Power walk in town

We have had a cool weather pattern this week and I'm enjoying this. I had the weekly power walk back on the Meet-up schedule, and Angie, who first joined the group at last Friday's Bisbee shrine hike, joined us today. A fourth person, Brian, never showed up. He had waited at the hotel and not across the street where we normally park, in the north parking lot of the mall. HollyO is on her way with her husband to Texas for the Memorial Day holiday. She left this afternoon after work. Not as many people were out on the trail tonight, although I did recognize one former student as he cycled past us in the opposite direction. Even with sunglasses and head gear, I can not remain incognita!

It was windy today and the wind was coming from the southeast. Tiny sand particles were getting in my eyes. Jay and I slowed down for Angie as this was her first power walk. Jay and Angie quickly paired up while I was up front with Zeke. I'd slow down, "walk circles around" them, just to give them time to catch up without actually stopping, unless I was stopping to take photographs like the purple verbena or Yellow Bird of Paradise. I walked this way the entire five miles. Zeke was in a good mood, too. Our finish time was 1:19:27, ten minutes slower than normal, but who cares? The conversation was what drove us tonight, a conversation we continued later as we ate a meal at Culver's. Both Jay and Angie enjoy talking about politics and current events. Angie, who grew up in Greece as a girl, had some interesting insights about that island nation.

A range fire on Fort Huachuca was tonight's big landmark. The fire started late in the morning and was assessed as a 5-acre burn. Several hours later it was upgraded to 100 acres! Brown smoke trailed across the northern sky Yikes. Hope this gets under control fast. The drought and high winds all this month could certainly start another horrific fire season with just one thirsty spark.

Zeke got the last of the soup bones when we got home around 8:40pm. I gave all the dogs another treat as they were visibly hungry. Removing their food bucket during the day gets them hungry and irritable and they end up raiding the trash can, or biting through the cat food cans and leaving pieces of aluminum can pieces across the carpeted hallway.