Miller Peak via Lutz Canyon

Just as promised from last week, I hiked up Miller Peak via Lutz Canyon at sunrise.  ChuckF from Tucson was the only other hiker who joined me when I asked around for hiking buddies for this hike on Facebook. He was already waiting for me at the mouth of Ash Canyon.  We started at 6:31am from the trailhead.  It was 48F and partly cloudy.  Against my better judgement, I wore cotton as a base layer with two long-sleeved tshirts, a nylon shirt, and a thin cotton hoodie.  I didn't warm up until we were back on the return hike and off the peak

We hiked at a steady pace, stopping only for water.  We checked out the Lower Bear Mine with its equipment and didn't really stop for snacks until we got to the Upper Bear Mine   We got to the Crest Trail in 2:53 hours and to the peak in 3:29 hours.  That is better than I thought I'd do.

There was still some snow lingering from the December storms!  (We are due some rain Monday, with possible new snow on the peaks)

This was Chuck's first time up Miller Peak.  He stopped to take photos for his hiking photo album.  We met only one man going up to the peak.  He had started at the Montezuma's pass and beat us to the peak.  He was still at the peak, bundled in a puff jacket, when we left and three military guys started up the spur trail to the peak.  We met three more people further down the trail.  All started from the pass.  Once we got back to the Lutz trail, we were the only ones around.  We stopped again at the upper mine.  A black plastic bag and sun-burned backpack were near the cave, neither which was there last week when I hiked through.

Clouds had moved in as we were on the peak and higher winds were forecasted.  But once back at our cars, the sun came out again.

The hike took us just over seven hours.  We hiked 8.55 miles, although Chuck's tracker said close to 10.  Neither of us had any slips or falls going down, but we also took our time. We spotted a few birds, one butterfly, but no wildflowers.  We were both very hungry when we got back to our cars.

We had a late lunch at the German Cafe.  I  This was Chuck's idea.  "We don't have too many German restaurants in Tucson" he explained. I had my usual Swabian Cheese Spaetzle with a salad and cucumber salad and iced tea and my meal was $23.38!  The prices have gone up quite a bit at the cafe.  I didn't even get any refills on my iced tea.  The cucumber salad was an extra $4.  It was a good meal and very filling, though.

We stopped for a beer each at the Taphouse in town.  I had a mellow Raspberry Wheat (4.4% ABV).  At 4pm we went our separate ways.  I got home at 4:30pm and was too tired to walk the dogs at the river.  Maybe tomorrow I'll take them down to the border, as it's going to be chilly all day.

***

The United States had its first Covid-19 death near Seattle.  A man in his 50s with underlying health issues succumbed to his illness.  The confirmed cases world wide has now doubled since February 11th.

(from AlJazeera.com:)

February 29 saw South Korea report its highest daily number of confirmed cases yet, 813, bringing the country's total to 3,150 with 17 deaths. Iran also reported the number of its cases had jumped 388 cases to 593 in 24 hours, with the death toll reaching 43.  

Meanwhile, Qatar confirmed the first case in the country. 

Senator Joe Biden won the South Carolina primaries today by a landslide.  This is his first victory.  I'd feel more comfortable with him as president than frontrunner Senator Bernie Sanders from Vermont.

It feels like spring

It's been a quiet week with after-school walks with the dogs along the river.  Susan has her daughter and granddaughter with her and has been unable to join me for most of my walks.  They don't leave until Monday, but hope to meet her granddaughter Isabelle before they leave.

I walked the dogs almost three miles yesterday, starting at 5pm and finishing after sunset.  Minnie was exhausted in the end, and all dogs returned to a quiet evening.  Our neighbors' dog Angel did more barking than our dogs.

It was the first day I noticed swarms of mosquitoes!  Shrubs are now also popping with buds.

The coronavirus Covid-19 continues to spread.  Stocks have plunged for the sixth consecutive day.  Worldwide over 2800 have died, with new clusters of infections in Iran and Italy.  It's going to be an interesting summer!

Lutz Canyon to the Crest Trail

Distance: 6.4 miles in 4:45 hours
Elevation gain: 2900'+
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/arizona/lutz-canyon-trail

I should have started this hike two hours earlier.  I could have bagged Miller Peak.  Weather was near ideal, with highs in the low 60s with a mostly sunny sky.  It didn't get cloudy until 3pm.

