had instead stayed close to the  edge of Cañada Bonita Canyon, even though it would have been more difficult walking due to the cant of the hillside, we would have avoided having to wrest ourselves out of the jigsaw-puzzle aspen grove!

In fact, hugging the canyon edge to go out to Bonita Point may be the best ticket of all.  After all, it's not like this canyon edge is along a cliff.  I'm guessing this would actually be easier (and safer!) than going from Paul's Portal and trying to descend into and out of the canyon!

I wasn't the only one alone on the mountain today.  Saw two other lone hikers and a lone bicyclist.  Even so, I morosely thought to myself "What does being alone matter?  In the end, when I die, I die alone."

Sunday, spouse and I went to REI for the last day of their Fall sale.  I bought a pair of Brooks Adrenaline shoes and he bought REI Sahara Cargo pants.  Then we ate at Flying Star.  This time, instead of the tofu Buddha bowl, I had the Acapulco Salad with avocados, orange sections, jicama, salad mix, red onions, grilled shrimp, salsa - good!  We finished off the day by returning moldy tasting Flame raisins to Vitamin Cottage and buying a few items.  For my exercise, I walked downtown in the evening.

Today, the Monday group did the postponed Sawyer's Mesa hike, finishing at Ponderosa Campground for a 9 mile jaunt!  It was good to do it in October and  enjoy the Fall colors and cool weather.  The Gambel oaks with leaves of red, yellow and orange reminded me of making Autumn leaves in grade school out of construction paper!  The leaves of the barberry shrub were such a brilliant red.  We could see lots of golden aspen across Frijoles and Alamo Canyons. 

After the hike, I took one of the hikers back up on the Dome Road to the Sawyer Mesa Road so she could pick up her car.  The Dome Road is in great shape right now!  Saw some wood gatherers by the side of NM4 right before the Cerro Grande parking area.  Bandelier National Monument recently gave free permits so people could collect the wood stacked in teepees near the road - good deal!

Rogue Trail With White Rock Seniors

What's going on?  Not much!  Spouse and I met the WRSC hikers - only 3 showed up - at the Walkup Pool, ostensibly to walk down into Pueblo Canyon. We were joined by a hiker from the uptown senior center hiking group.

When we got to where the Ranch School Trail goes steeply down into Pueblo Canyon, it turns out they really didn't want to go down that trail but had already passed the turnoff for the trail they had anticipated taking; instead, we walked along the south rim of Pueblo Canyon, the one I call the Rogue Trail.  We turned around where the trail narrows to a singletrack.  The grand total was a little over 3 miles.  It was a beautiful day full of sunshine and we all enjoyed the walk and company.

This afternoon, spouse and I are sloth-ing it at home.  He tells me that this is how it will be when he fully retires.  I'd better not say what I "laughingly" told him!

We hardly ever see grandson anymore.  I thought our daughter had him this week so we invited them for supper tonight to visit.  Her ex-husband has him two weeks and then she has him two but I miscalculated which weeks were hers.  Tonight, it turns out, is daughter's date night with girlfriends.  We could reliably see grandson 2 nights a week when she attended jujitsu classes at the Y but now she is very busy with schoolwork so she's stopped going.

Ruminating About Yesterday's Hike

One day, I have to try again to get to Bonita Point, aka Loco Triangle.  There must be a better way to get there.  I know people who have hiked up Quemazon Canyon which is below the point.  Maybe if I walked up Los Alamos Canyon from the Reservoir, I'd see a way up.

I feel sure that the Bonita Point was beyond and below the aspen forest that turned us around.  I need to go to Pajarito Mountain and study the area again with my binoculars.  It would be good to go before the aspens drop their leaves so I can pinpoint where we turned around in relation to the point.

Yesterday, I wanted to follow the treeline further down toward Cañada Bonita Canyon to see if I could see the point to the east but my friend wanted to start back.  She was so nice to agree to go with me that I didn't press the issue.  There are not many women in their late 70's that could have gone on that explore like she did.  For that matter, not many people of any age would want to blunder about where we did!!  Fortunately, neither of us fell whilst cavorting amongst all the downed wood.


We both thought the scattering of old tree stumps we saw were odd in such an isolated area where few people venture.  The felled trees were left laying beside the stumps. In some cases, the tree trunks were cut into sections.

Two of the bear scats we saw were light colored with lots of seeds.  One was dark with little visible roughage.

I walked 2 roundtrips on the Canyon Rim Trail this afternoon.  Saw 2 bicyclists, 11 walkers and 2 dogs.  People walking the trail in the afternoon are less interested in greeting one another.  I listened to a tape of  Prairie Home Companion.  Purple vetch is still blooming.

