Fall hike

My husband hasn't hiked all summer, waiting for his knee to heal from a short "run" to get out of the rain he did when he went back east. His knee hasn't really healed, but he decided to go for one of his "lesser" hikes. It was so beautiful and full of birds that he wanted me to go with him...just to the canyon. He generally hikes 5 miles beyond this point. Okay, so I thought, I'd try it. I used two ski poles which helped considerably but halfway down the gravelly trail I had serious doubts about my ability to make it. But I persevered and was well rewarded for my pain.

There was a rock ledge with a deeper little pool of rather icy water where I sat and soaked my still healing ankle. The canyon was indeed beautiful, quiet, and the weather just perfect. Unfortunately most of the bird population had decided that winter is really coming and fled south. We did get a great look at a Williamson's sapsucker (woodpecker) just as we were packing up.

Thankfully the trek up proved to be much easier. Once I got in and sat down in the truck though, I was done for the day. Took my boots off and slipped back into my Crocs. It was the first day I've had "real" shoes on since I wiped out on the bike.