I lollygagged too long in the morning, though, scrubbing out the trough and doing other things in the kitchen. I should have started the hike at sunrise, but I had no one to push me out of the house this early. I didn't even leave the house till 9:50am and got to the Sawmill trailhead at 10:35am. It was already 80F and Zeke and I were hurting from the heat.
I had to take plenty of shade and water breaks. I had a 3:30pm vet appointment for Hansi and timed this hike so that I could do the hike with plenty of time. I could make it to the peak by 1pm and still make it back in time to head into town. And that is what I did. I make it to the peak at 12:35pm and departed at 12:53. The ladybugs from last month were still there, only this time they were flying around as if getting ready for the descent into the valley. The beetles were all over Zeke and me, crawling down my t-shirt and itching my skin. They were much active this time
The forest is dry. The new flowers this month are the sunflowers and firecracker penstemons. We desperately need rain! I don't want to see the mountains burst into fire like they are north of Tucson. The horizon was hazy, both from smoke from the Bighorn Fire and the frontal range of the Saharan Dust moving in from Africa.
It took me a little over two hours (!!!) to get to the peak. I was afraid of running out of water for Zeke and me.
Once at the peak, I stayed long enough to give Zeke a rest, drink water, and swat the ladybugs off of me. There was no wind, but there was a cool breeze.
An abandoned backpack left being by a border crosser was on Contelplation Rock, full of dirty clothes, TP and talcum powder deodorant. The user discarded the pack because it was badly ripped. This is the first proof of illegal activity resurfacing. I carried the pack down the mountain, but then forgot to pick it up again when I stopped at the Sawmill spring where Zeke refreshed himself, a half-mile from the parking lot.
We were home at 2:30pm. At 3:20pm I was back on the road to the Sierra Animal Hospital, where Hansi had his make-up vaccine and exam. Dr. George was very pleased with how Hansi looked. He weighed in at 13.45kg (29.6 lbs) and was quite the dramaking again, howling whenever she needed to look at something. I guess that anal exam the last time really traumatized him!
I was back home at 4:30pm and then met Susan at 5pm at the bridge. The dogs hadn't been walked since Friday and they needed physical exercise. We only walked 1.5 miles. It was still 97F when we started.
I was back home by 6pm and Kevin was awake and on the patio. And that's when I noticed Gretel's left ear is finally lifting! While they still flop when she runs, her ears are trying hard to stand up. Oh my, she is going to be one good-looking dog.
***
A 7.5 earthquake hit southern Mexico this morning. At least four deaths have been reported.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/23/world/mexico-earthquake.html. As for Covid-19, there are now 29 states in which confirmed cases have been spiking again, most notably in Texas.
Global cases: 9,350,758
Global deaths: 481,279
US cases: 2,424,119
US deaths: 123,473 (=36,472)
AZ cases: 54, 586 (+866); #13
AZ deaths: 1342 (+42)
IN cases: 42,871 (+238); #18
IN deaths: 2569 (+16)
TX cases: 125,015 (+5,222); #5
TX deaths: 2,2251 (+29)
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