Dropped off at PEEC a paper grocery sack stuffed full of plastic produce bags.  The high school kids plan to make something with the plastic bags.

I Should Be

I should be doing the laundry, I should be vacuuming the carpet, I should be replacing the carpet in the kitchen with linoleum, I should be ripping out the 20 year old wall to wall carpet and refinishing the wood floors underneath, I should be weeding the yard, I should be buying groceries, I should be scrubbing the toilet, I should be dusting the cobwebs in the kitchen, I should be raking the fallen leaves, I should be buying a more energy efficient refrigerator, I should be shopping for a new gas oven before our 20 year old one explodes, I should be calling the furnace man to give our gas furnace a clean bill of health, I should be going through all my possessions and getting rid of stuff I no longer need or use, I should be buying a new shed to replace the present one which functions as a Comfort Inn for mice, I should be replacing our wooden fence which is dying one slat at a time, I should be watering the water-devouring spruce in our front yard, I should be using cloth bags for my groceries instead of plastic, I should be using CFL light bulbs instead of incandescent, I should be shopping locally instead of at Walmart, I should be joining clubs and volunteering more around town, I should be spending less time on the computer ...

This list could go on and on but you get the idea.  You probably have a list twice as long of your own.  All the things I should be doing hang over my head on a daily basis.  Some of them I do because I have no choice - have to eat, have to occasionally clean, have to do laundry, but the others, I do gradually or when forced to by circumstances.  The majority of this list is related to the upkeep of the house and grounds (aka, gopher playground!)  Our 50 year old home needs a good remodeling but I'd rather sell the house at a bargain and let someone else remodel it.  Living in a house in the midst of a major remodel doesn't sound fun. My answer is to go on a hike unless necessity arises which mandates paying attention to this hovel, er...house.

Bonita Point or Loco Triangle

A friend willingly went with me today on the Bonita Point or Loco Triangle explore.  We didn't actually make it to the point but had fun trying.  We had to walk through forest impacted by dead log upon dead log, in pickup stick fashion.

It took a long time to even get near Bonita Point but we decided to turn around short of our destination  when we encountered a young aspen forest full of downed logs laying in wait like hungry crocodiles eager to snap our limbs off.  We tried hard to plow through the aspens - there was no easy way around - but we were greatly slowed by all the obstacles  hiding within.

By now, it was late afternoon so we turned around and picked our way again through all the downed wood and yet another interminable aspen thicket.  Trying to break free of that thicket made me sympathize with insects that get caught in a spider's web - we felt entangled every way that we turned!

We were so happy to get back to the bunch grass of Cañada Bonita meadow!  Whoever said that bunch grass is difficult to walk in has never tried to walk in an area clotted with  downed wood!

I'll probably never again be able to talk someone into accompanying me on that crazy hike.  My friend says she'll cross it off her list for now unless I discover a super-highway that leads to Bonita Point!

We saw 3 piles of fairly fresh bear scat.  We were glad we didn't see the bear(s)!!

Nail Trail and Pajarito Canyon

The Tuesday hiking group WAS going to hike the Nail Trail today but they changed the hike to the Cañada Bonita Trail.  Since I just did that Saturday, I hiked the Nail Trail myself today.

The Nail Trail intersects the Pajarito Canyon Trail and the question in my mind was would I be brave enough to walk back through Pajarito Canyon by myself (I was) or would I feel safer backtracking on the Nail Trail.  My imagination assumes mountain lions are crouching behind every shrub, preparing to pounce.

On the the scrabbly trail down into Pajarito Canyon, as I passed through shrubs and in and out of drainages, I thought:  Why do all the instructions on what to do if you meet a mountain lion advise throwing rocks but caution not to bend over?  How can I pick up a rock if I don't bend over?  Am I supposed to carry rocks just in case?

Maybe iPhone or Android could invent a Human Companion and/or Cyber Guard Dog app.  Then while I'm walking by myself, I could fire up my (non-existent) iPhone or Android and scare off malingering mountain lions.

The aspens in the Pajarito Canyon drainage are beautiful!

Husband's Attention to Stock Market Is Depressing

On husband's weekdays off, he can either be found, when I awaken, plugged into the computer, undoubtedly assessing current stock market conditions, or plugged into the cable TV business networks, watching talking heads hysterically take the economy's pulse.  The idea of paying moment to moment, detailed attention to the stock market depresses me. The stock market will go up and down, sometimes with dizzying rapidity, so why distress myself over its daily gyrations?  

