Higher Ground

After working six days straight, two of those with overtime, and all those days over 100 degrees, and wearing a ballistic vest makes it 150 degrees, I decided to get the hell out of the heat and head to the LS Mountains. They are just behind the house somewhat. I mean I can see them from the house. All I knew was that is it cooler up there than it is down here. So I loaded up a cooler with one Corona and two cokes, grabbed a bag of grub, and told Jenna to get in the vehicle.

We drove up the mountain to the O Lake. We left the heat of the desert where the lizards were scorching on the rocks. As soon as we left the black top for the dirt road, I could smell the green. The aspens and pine mixed together for a wonderful aroma that floated through the windows. When we arrived at the lake, the fisherpeople were throwing in their lines. I could smell the freshness of the water.

I let Jenna get a little wet and then we started up the trail with no destination in mind and zero time frame. The weather was warm, but it was not hot like the desert. Jenna ran ahead and crisscrossed the trail looking for something. Anything to chase really. I of course was looking for a bear the entire time. We finally came to a stream, crick, brook where Jenna enjoyed the water for a short moment before heading up the slight incline. That is when we ran into Washington. We talked for a while about things. He thought he was heading to W Lake. And I of course didn't know where the hell I was heading so he pulled out his map. I found out that there was a loop trail I could take so that is what I decided. He told me there was another lake up the trail. Looking at the map, I noticed the only way to get there was by hiking so I figured I would be alone when I arrived.

Well I was kind of right. Washington told me the Cow Woman would probably be there when I arrived. And sure enough she was and I asked her about the trail, but she didn't know about it. And although he said it would be signed, it didn't say the loop trail. She had told me that the G Pass Trail was a long ways, but I risked it anyway taking the trail. I figured it would loop eventually.

We kept behind the cows and enjoyed the side stepping of droppings. When we would hear them moo, we would stop to let them get ahead a little more. We finally came to a meadow and saw a trail head off to the right. I kept telling myself if the side trail wasn't around the next corner, I would turn around. Thank goodness that corner finally came. We started down the trail when I heard the 'boing, boing'. Okay, it didn't sound exactly like that, but it got my attention enough. Jenna wasn't sure if she should chase something that big so she just watched from the trail looking between me and the deer. After the deer, we were graced with the presense of numerous birds, but I was only to get a photo of this guy.





We continued on the trail and eventually made it back to the lake when Jenna immediately cooled off. We grabbed our Corona, grub bag, and a book and headed down to an area by the lake where the fisherpeople we not. After Jenna took a swim, we ate cold pizza. I read a chapter in the book and finished my beer. She took a couple of swims and then we headed home to the desert heat.

More photos at http://mtnbkaz.photosite.com/ under Everything Else, Jenna, Flowers