Christmas Day Hike - Miller Canyon

I knew this morning I would be either riding my bike later in the day or taking a hike. It was cold and windy a little after 7am with a forecast showing possible showers later on. When I mentioned I might go hiking at Miller Canyon, a place I had checked out by car a few weeks ago, a friend suggested I hike the lower trailhead on the Perimeter Trail ... I did but I think I might have taken a wrong turn by following the trail marker.

I knew with the amount of wind and 44° it was going to be more challenging than I wanted riding a bike. Hiking was sounding better all the time and I knew it would give me the same workout as a bike ride if I was going by the length of time of the hike and my heart rate. That isn't why I like to hike though ... it's quiet 'out there' and in this area mostly likely I'll be surrounded by beautiful scenery.

While drinking my two cups of coffee it sure did seem that Stella was becoming a little too attached to Heidi's blanket. She isn't like Sadie who use to just take stuff and claim it was hers. In fact most of the time Stella doesn't like sleeping on a blanket. She likes the floor in the bedroom, the walk-in closet or on top of my shoes by the bed.

Heidi was sleeping at the foot of the bed on the floor in the sun. That's her daily routine. She just raised her head as she heard me walk back into the room with the camera.

I took my friend's suggestion that was in the same area I wanted to hike. This small hiking book is just wide enough to fit in the back of my jeans pocket or in a side pocket on my cargo shorts. I would be taking the top hike, starting in the lower right hand corner of the map.

The more I drove south to Miller Canyon Rd, the larger the rain drops got although it was more of a sprinkle than a rain. When I pulled into the trailhead parking lot I wasn't sure what the weather would be ... so I added a light rain jacket to my layered clothing and warm jacket. 44° and a breeze felt slightly cold but I knew the hike would warm me up. Rain was just a drizzle at the time I left.

This is the road leading into the trailhead parking lot. I came from that direction.

After staring at the trail marker below and checking the map, I continued on this trail just like the sign indicated.

About a mile and a half further up the mountain I began thinking I should have taken this trail if I had turn right at the trailer maker. I had taken what my friend had called a "more ambitious" trail and one that would give my hip a work out. You will see in the following photos what he meant. It was rocky in some spots and probably an elevation increase of 600-800 feet from the trailhead parking lot.

Based on this I went straight ahead instead of going to the trail to the right. The right thing to have done was have a better map than what is in that book. With a more detailed map it would have told me exactly which way to go. I'll spend that $6 it will take to get that detailed map at the ranger station next week. (After I get home and can see the map better on my large monitor I see I was headed the right direction and that gate I was going to turn around at was most like just around the next turn from where I turned around based on the distanced walked on my watch.)

It looked like and felt like the rain was being blown over the top of Miller Peak, opposite of where I was.

Pretty easy hiking ... little did I know how much it would change further up.

Yes that is snow on the same peaks I take pictures of from my patio. The snow and I in this photo are about 4,600 difference and I have no plans to get to the top. I am headed to a closed gate which is my turnaround point based on the trail description.

It was at this point I was questioning my decision to go straight like the marker said because if I am thinking correctly that dark mark like a fence going from left to right across the photo is the trail I will be following. The chances of finding a closed gate in that direction are slim and none I have a feeling.

Yes, that dark mark going across the photo was for me ... I'm walking that trail now in this photo.

That is not my car in the photo but that is the parking lot where my car is.

I can see I am climbing. That is looking North.

People with geology degrees would know what this is. Or people that are rock hunters or have hiked a million miles in their life time. Me ... don't have a clue.

By this time I am pretty sure I am headed for Carr Canyon ... the problem is at this elevation at Carr Canyon I would be above the point where the road is closed for the winter. Interesting.

As I made the turn I see where my trail continues ... up around that turn ... yep, I'm headed for Carr Canyon.

I rounded that turn in the photo before this one. I could see it was going to keep going for almost 2.5 miles based on my watch's activity app. I had planned to walk to the closed gate 1.3 miles away from the trailhead and turn around. So I stood there took some photos and enjoyed the beautiful view before turning around.

Yes, that water was ice cold.

Back to the bottom and across from my car. It was a great hike almost 4 miles long. That strong head wind was welcomed since I was too hot under a long sleeve thermal shirt, under a sweat shirt that was under a warm North Face Jacket topped off with my light rain jacket. I could also feel it in my legs ... it was some very good exercise for today.