This trail took a devastating hit during the 2011 Monument Fire, eroding the trail, washing away mining equipment, cutting a few route for water, and dumping heavy rocks along the way.  While it was always steep, the second mile was shaded by mature pines and oaks, which now stand as baren dead trees along the way. I've hiked this trail several times since the 2011 fire, noting how the flora here is recovering, thanks to rain. What once was burned bare is now growing back with scrub oak and manzanitas, but it will take a few more decades to get shade again.  Side trails leading off to former mine shafts have been hidden by fire and flood debris and are hard to follow now.

 

I took Sadie, Zeke and Sweetie on this hike, leaving Minnie at home.  The exposed, dry trail would have done her in.  We got to the trailhead at 11:37am.  I took the dogs down to the creek for a quick water sip, then started on our way up the narrow canyon.  We were the only ones around.  The gradual slope uphill gets steeper after the creek crossing at 0.6 miles.  The old mining road is still very visible at this point, but the grade gets more pronounced two miles uphill, when the road becomes a single track and switchbacks the rest of the way to the Crest Trail across an exposed ridgeline and low-growing scrub oak.  Views open up here far south into Mexico.

The trail all the way up to the Crest Trail was soggy from yesterday's rain.  This helped keep the dogs cool.  The shade on the return hike also helped keep the dogs cool.

The Huachuca Hiking Club worked on trail maintenance late last year and it showed.  There were very few obstacles going up this trail, making this trail easier on the ankles and knees, both for human and beast.  There was no new snow from yesterday's storm.

We stopped at the Upper Bear Mine to rest.  The dogs drank from the water in the mine.  Trash was floating on the surface: mostly plastic Electrolyte bottles, a few soaked clothes, candy wrappers.  I didn't venture into the mine.  Even the dogs just stayed at the entrance.  We rested here for over 20 minutes before I decided to make it another 0.5 mile to the Crest Trail.  That is where we found some snow.  The dogs ate from the small snow bank before we resumed our hike back down.  It was 3:15pm.

The only people I met were two men with two boys.  They looked like Boy Scouts.  A little schnauzer was with them, which one of the men quickly picked up to avoid any confrontation with the dogs.  It was 4pm and they said there were going to the top.  We wished each other a safe hike.

I got back to the Honda at 4:30pm, drove home to pick up Minnie, then did another 1.2 miles along the river with Susan and Allie.  My total mileage was 7.5 miles.  We had agreed yesterday to meet at 5pm and that date is what kept me from trying Miller Peak.

The dogs slept very well all night.  Not one bark from any of them, even Sadie was quiet.

I will do this trail again next Saturday, but will start at sunrise and make Miller Peak my destination.

A rainy Saturday

Clouds started moving in Friday afternoon.  When I got home from school, I took the dogs on a quick walk down the maintenance road before a gentle drizzle began.

A year ago on this date today it snowed, so I'm grateful that this storm blowing through is only bringing us much-needed water.  I walked the dogs at sunrise (6:56am), before it began sprinkling, waved at Sean Y who was parked on the north end of my dog-walking route, and stopped at the stock pond to give Minnie a chance to swim a bit.  Rain is forecasted to linger all day.

The sun, as expected, was shrouded shortly after sunrise, but the rain held off.  I don't mind walking in a light sprinkle, and the dogs don't even notice the dampness.    We managed a mere 1.56 miles along the maintenance road.   The low clouds kept any sunrise colors brief. This is as exciting as it got today.

It was 50F, warm enough to throw a few sticks for Minnie in the pond.  The other dogs got their paws wet, but didn't venture much farther into the water.

The walk back to the Honda offered me the same view as I've gotten many times before:  Sadie, Sweetie and Zeke up front, with Minnie behind me carrying a big stick.

Kevin had gotten up at 4:30am to smoke and drink coffee on the patio.  He then went back to bed for a few hours after I got back home from the sunrise walk.  He had kept the dogs outside, who then began to bark at some point.  I brought the dogs in and closed the patio door as it began to rain.  I'm now thinking Kevin did this over the long weekend: getting up early to smoke and be outside, then going back to bed and leaving the dogs outside.  He sleeps soundly, and perhaps let the dogs bark too long over the weekend, irritating the Nayburs.

