Making the Best

I've been making the best of the trails that are open after the Las Conchas Fire.   It's been very hot except for the last few days (thank you, God!) and the trails that are open are hot, dusty and shadeless.   But I figure it's good heat conditioning for the next time I run a marathon in Death Valley - NOT EVER!!

The monsoon has been happening more reliably in Los Alamos lately.  Not so much at our house since we're further from the mountains but at least it's been cooler inside the past two evenings.  I love the cloud cover!  It's odd, though, that so far there hasn't been much lightning with the rain. But that's good because we don't need another wildfire!

I noticed on Kwage Mesa that the drought has stunted the New Mexico locusts which is welcome.    That's the only good feature but can think of tremendously long list of bad!  No wonder the ancient puebloan Indians moved to the Rio Grande when drought struck the Pajarito Plateau during their time!  Living in the Pacific Northwest is sounding better to me all the time!

This is what's open:  White Rock Canyon Rim Trail, Bayo Canyon, Pueblo Canyon, Kwage Mesa, Canyon Rim Trail, Pueblo Canyon Rim Trail, Quemazon Nature Trail, section of North Perimeter Trail from Mitchell trailhead to just north of Quemazon Community, the trails behind the Walkup Center, Tsankawi, Burnt Mesa and Tyuonyi Overlook (the latter 3 in Bandelier National Monument).  It's good that these are open but I viscerally miss hiking Pajarito Mountain!