The full moon is tomorrow. Today I just wanted to take the opportunity to walk the dogs along the Clark Springs trail off Carr Canyon Road. It's only a mile from the bridge. Moon rise was at 5:52pm, sunset at 6:16pm, and that was an ideal time to walk the dogs since I prefer walking them the hour before sunset. I've never come across others along the Clark Springs trail. The one time I saw another car parked by the trailhead for a full moon rise, I simply drove uphill a bit more to find my own solitary spot.
Yesterday's hike had me drained and I didn't do much but read today. My muscles weren't sore at all. I was simply tired. Sadie was also tired and she let me know that she was not interested in going with the pack today. That just left me with Zeke, Minnie and Sweetie, all who hadn't been walked in two days.
A young deer jumped right in front of my car as I drove up Carr Canyon Road. I always fear hitting an animal here (one reason I don't like driving at night), and tonight it came close. There were two more deer along the road on my way home.
Weather was ideal. This is the kind of weather I wish we had had for yesterday's hike. Autumn is in the air. I love that smell! There wasn't a breeze, either, something that I normally get off the eastern foothills this time of day. The clouds that covered the sky earlier today had dissipated. The moon rose from behind a hazy layer ten minutes after its appointed time. There was no colorful splendor with the sunset.
It didn't seem like an hour, but that is how long I was out with the dogs today, walking slowly along the trail and enjoying them chase each other up and down the trail. We walked two miles. I like seeing dogs enjoy being dogs. Even Sweetie has come a long way with learning my commands. Today she came back when I called her and didn't venture far.
At 10pm I walked the neighborhood loop with Zeke, just to make my 10,000 steps quota for the day. That added another 1.71 miles to today's total mileage of 4.4 miles. The air was still calm. It was 71F. That seems still so warm for this time of year. Now the moon was shrouded behind high stratus clouds, diffusing most of the moonlight. There was little traffic on Hereford Road. The venomous chihuahuas that bark as we walk by their house were quiet tonight.
Zeke is such a wonderful dog to hike with. I love having him by my side. At night he's normally behind me, right at my feet. Tonight he saw a young skunk cross the road (Oh look, a black cat!) but when I realized it was a skunk, I yelled at him to come back and he did. The little skunk scurried into a dark alley. With the bad luck he's had with skunks and things that attack him at night, he's becoming more cautious. I must continue to protect him.
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