Cold morning

I took another sunrise walk with the dogs.  There were still clouds shrouding the mountains at dawn,  thus filtering out the first sun rays, making it look as if sideways beams were bouncing off of San Jose peak.  It was a mere 39F at the 6:56am sunrise, and my hands were cold!

The cold didn't seem to bother the dogs, though.  Minnie, especially, frolicked along.  We made it to the ruins  and back for a brisk 1.85 miles.  The reservoir didn't get filled with water, but the dogs ran down to it to inspect it.  They came back muddy, so that is a good sign.

The sun never lighted up the Huachucas, but I could see the snow above 65oo'.  Fog lay low in the foothills and along the river.

I enjoyed watching the clouds play with the light.  While the colors weren't dramatic, the lighting sure was.  When it was all over, the peaks cleared and the snow revealed itself.  I should try to get up there tomorrow before I head out to Wichita Falls on Sunday.

I treated Kevin to a filling breakfast at the nearby Chuckwagon Restaurant.  The building had been vacant for a few years before the Maudlin family bought it and opened it up again this past April.  It's run by the entire family, with brothers waiting tables, a nephew cooking, and a few nieces also waiting tables.  JR was our waiter today, a jolly, big-bellied and Stetson-studded man in suspenders. His brother Bobby was in the kitchen, and that prompted me to comment about the Ewing clan of the Dallas TV show of the 1980s.  "I'm the original JR!" replied JR.  He grabbed a chair to sit down with us while taking our order.  "I got two bad knees!" he explained.

One of my favorite breakfasts is Biscuits and Gravy (because it's so filling) and the order with a side of homefries filled me up just right.  Kevin had his two eggs over medium, bacon, and sourdough toast and said the eggs were perfect.

Clouds had gotten thicker and lower over the mountains in that time, almost shrouding the range entirely.  My hands and feet had been cold all day, so I decided not to venture up Carr Reef.  I took the dogs down the river again to check on its flow.  The entire pack came along.

I was quite surprised to see the river flowing normally again.  Gone was the muddy flow from yesterday.  All four dogs ran down to the water to splash around.  The only difference today is that the river smelled clean again.  Gone was the stagnant, boggy smell from before the storm.  I let Minnie get her aquatics in for a bit before completing another 2.25 miles around the field.  It was a very calm time along the water.  There weren't as many birds this time, but it was mild (53F) and windless. The flooded horse fields from yesterday are also drying up slowly.  Life is returning to normal.