Rain began in earnest before noon, with a consistent and steady rain all day.

***

I just putzed around the house until early evening.  Late in the evening the Las Vegas Register declared Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders as the Democratic winner in the state caucuses, winning 39% statewide, while former VP Joseph Biden and former mayor Pete Buttigieg only garnered 18% each.   PBS explained that the large Sanders victory is because of the powerful casino labor union in the state.  That makes sense on a local level since  "All politics is local," a quote given to former US Representative Tip O'Neill.

Old, grumpy neighbors

The letter from "Neighbor" (I'll call the writer 'Ms Naybur') bothered me all day.  I thought about it at school, then after school while walking the dogs along the calm San Pedro River.  I finally talked to Kevin about this when I got back from my walk, with four wet dogs, while he was on the back patio.

"I was here all weekend long, the dogs didn't bark!" said Kevin.  He's a calm man who backs away from confrontations, and will comply with rules and regulations.  He said Ms Naybur had folded the letter and put it on his truck's windshield.

The ironic thing is, Ms Naybur has a shepherd mix, too, "Angel," who is no angel and will fence fight with our dogs.  She eggs our dogs on as much as our dogs egg Angel on.  So why is Ms Naybur targeting our dogs?  We have lived at our house for 15 years with never a complaint.  We will go outside at night if the dogs are barking and creating a ruckus (usually for a reason, like illegals running down the alley, or illegal javelina munching in the garden next door) to bring them back inside.  We know about the 10pm Quiet Time the county enforces, and we agree with that.

The only thing we can think of is Sadie.  She likes to bark aggressively at Angel. While her Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (CCD) hasn't progressed much in these last two years, she does still have bouts of baseless barking.   She will bark along the fence even if Angel isn't outside. This could be what is annoying Mr Naybur.  While I can vouch for the dogs sleeping all day when I am home, I can not vouch for what they do when I'm at the school.

We have thus agreed to some changes.  No more leaving the backporch light on and the patio door open when he leaves for work. Kevin and I have agreed to keep the lights out when he leaves for work at 5am.  He will also close the patio door for that one hour before I leave after him.  The darkness calms Sadie down some.  If she continues to bark senselessly after I leave, then Mr Naybur he will have to shut his window some and realize that dogs do bark to communicate and that his Angel does provoke our dogs.

We have had our share of weird neighbors over the years who have made noise or other annoying effects:  smokey bonfires at night, revving car engines, loud Mariachi music, bark fests from other dogs, psycho Chihuahuas meandering into our front yard just to annoy our dogs.   Everyone around here has always had two or more dogs in their yards and many don't get to go inside at night.  And guess what?  They bark!!! We never expected an older couple to be the most angry, most impatient and demanding neighbors yet.

I don't even want to become a grumpy old woman.

North Franklin Peak

North Franklin Peak is the highest peak in the Franklins, topping out at 7192' and is the 27th-tallest peak in Texas.  I just had to bag this peak, but that meant starting early so that I wouldn't get back home too late. It's a five-hour drive from El Paso, Texas to Hereford, Arizona.

Access to this peak is via the Tom Mays unit, the official state park headquarters off the Transmountain Road.  The park doesn't open until 8am, but when I drove up at that time, there was no ranger at the ticket booth.  The pick-up ahead of me drove around and left the park.  I did the same, because I had no bills lower than $20.  I had to drive four miles back to the closest gas station off I-10 to break change.  This was not a good way to start the day.  I was losing day light with this unplanned detour!  I also learned that there was another fatality on the Trans Mountain Road.  A 35-year-old Las Cruces man crashed his car against a road sign early in the morning, walked eastbound in the right lane, then was hit and killed on impact by another driver who couldn't stop in time. There will probably be another cross erected in his memory, adding to the many crosses already scattered along this road.

I finally got the the trailhead and started my hike at 8:45am.  My calves were hurting from yesterday.  If I was hurting, how was Zeke feeling?  He followed me obediently, tackling the first 0.6 mile of heavy ankle-spraining rocks.  I knew about these rocks from my last visit.  They make the start of this steep hike treacherous, but the trail does level out some after the first mile.  It then gets rocky again in the last two miles to the top.