It is so nice to live so close to hiking trails like this and I don't take that for granted either. I'm very fortunate to hike these trails and ride my bike in this area a little further north from where this photo is.

It was a beautiful day here in the 'Wild West' today ... still time for a short siesta.

Roadtrip Plans & The VA Cirus

Within the time it takes to sip a cup of coffee my Sunday plans changed from wanting to find Carr Canyon waterfalls or the Coronado Monument to a trip to Tombstone. The surprise I had was not only how packed Tombstone was with people but how I felt within the first 5 miles of my trip. Something was wrong. Before I even saw the crowd at Tombstone I knew I wasn't staying long. I continued to drive though, enjoying the 'wild west' scenery on the way.

I can't remember if I mentioned on this blog or my bicycle blog but for the past few weeks at about the one hour twenty minute mark of riding, my right buttock (surgical side) gets really sore from sitting on that bike seat. Now for someone just starting riding that might be normal until you can get your butt in shape while riding a lot of miles. This is a distinct discomfort and it's not from lack of seat time. It's the new hip thing. I may have to pull out some anatomy websites to get the correct name of the muscle but it goes from the lower back stretching over the back of the hip. It gets really sore and close to tapping a nerve. I found out by accident if I stop and get off the bike for five or ten minutes it goes away completely when I finish the ride.

Five miles down the road in the FJ Sunday morning I had the same feeling. Did my longest ride since surgery end up being too much from Saturday? I had felt good all Sunday morning so I didn't think so. I felt that I could ride again Sunday afternoon so I knew all the muscle activity for two hours and twenty seven minutes had recovered. Maybe it was the way I was sitting in the FJ or was it how I got into the FJ? Whatever the cause, there was more than a little discomfort in that hip joint area.

As you can see, Heidi was pretty sure the sun would not be out for long today. It was on the cold side and in her book there is nothing better than a day of sleep. She has declared it a "3 blanket winter" and will move them different times of day or night to the correct position. At one time this week the Mexican blanket was completely off the bed.

She, like Stella has turned into a professional food beggar.

So I pull into Tombstone expecting it to be me and a bunch of empty streets. I could tell by the number of people walking from their parked cars and the distance we were from downtown, that it was nothing different than the highest point of tourist season in the summer. I have yet to walk the streets of Tombstone after a few trips to do just that. Combined with too many people and a sore hip, I turned around and headed home. No roatrip to blog about.

The highlight of that trip was stopping the FJ in the middle of the road to wait for a deer to cross the road in front of the credit union as I was leaving town. Did it know it had to go the other direction in the drive-thru? It stopped and stared at me before I could pull the FJ over to the side of the road and take this picture.

I was about to make a left turn into my neighborhood when I had a flash thought, it might be a good time to check out the movie Ford vs Ferrari at the mall theater. Am I really thinking right ??? Three days before Christmas on a Sunday and I would think the mall would be as empty as it usually is? What is wrong with me? I had barely pulled into a parking lot full of cars when it dawned on me what day it was. I can see the same movie during the week at 2:15pm and I might be the only person in there. I turned around and headed home. The hip joint was feeling the same.

Evidently it snowed a little up on the mountain last night. I am not sure which one this is but that should be completely white Friday morning if the weather forecasters are right. With the cool air I agreed with Heidi, nothing better to do than a Sunday afternoon siesta.

You cannot tell from this photo but the Aerostat is in the process of landing. Does that mean bad weather will arrive a day early? So far the weather app shows no rain until Tuesday. I would love to get inside that thing to look around sometime. Not possible of course but it would be something to see.

Monday morning I almost missed this sunrise. You will see later it only lasted 15 minutes.

All taken standing on the patio.

15 minutes later those skies looked like this. It was cold too with the wind blowing. Stella turned around and came back inside.

This is zoomed in so not real clear this time of day.

I was going to have a busy morning and a frustrating morning. I knew that beforehand. It's the main reason I hate anything medical. It's the reason I never wanted to be involved with medical anything. It should have been simple. I had an appointment to get blood drawn for labwork. I had fasted since 8:47pm last night, skipped black coffee (permitted) this morning and kept drinking ice water.

Since it's been a big pain in the ass to get things done in the civilian sector of the medical field I decided I'd use my VA benefits. Last month I took all the paperwork needed, filled out a new income form and explained why I wasn't eligible with their letter from 20 years ago. When I walked away from her desk 4-6 weeks ago she said I was all updated and they would be in touch to set up appointments.

