Hurricane Norbert in the Pacific gave us a very wet weekend, starting with shortly after coming home from work on Friday. Saturday was even wetter, with a deluge arriving in town shortly after noon, cutting off the adoption event while I was in outside of Petsmart with Ruby (another foster) and Chasity. No kittens were adopted and I drove home in a downpour that lasted several hours. The nearby mountains were in a shroud of fog, but in the early evening the clouds lifted and one could see Carr Falls in a powerful waterfall. Even another hiker, Nydia, called me to let me know. That's when I loaded up all four dogs to see the falls up close, but Carr Creek was overfowing its banks and I dared not cross the road. I took the dogs on a mile walk east of Calle Tranquila, where an abandoned housing development lay in overgrown lots. They hadn't been walked all week and needed to get out. They looked so happy chasing each other down the paved road. I found an ATV trail and we walked on that as well, but the mud and puddles made us turn around. The sun was setting as well.
On Sunday Gina and I drove up to Carr Falls just before noon. She had her 14-year-old daughter Ashley whom I finally got to meet. One other woman was already there, sitting high on a rock close to the fence, just to hear the water's roar. We chatted a bit, but then let her enjoy her solitude as we walked into the canyon.
The water was still powerful, but less so from Saturday, and again we hiked up into the canyon, just as Eric and I did several weeks earlier. Minnie was with us, and naturally all she thought about was having me fetch sticks for her. Gina and I were taking photos at every corner, while Ashley wanted to climb as high as she could, before Gina held her back. The higher we got into the canyon, the more treacherous it became, and Ashley was angry at Gina for forbidding her from going with me to the upper rocks. Even I had to be careful, and Minnie followed me regardless.
Ashley climbed up the wet rocks so effortlessly, but followed me up the route. I made it as high as Eric did the last time, and turned around when I felt rain drops.
We never met anyone else until we got back to the fenceline, where several families and dogs came just to see the water. So many people were here once we got back, that it was getting too congested. Everyone and their dog was at the falls today!
We closed the evening with a late lunch at McDonald's, where Minnie sat in the shade and was at her bet behavior. She got an entire double Cheeseburger all for herself, leaving only the pickles behind. I didn't get back home until 4:30pm.
Sadly, Pache is once again gone, missing for four days. I keep looking out the front door to see if he's around. I hate it when he takes off like this, but he always insists on getting out and gets mean when he's not allowed outside.
Pache finally sauntered home after SEVEN days outside. This is his second multi-day journey. Where is he staying? He was waiting outside the front door and I quickly picked him up and placed in the garage. He ate his canned food and took his spot on the cat bed facing the window. He doesn't look scratched up at all, but he did hiss at both Bobby and Guinny. I'm just glad he's back with the living. That cat keeps breaking my heart when he disappears for more than a night. I wish he were an indoor cat like Guinny, who's quite happy sleeping in the garage and watching birds from the window.
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