How far would I make it?  I had the Tin Mines in my plans, but when I reached the windy Mundy's Gap with views east two miles up the trail, I realized I had to go back down again to the mines.  I didn't want to do that, so I decided to tackle the old mining road to the peak.  There were two people ahead of me.  How far would I make it?  I had to leave the area by 3pm to make it home at a decent time.

There were small pockets of icy snow on the north end of the trail.  I stopped at each snow pack to let Zeke eat the ice.  I had water with me, but I always prefer to use natural sources.  Zeke was tired, it was obvious, and he slowed me down, but not once did he ever whimper or moan.

At the three-mile mark another view to the south opened up.  Here the man ahead of me took a rest on an old log.  Zeke approached him but he told me that dogs make him nervous, so I kept my distance from him.  He then turned around and then it was just Zeke and I.  A sign warning not to proceed on an unmarked trail going east because of unexploded ammunition got my curiosity.  The sign was posted because this part of the mountain range was once the edge of a missile range and part of Fort Bliss' missile range all throughout the Cold War.  El Paso Representative Ronald Coleman (D) fought to preserve this former range land as a park in 1987 and succeeded.

The trail going up at this point gets rockier and steep again and I stopped a few times to let Zeke munch on ice.  A young couple came down as I was near the top.  I could also see the remains of a pick-up truck off the trail. It had been heavily graffitied.

It took me 2:34 hours to reach the flattened peak, adorned with a 10-foot ham radio repeater.  Zeke immediately sat in the narrow shade provided by this pole as I admired the view.  It wasn't as windy at the top as I had feared, and the views south into Mexico were impressive.  Weather was forecasted to reach 70F and be sunny, but there were enough wispy clouds to soften the sun. It turned out to be near ideal weather for this peak.

An ammo box with a registration book inside was next to the repeater, but also energy bars, gum, and a can of Pabst Blue Ribbon Light.  I gladly took the gum, thanked the person who left this for others, registered my name and date, but kept the beer can for someone more desperate.  Alcohol is not allowed in Texas state parks.

We rested for 30 minutes.  Zeke was clearly tired and he needed to rest.  These rocky and steep mountains took a toll on him, but he conquered them with me like a champ.

We went back the same way we came in, down the old mining road.  The wind picked up again at Mundy's Gap, then calmed down again when we got below the gap.  People were still starting out on this trail, despite the park's gate closing at 5pm.  The large rocks on the trail in the beginning were no easier going down than it was going up.  Both ankles were sore when I got back to my Honda.

An older gentleman, who I had seen behind me on the trail made it to the peak as I left the peak,  He looked to be in his 70s.  He would reach the parking lot just minutes after I got back to the car.  Twelve more people were heading up the peak as I resumed the descent.

I got back to the car at 2:15pm.  By now it was warm and I removed my sweat shirt. I was hungry and ate any left overs I had, watched park users come and go from the parking lot, and finally drove off at 3pm.  My only stop was for gas at the closest Sam's Club, then drove home the same way I drove coming to El Paso, driving along NM9 and the border, watching a diffused sun set, spotting more border wall construction crews, and noting a few quirky roadside art.  I got home at 8:15pm, threw my dirty clothes in the wash, saw a typed letter from our neighbors about our barking dogs, and went to bed.  I'll deal with the letter tomorrow, when Kevin is awake and can help explain it.

South Franklin Peak from the Transmountain road, El Paso

I was on my way to the Tom Mays unit of the state park, when I recognized this trailhead right off the Transmountain Road.  I had hiked this trail back in 2009 with Sadie, but it was called Smuggler's Pass back then.  It's now called the Ron Coleman trail, the same trail I was on yesterday.  This trailhead was the northern terminus.  A few cars were already parked here so I joined them, paying my $5 daily use fee.

This northern route to South Mont Franklin is the shorter route to the peak, but it is very steep.  It's also, I learned, a popular route to the rock formation known as "Mammoth Rock," visible from the parking lot.  It looks more like a tooth protruding from the ridgeline. This rock has a small cave facing the north.  Locals come to this rock,  eat their snack and drink their beer, and then spray-paint the rock and break their bottles.

