Another quick Miller Canyon ramble

What a difference a day makes!  Yesterday it was warm and dry, today it's been breezy and cool all day, with rain starting at 3:45pm.

I took the pack up Hidden Falls at 1pm.  Susan didn't come, so it was just me and the dogs, exploring abandoned mining roads and discovering two things new to me: a flooded mine shaft that Minnie just had to jump into, and what looks like an old storage tank on a ridgeline.  On a warmer day this terrain would be perfect for snakes and big cats.

Today's ramble was under 1.7 miles and mostly a bushwhack over rocky terrain on faint game trails.  I never came across another soul.  I'm so lucky to be less than three miles from trailheads.  I could sneak into the forest if we ever were on lockdown for this coronavirus pandemic.

Later in the afternoon I noticed a good portion of our larger walnut tree in the front yard  has a large section of dead branches on its northern side.  Looks like I have a lot of gardening to do starting next week.

***

The US has now surpassed China in confirmed coronavirus cases, with 83,672 reported.  It still ranks #6 in deaths due to the virus.  More disconcerting to me is the rise in Arizona's numbers, with 508 confirmed cases resulting in eight deaths.

From CNN today

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/03/health/us-coronavirus-cases-state-by-state/index.html

At least 1,209 people have died, including 385 in New York, 139 in Washington state and 83 in Louisiana.

Alabama: 489 (including one death)

Alaska: 59 (including one death)

Arizona: 508 (including eight deaths)

Arkansas: 335 (including two deaths)

California: 3,006 (including 65 deaths)

Colorado: 1,086 (including 19 deaths)

Connecticut: 1,012 (including 21 deaths)

Delaware: 130 (including one death)

District of Columbia: 231 (including three deaths)

Florida: 2,349 (including 27 deaths)

Georgia: 1,525 (including 48 deaths)

Guam: 45 (including one death)

Hawaii: 95

Idaho: 123

Illinois: 2,538 (including 26 deaths)

Indiana: 645 (including 17 deaths)

Iowa: 179 (including one death)

Kansas: 168 (including three deaths)

Kentucky: 198 (including five deaths)

Louisiana: 2,305 (including 83 deaths)

Maine: 155

Maryland: 580 (including four deaths)

Massachusetts: 1,838 (including 15 deaths)

Michigan: 2,856 (including 60 deaths)

Minnesota: 346 (including two deaths)

Mississippi: 485 (including five deaths)

Missouri: 502 (including eight deaths)

Montana: 71

Nebraska: 73

Nevada: 420 (including 10 deaths)

New Hampshire: 137 (including one death)

New Jersey: 6,876 (including 81 deaths)

New Mexico: 112 (including one death)

New York: 37,258 (including 385 deaths)

North Carolina: 636 (including two deaths)

North Dakota: 52

Ohio: 867 (including 15 deaths)

Oklahoma: 248 (including seven deaths)

Oregon: 266 (including 10 deaths)

Pennsylvania: 1,687 (including 16 deaths)

Puerto Rico: 64 (including two deaths)

Rhode Island: 165

South Carolina: 424 (including eight deaths)

South Dakota: 46 (including one death)

Tennessee: 957 (including three deaths)

Texas: 1,424 (including 18 deaths)

US Virgin Islands: 17

Utah: 402 (including one death)

Vermont: 158 (including nine deaths)

Virginia: 460 (including 13 deaths)

Washington: 2,580 (including 139 deaths)

West Virginia: 52

Wisconsin: 707 (including eight deaths)

Wyoming: 53