I never heard a word from them. No email, no text, no phone call or regular post office mail ... nothing.

When I gave my friend a ride to VA last Friday I set up an appointment for me to have some labwork. They brought up my record, assigned me a team for my doctor appointment on Friday and the appointment for my labwork this morning. They did NOT tell me anything else except "see you Monday."

Some of you may have figured out that I have very little patience for bullshit. I assume it's pretty easy to do your job so I've always had a hard time with mistakes and errors when it comes to work. This morning only confirmed my beliefs.

I check in early this morning. He makes copies of the records I hand him from my hip replacement and cardiogram. He tells me I can sign up at the kios for a VA ID card. I know things are running too smooth and 20 minutes later the circus begins with the lady in enrollment telling him "he is not eligible due to making too much income".

Now ... two things or three.

First, she said it loud enough for everyone sitting in the waiting room to hear. (Fantastic) Second, she is the same lady I spoke to last month to correct that problem with proof of current income and showing her that reason was the one they gave me 20 years ago, as I handed here a letter from them 20 years ago as proof. Three, this same lady just told me a month or so ago that she had corrected my record and I was eligible for VA benefits. I sat at her desk for 45 minutes watching her do all kinds of data input with my DD-214 in hand and asking me questions for current address, phone number and email.

So the excuse today was ... my record had not been updated since the changes last month. BUT ... "yes you can still go to your lab appointment" How can that be? Am I not eligible until my record is not updated? They had no answer to that question.

Bottom line, blood was drawn and I'll get the results back on Friday during my next doctor's assistant visit. Oh ... that ID CARD ... go to the kios and log in to get a number. 20 minutes later the SAME LADY telling me to do that tells me "you cannot get a VA ID card today because your NOT UPDATED in the system.

Friends and family wonder why I hate life and most people .... this is just one of many examples that answers that question.

Still, everyday in the 'Wild West' is a good day as long as I stay home alone with the hounds.

Normal Routine For The Hounds.

Stella spent so much time laying in the sun on Friday she was exhausted by Friday night and decided to camp out in one of her five over night spots to sleep. Eventually during the night she ends up sleeping next to my bed right next to the doorway. She can then alert me when Heidi is heading to the patio door to be let out for her nightly middle of the night outdoor run. I cannot remember the last time I had a solid night of sleep. Nothing has happened outside the daily routine since my last post.

The sunrises are still great to see and they are so much different from day to day. I noticed this morning on my weather app on my phone, there is a 'snowflake' icon for next Friday. That will happen sometime before the sun rises Friday morning and will be gone soon after since the high temp that day is 40°. I am interested in seeing what kind of snow they get here, which is pretty light and not for long if it's their normal snowfall.

I have a couple of friends that continue to do their bike riding in the mornings when the temps are in the 40's but that is colder than I want to ride in. I've been waiting until 1pm-2pm to get on the road when the temperatures are above 53°. I found out yesterday that it doesn't make much difference in temperature from the ride I did on Thursday at 53° and what I did yesterday in 63° weather ... high elevation, mountain air is cold no matter what. It's winter no matter how nice and sunny the day is.

No complaints though about the weather from me or the crew. It is so much nicer than what we have experienced in Stella's last four years and Heidi's last eight. She continues to join Stella and I on the daily .57 of a mile walk. With her needing to check out every rock, branch, or desert weed along the way it turns out to be a little longer walk than Stella and I did alone. At least she is getting her physical exercise and a workout for her nose. She does have the better nose than Stella's.

As you can tell, they love that hot sunshine and spend most of their afternoons, or late mornings sleeping outside in the hot sunshine.

Although it's close to Christmas I have three doctor appointments this coming week. I finally get some blood lab work on Monday morning and will be on a water fast from Sunday night until I return home Monday morning after my appointment. Tuesday afternoon of all day's I have my first meeting with a cardiologist. I'll be interested to see if his opinion differs from mine and that of the MD I went to last month.

I'll let him know that I rode my bicycle a little over 30 miles yesterday, climbing a total of ~1,200ft. Plus reports show the heart is working "normal". The third visit of the week will be for another physical at the VA. I'll be anxious to see how much different it is compared to the one I had supposedly at the MD's visit I had last month. Past physicals I had years ago were much more detailed than I got last month.

I'm feeling a road trip today in the 'Wild West', so stay tuned.