The first half mile of this trail traverses the canyon bottom, but then takes a sharp turn to the southeast up the side of a steep hillside.  Here is where I had to slow down for the people ahead of me, people of all ages and sizes, and even a few dogs. Many spoke Spanish.  One grandpa told his family "Estamos en el tren!" as they descended an especially steep and rocky corner.

It's 1.5 miles to the Mammouth Rock.  I rested here, gave Zeke water, then proceeded to go to the radio towers on top of South Mount Franklin.  The trail from Mammouth Rock, however, is harder to follow.  So many unmarked trails converge at Mammouth Rock and I wasn't sure where to go.  I could see the cave I was in yesterday, but how to continue?  I wanted to reach the peak by any safe means.

I did eventually find it, but it was a steep, rocky and at times difficult for Zeke to climb.  The poor dog whimpered a few times when he couldn't scramble up a rock I could pull myself up and over, and he'd frantically run around to find a route safer for him.

Five other people were already near the peak.  They had come up from the south side.  The lone woman in the group said the chains were easy to maneuver.  They took photos of themselves near an overlook and I resumed my ascent to the radio towers.  The wind was back, blasting Zeke's fur and making my eyes water. The cold wind wasn't very conducive to resting.

We didn't stay long at the top.  The faint trail was too close to the edge and I didn't want Zeke to injure himself.  We went down the same way we went up, but shortly after passing Mammouth Rock again, I took a shortcut down into the canyon.  Others were coming up that way as well.  Another man down in the canyon, who later  turned out to be a friendly "Specialist Promotable" Matthew from Fort Bliss (who got to the base in October from Fort Drum) struggled on the rocks.

I met a group of German teens going up this steep shortcut.  Their father was stationed at Fort Bliss with the German Bundeswehr.  More people were continuing to hike up the trails.  This shortcut cut out a half mile and helped me avoid the crowds.  My total distance today was a mere 3.4 miles, but this took me four hours!

Matthew and I walked together for the last half mile.  I enjoyed his positive energy.  He shared some of his memories growing up south of Carson City, NV.  Once we got back to the parking lot, we bid each other farewell.  A Texas State Park ranger was watching trail users and making sure everyone was paying their $5 fee.  The parking lot was crowded, too, and we were now just past noon and at the height of hiking time.

A young couple approached me, asking me if I could break a $20 bill.  The ranger they talked to wouldn't give them any.  All I had were ten singles.  They gladly took the bills.  I felt bad I couldn't give them proper change.  They paid $10 to hike this short trail and I made a profit of $10.  It's not something I'm proud to say.  Hiking should be free.

I stayed in the parking lot a good half hour, drinking a Diet Dr Pepper and walking over to an historical sign on the eastern side of the parking lot, where also at least seven crosses had been erected.  Were these all in memory of people killed on the Trans Mountain road?  There was a cross for "Baby Angelo," a big cross for a Sergeant Barcellano, and a few more whose names were shrouded by heavy wreaths of fake flowers. I've seen some fast drivers on all kinds of roads in this city, and while the speed limit is 45mph on this mountain pass, many drive faster than that.

The day was still young.  It was early afternoon.  I wanted to see more of the old town near the border.  It's very walkable once one finds a parking spot. I had time to walk around old town and to enjoy the more historical parts of the city. The Deadbeach  Brewery off Durango Street in the Union Plaza neighborhood was one destination.  I enjoyed the beer from there that I had Friday night at the Bricktown Tap and Grill.  I wanted to see where it was brewed.  The small brewery is close to the Museum of Art, Museum of Texas History, the Convention Center and San Jacinto Plaza.  (I realize that my idea of "close by" is several miles; many others may disagree with my assessment.)

The streets were mostly empty on this Sunday afternoon.  The shopping district just north of the border crossing on South El Paso Street still had shops open, selling Chinese-made clothes and toys.  Police in pairs patrolled the quiet streets. Mexicans come to the United States to buy Chinese-made goods because taxes on Chinese goods are cheaper here than in Mexico.  I saw a lot of women's clothes, even padded buttwear, and tight jeans and snug tops, just like I see the Latinas wear in the high school.