Tried to Walk Apache Springs Trail Yesterday

Yesterday, spouse and I drove up the escarpment into the Jemez to the Apache Springs Trail to hike and enjoy Fall colors.  When we got to the trailhead, a fire truck was blocking the parking lot entrance and more two police cars were blocking the entrance across the street to the FR181/American Springs Road and more emergency vehicles were over there.  As we drove by, spouse asked the fireman directing traffic what was going on but the only answer was there was a situation they were handling.  We turned around at the parking lot for the old Girl Scout camp and drove down to Ponderosa Campground and walked the Upper Crossing Trail.  Spouse went as far as Frijoles Canyon while I walked down into the canyon.  I saw two hikers coming up as I was going down.  I turned around after crossing the Rito de los Frijoles' bridge but one day, I'd like to continue on the Upper Crossing Trail to the mesa top above.  That would be a lot of good elevated heart rate!

Quiet Columbus Day

Grandson is here on this Columbus Day.  His Mom and step-Dad have to work and the Activity Center is closed so we're watching him.  He walked with us on the Canyon Rim Trail, giving everyone the Vulcan salute, from Dr. Spock on Star Trek, that means "live long and prosper".  I hope that everyone he gave it to knew it was a peaceful gesture and not some other kind of hand salute!

Looking west from the Canyon Rim Trail at Pajarito Canyon and Pajarito Mountain, the aspen colors are really popping!  

Spouse took Grandson to McD's for lunch and then they enjoyed watching the DVD of Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

I'm Really in Aspen Heaven Today

The aspens in the Pajarito Mountain Ski Area are finally turning golden!  I walked from the ski area to Pipeline Road on The Cañada Bonita Trail today.  Husband was not feeling tip top so he stayed home.  I took lots of photos of golden aspens!

From the far edge of the Cañada Bonita meadow, I saw that the backside of the unnamed mountain north of Pajarito Mountain is gilded with golden aspens but the potential is there for lots more color before the aspens finally drop their leaves.

On way back, right where the Nordic XC ski trails intersect the old forest road (which is the official Cañada Bonita Trail), I noticed that someone has roughly cleared a trail that contours above and parallel to the main trail and comes out at the Mother Lift.

When I got back to my car, a lot of Asian families were walking in the parking lot, taking pictures of each other and enjoying the beauty of the Fall colors.

In Aspen Heaven Today

When I woke up, husband opined that maybe WRSC hike on Aspen Vista Trail (aka Tesuque Peak Road 150) would be canceled.  He said it had rained and thundered early that morning.  With my fan on (used for its noise-canceling effect - I'm way too light a sleeper!),  I heard nothing.  As the morning wore on, sunlight and blue skies prevailed so we drove over to the Santa Fe Ski Area to meet the group at the trailhead. 

The aspen leaves were still beautiful but I could see patches up high where the leaves had dropped already.

The group walked up to a major viewpoint that overlooks southern Santa Fe.  They turned around here while I walked further up to the last crossing of the road by Tesuque Creek, for about 4 1/2 miles roundtrip.  After that, it's spruce and fir and the aspens disappear.

Spouse waited for me and then I drove us to Red Lobster for lunch.  Mine was grilled trout (lunch portion), broccoli, baked potato and their garden salad.  I have a system for ordering - please bring out lots of lemon wedges and raw onions and cruets of oil and vinegar.  I ask that the salad, broccoli and baked potato be served plain and a minimum of salt and oil be used on the fish.  I use the lemon wedges for the fish and broccoli, the vinegar and oil and onions for the salad and potato. I tend to save a few bites of fish for the very end (all the while with spouse hungrily eying it!) and that's dessert!!  It's a delicious lunch fit for a pesco-vegan like me!!

Afterward, bought lots of dried fruit and nuts at Vitamin Cottage to use for hiking lunches and as sweet treats!!

Yesterday:  In morning, walked Mesa Trail and downtown to library for 4 miles.  In afternoon, spouse drove us to Santa Fe for his dermatologist appointment - everything was fine.  Then, on to Walmart and Trader Joe's.  Had ahi tuna from TJ's for supper last night and we'll have trout from TJ's tomorrow night.  I love fish!!

Route Last Two Days and White Rock Today

Monday, I chopped down some NM locusts sprouts.  Really, I have to stop - this is getting anal.  NM locusts are going to grow no matter what - I'll never defeat that thorny nemesis.

I went back Tuesday to chop down what I thought was one invasive thistle plant (bull thistle, perhaps) in the middle of the Route.  When I looked closer, there is a whole patch of them growing near the Route.  This is beyond my scope of work.  I chopped off the ones actually growing on the Route but left the others to the tender mercies of the forest service which hopefully has a forest-wide invasive plant eradication plan.

I keep hoping the aspens along the Route change color before they reach their expiration date and the leaves drop.

Tuesday, I started at the Ocean, near the thistle patch, instead of further down.  To rack up my daily 4 miles, I tacked on FR2998 to where it intersects the Nail Trail.  Aspen colors are beginning to develop along that forest road but slowly.

