Presidents Day Hike

[Scarecrow411]

For whatever reason I had Presidents Day off. So, I went for a hike. The weather was beautiful, not too hot and not too cold once you got moving around. I had streamlined my GHB a wee bit more (really, three flashlights and four knives counting EDC stuff?) partially based on all of this "llight weight backpacking" stuff I've been reading.

All total it was about 8 - 9 miles and took about 4 hours.
I managed a 12" sub and a litre of water with about a half litre reserve left when I was finished. I did change throw a band-aid on pretty early on, blister avoided and mission accomplished. I did bring a CB radio Highmeh had lent me, but didn't pick anything up. Checking the map, civilization was outside of it's range.

Anyways, here's the path that actually got travelled:

http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/134/mdanewhallqc5.jpg

The first half mile is rough, after that it's not bad. Here we are escaping the pull of the earth:

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/5789/trafficzk1.jpg

http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/3631/scvhx5.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/4085/treema2.jpg

http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/1995/moretreewk7.jpg

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/8042/yuckir4.jpg

I can see the radio towers from my home on the other side of the mountain.

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/3437/radiotowerwn9.th.jpg (http://img521.imageshack.us/my.php?image=radiotowerwn9.jpg) <--- Click for big!

...and the expected but unplanned completetion of my trip:

http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/6685/boo1fk7.jpg

The fence ends about 10 yards away, but I'm not that adventurous.

http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/6513/boo2hu8.jpg

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/1209/boo3ic3.jpg

The path that skirts this fence will eventually take you over the to the other side of the mountain. I figure that'll be the next course of action. This same area had a little pool of water. As cool as it looks, I was careful to hide the drainage pipe that's responsible for it:

http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/4170/drain1ub7.jpg

http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/2623/drain2dm0.jpg

This is where I had lunch, it's at the same location as the "pond" and fencing:

http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/5416/lunchso5.jpg

Bonus pictures of the state flower:

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/6478/prettyzd5.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/3079/poppycloseqa6.th.jpg (http://img214.imageshack.us/my.php?image=poppycloseqa6.jpg) <-- Click for big.

[Clinotus]

Very nice.

Are you tired at all, feeling a bit of the burn?


This summer I plan to do likewise as part of my get off the couch summer plan. Within the next few months I will post either outstanding photographs of nature or pictures of the view of my TV from the couch. ;)

[Scarecrow411]

Part of the reason this trail sees a lot of action from me is because it's about three quarters of a mile from the range. So I can park at the range, go for a hike and come back and shoot. Which is exactly what I did.

The M1A had 20 rounds put through it. Nothing spectacular, just scoring hit's at 100 yards on an SEB style silhouette. The 2x scope is good enough to put a hole on the paper, but I need to practice from field positions other then prone and bench. I'm still thinking about scope juggling and slapping 2-7x on there. Am I just a sissy?

As far as soreness goes, I did my Coolidge impression that night and went to bed early. Ankles and calves were a little sore the day after, now it's just down to my ankles.