People were still mingling in this district, and the heavy crowds that usually pack the streets in this district were not as bad as during the heavy shopping times on early weekend hours.  People made a wide berth around me because of Zeke.  The late afternoon sun helped shade most of the streets. I can see why my friend HollyO likes El Paso, a city she claims is "full of diversity."  The city maintains its Mexican history well.  And the food I've had here has been some of the best Mexican food around.  I wanted to find a small cantina and have another Mexican meal, but these were small, patioless diners that didn't allow dogs.

Then I had an epiphany: why not explore North Mesa Street, the main artery north of the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP)?  Surely there must be a good diner there.  "Lucy's Kitchen" showed up on my Top Ten Best diners search, located on far North Mesa, but before I got there, spotted a Taco Tote, a local fast-food joint that originally started in Cuidad Juarez but which is now headquartered in El Paso.  I've seen several Taco Totes in town and wanted to try this place out.  Taco Tote also has locations in San Antonio,  Albuquerque, Tucson and Phoenix.  Its claim to fame is its vast assortments of salsas on their salsa bar, and its unlimitless chips bar.  Unlike Taco Cabana, another Texas chain, this company does not serve alcohol.

Stopping at this Taco Tote was a good choice.  Zeke was in the shade, parked up front, and I dined on their taco special: two tacos with my choice of meat,(chicken), with two sides and a soda for $8.50.  While the meat wasn't that much per taco, I filled up on chips, ate one taco and my rice, and saved the rest for after tomorrow's hike.

When I left Taco Tote, the hillsides were lighted in a bright orange, reminding me that I had 30 minutes of good daylight left.  I had to get back to the Scenic Drive in order to get a parking spot to watch the sunset.

.

I managed a spot in the first parking area, walking out along the rim wall to take better photos of the skyline while also staying out of danger from traffic.  The parking areas filled up fast.  Families, lovers, teens like to gather along Scenic Drive to gaze at the lights, but then leave once darkness comes

I walked around the Bill Rogers Arroyo park at the base of Kern Hills, a very pricey neighborhood. Trails from private streets lead into the foothills, a privilege home owners surely take advantage of.  The rest of El Paso, I noticed, doesn't have very much green space or multi-use trails.  The population is condensed to the southern slopes of the Franklins and the vast valley south of the Rio Grande (Rio Bravo to Mexicans).  I even dared to drive around the gated community on top of the hill.  I was able to enter this privileged neighborhood because the exit gate was being repaired and the entrance gate was open to anyone.  How dare I spoil the riches with my humble Honda CR-V!  Some of the homes on this hill are insanely huge and are lighted at night like commercial property.  An electric bill for these residents perhaps isn't much anyway, compared to their gross income.  Huge houses are squeezed into small lots with tiny yards.

I then drove back to North Mesa Street to explore two beer bars that came up on my Google search: The Brass Monkey and The Hoppy Monk, both on Mesa Street.  I walked into the Brass Monkey and was immediately welcomed by the friendly bar tender, but a man at the counter warned me that "You can't find anything here for under $4.50 unless you like Bud Light or Coors!"  And he was right.  The only beer that looked interesting to me was a $9 Belgian Witbier.  I quietly walked out and then went to The Hoppy Monk up the road, another late-night pub open until midnight on Sundays.

I was impressed with the Hoppy Monk.  It's a family-owned pub  with a dog-friendly patio that serves only independent craft brewed beers, explaining in a print-out what breweries are owned by international companies.  I sat at the bar and once again got good service.  Zeke rested in the Honda. (It was in the mid 50s) The man next to me had just ordered a meal of fish and chips.  We ended up having a conversation about the current president.  Tom from Orlando, it turns out, is a rabid anti-Trumper.  He was here on business in Juarez and had come to the Hoppy Monk after hiking in the Organ Mountains near Las Cruces. Perhaps from too much beer, he began to rant about Trump in the most extreme way.  Articulate and passionate, he completely destroyed my image of the wealthy pro-Trump Floridian.  "Oh no, Florida hates Trump!"  I had two different beers and left shortly after he did, but would have enjoyed a deeper conversation about his political views.  He had majored in Economics and claimed that Trump's tax cuts would only depress our economy in a few more years, after Trump is re-elected.  Economies and recessions all run in a eight to ten-year cycle.

https://www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/2019/04/30/downtown-el-paso-garage-construction-stirs-debate-on-preserving-historic-views/3491337002/