In bed at 9:35 last night and it wasn’t because I was sick. Yesterday was a Trifecta day: got up way too early, walked fast and ate too much. And that all added up to an early bedtime.😴
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Watched church online this morning then followed that up with
breakfast. By that time we knew the day
was shaping up to be sunny but pleasantly cool.
The 80 degree temperatures have given way to the 60’s which is still
very tolerable. Having to put on a long
sleeved shirt or light fleece to ward off a chill is so much better than
bundling in my winter jacket and still feeling the cold.
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We
decided to go for a hike in Saguaro National Park today. The visitor’s center is still at minimal
operations…only allowing those who need to get a park pass inside, restrictions
on the number of people in the gift shop at one time…and masks still being
worn. It took me a few minutes to
remember that this is a federal park and therefore subject to federal COVID
guidelines. We grabbed a map and went
back to the truck to see our hiking options.
We choose the Cactus Wren/Signal Hill/Manville Loop which is listed as a 4.3 mile hike in the desert. It was categorized as a ‘relatively easy, medium distance’ hike which meant it had less than 300’ of elevation change without steep inclines and was 2.5 to 5 miles in length. We started and ended at Signal Hill which meant that the slight up and down we had to do was at the end…on tired legs.
The trail itself was divided into three surface types: sandy, rocky, and regular desert. The sand was similar to beach sand which was tough on the calf muscles and would have been easier to walk through barefooted but much preferred to walking on the small angular rocks which rolled underfoot and threatened my balance. Thankfully regular desert ground made up the bulk of the trail.
Today we were walking a very clearly established trail through the desert in a National Park…a trail
Kim and I discussed it
today but since neither of us has any experience it was all just guesses. When we got back I googled several variations
of ‘construction of a desert trail’. I learned
the steps in making a trail both by reading articles and fast watching a video.
They are: Select
the Corridor…Establish Design Standards…Mark Trail Location…Clear the Trail…Construct
the Tread (the actual Trail)…Install Structures
(Bridges, Retaining Walls, Boardwalks, etc.)...Assessment and Maintenance and
also that the single most important thing to keep in mind when building a trail
is how water is going to interact with it in order to prevent erosion and the
cost of repair or rerouting. This is important no
matter where a trail is constructed…forest, field, or desert.
While
my question wasn’t specifically addressed, based on what I read, doing a top notch job of
clearing the trail and constructing the tread would go a long way in helping
hikers stay on the trail. Although I still like the idea of ribbons on bushes.
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Kim
started the Speedometer app today when we started and it took us just over 2
hours to go 4.96 miles…not exactly on our 5K pace from yesterday.
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Today’s
40 Days of Lent challenge was to write a letter to someone. A couple of times a week I send pictures with
little notes written on the back to the WonderKids and others when we’re out
here. I love taking pictures, the kids
love getting mail and it’s a great way to stay connected. In fact, I put five envelopes in the camp
mailbox before I even looked at my phone this morning to see the challenge…and
I have more waiting to be mailed. But a note on the back of a picture…is that
the same as writing a letter to someone?
Maybe
it’s not exactly the same thing but I believe it’s in keeping with the spirit
of this challenge. Sincerity has been a key component for me when trying to
carry out these challenges which means I want my actions to have meaning for
both me (giver) and others (receiver).
Since I think that reaching out to someone or making a connection in the
form of the written word is at the core of this particular challenge then, in
my opinion, my notes count. 😎
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I
don’t know this for certain but I’m assuming the intent is that these fun
little challenges can and should be incorporated into life beyond the 40 Days
of Lent.
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It’s
a cool evening again. Kim took some time
this afternoon to reset his mount and do an alignment with the guide scope and
the main scope using a fixed object, basically getting them to see the same
thing. He’s out there right now trying
for a better image of the Rosette Nebula which he imaged the other night but
wasn’t happy about the finished product.
He’s got some time to go yet but is very pleased with the results so
far.
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