California

The Monument Fire will be officially 100% contained tomorrow at noon.

We had our first monsoon yesterday at 3:20pm. It only lasted 40 minutes, but it came down hard and gave the garden some much-needed moisture. Two hours later I walked the dogs and the dirt roads, except for some puddles, didn't feel too wet. We'll need much more rain and heavier saturation, for the rains to have an affect on us.

It was the first walk with the dogs in a month. The triple-digit heat, then the fires, then the lack of any energy kept me from walking them. They were as delighted as I was to be outside again. I can see the burn line from Miller Creek.

But now starts a new chapter. Mary and I are no longer backpacking the John Muir Trail due to heavy snow and record floods. We are now hiking trails in the Inyo National Forest, and Sadie is coming! My truck is already packed and I should be leaving by 10am. The skies right now are clear but more rain is forecasted. We will be there through the 17th and I may use that last week to drive over the Sierras and see Monterey again.

My annual roadtrip will be shortened by quite a stretch this year, due to events beyond my control. But I will enjoy these three weeks.