Today, I skipped the LL hike (actually, I skipped all group hikes so far this week) because I had a late afternoon doctor appointment.  The doctor came up with a diagnosis for my calf swelling of last week - Baker's cyst - but I'm not buying it.  I had no cyst on the back of my knee that preceded the calf swelling, no sensation of water running down my leg and absolutely no knee pain!  In reading the symptoms on MayoClinic.org, I can somewhat understand his diagnosis but I don't think it accurately describes what happened to me.

I dropped off a donation at the Jemez House Thrift Shop and then for my 4 miles, walked from the White Rock library to the Potrillo Canyon trailhead and back, along NM4.

I made a vat of tabooley.  It tastes good but I'll be eating it through Sunday.  I can't freeze it so it's eat it from lunch and supper until it's gone.

Rogue Trail and Rice Pudding

Finally took spouse on the Rogue Trail today. We were going to hike up Pajarito Canyon to see some aspen colors and then down the Nail Trail to close the loop but at the trailhead, it appeared that the state highway workers were getting ready to re=stripe the newly resurfaced NM501.  We were afraid they'd overspray our car so we left to walk behind the Walkup Center swimming pool.

I told spouse that I thought the Rogue Trail, out and back from the Walkup Center, would only be 3 miles roundtrip.  The idea of a shorter hike appealed to him.  The Rogue Trail, built by a retired scientist, is an unsanctioned but well- built trail the width of a sidewalk that runs above the south side of Pueblo Canyon.  In places, if you fell, you'd have a long slide down into the canyon.  One hiker described it as vertigo-inducing.

Spouse doesn't like heights and, to boot, a thunderstorm was building and he doesn't like lightning so he  was very game to go along with me.  We turned around where the trail narrows to a single-track - that part scares even me!  It was lightly raining by then and unclear how bad the storm would be.

It may have been almost 4 miles round-trip by going back to the Walkup Center but instead, because of the rain, we short-cutted the hike by going up the old, dirt road (from the site of the former Peggy Sue Bridge) to the Jewish Center and walked Canyon Road back to our car.  I told spouse we would make that hike number one million in our rotation and thanked him for doing it with me.  For a long time, I've wanted him to see it.

This morning, I made another How it all Vegan inspired recipe - rice pudding but I didn't use soy milk and in addition to the vanilla extract and cinnamon, added cardamom and nutmeg.  The "milk" I used was the vanilla almond-date "milk" that I made yesterday. 

The rice pudding is so delicious that I have to restrain myself from gobbling it all up!  I'm amazed how sweet it tastes even though it's only sweetened with 4 medjool dates, the sweet spices and vanilla extract. 

I let spouse taste the pudding but he said it was too chewy.  He doesn't like brown rice but, really, it was the raisins that were chewy.  They softened more as the pudding cooled. Brown rice is not as fibrous as he thinks it is!

Route Today and Rio en Medio Friday

Raining now with the gods bowling in the heavens (remember being told by your parents that God was bowling in heaven when it thundered?) If this so-called La Niña keeps up, I may have to build an ark!  It's predicted to be cool and rainy the next few days.

Family went to Salman Ranch - bought back raspberries, raspberry jam and raspberry vinegar - yum!!

I walked on Route.  Saw one aspen along the path that had turned golden.  Others look in good condition but it's been so warm that they haven't turned yet.  Felt so good to walk on the Route but I must admit that I was sluggish.  Could never have done Aspen Vista Ridge Trail on Wednesday feeling like I did today.  On the way down, heard paintballers shooting each other in the woods.

This morning made edamame hummous - 2 cups edamame, 4 T sesame paste (tahini), juice of two limes, 4 cloves garlic, dried parsley, cumin powder - whip it up in food processor.  Such a lovely green color but I think chickpea hummous is better.  If I made it again, I would halve the lime juice and garlic.  I had half of the recipe this morning on jasmine brown rice.

Also made vanilla almond-date "milk" - 2 cups water, 1/2 cup whole, natural almonds, 4 pitted medjool dates, 1 t pure vanilla extract - grind almonds in blender, add rest of ingredients and whip it up - thick and luscious!  I added an apple and frozen raspberries to a cup of the "milk" and it made the prettiest smoothie!  This recipe was inspired by a recipe in the cookbook How it all Vegan except I used twice as much dates and added the vanilla extract.

WRSC hiking group walked part of Rio en Medio Trail yesterday, starting from En Medio village and going to the first waterfall for a little over 4 miles roundtrip and 700' elevation gain.  Only 3 of us went to the waterfall - now I know who the tough ones are in the group!  Many stream crossings but no one fell in - shucks!