Walking the Loop: from Country Club Road to Park Avenue (2.5 o/w)

I have not been in the mood to hike since Kevin died. I finally got his death certificate on Friday and seeing his official, certified death hit me hard.  I just want to crawl into bed and sleep all day. I know I will get over this, but for now I'm still struggling.

But I can't. I now have to make phone calls and run around to the local offices and cancel his various accounts. Luckily he left his iPhone unlocked so I could access his email. Kevin paid most of his bills online  via autopay, resulting in confirmations by email 

My first choice was his BoA credit card. While we do have a local BoA affiliate, the  website said its Lobby was still closed. I had the Honda packed with cardboard and plastic bottles, intent on driving to an affiliate in Tucson, taking care of his account, and then dropping off the recyclables, with perhaps a short walk on the Loop. Weather was in the low 70s and overcast, so ideal walking weather.

But I just didn't have it in me to walk far. I had Gretchen with me, who is a great car rider and easy on the leash, but that poor girl has been attacked by Gretel and Sahne far too often recently.  Now she has several fresh bites on her face. I need to work on rebuilding her confidence.

We started on Country Club Road and walked west, walking south of the Kino Sportsplex and along the Julian Wash. This is not a very pretty section of the trail, with trash and homeless camps hidden in the brush. 

But it was busy with cyclists nonetheless. Gretchen is easily startled by fast-moving bicycles close to her, but she didn't bark or lunge at anyone. She did very well. As an only dog she could develop her self confidence better.

It's only 2.5 miles from Country Club Road to Park Avenue. "A" Mountain is within view and I had wanted to make it to Silverlake Road, where I began a section of the Loop over a year ago. This would have been another mile o/w and completed the Santa Cruz River section of the Loop. I sat down on a ledge off Park Avenue (by a Carl's Jr restaurant) and decided to turn around instead. I didn't have a backpack and didn't want Gretchen to get dehydrated. The only water she had was lapping some water from a little puddle in the wash.

I will do a few more sections of the Loop while we have cooler weather coming. Steve and I talked about walking the Loop next Saturday, when I plan on talking the bulk of my recyclables to Tucson after clearing out the back of Kevin's pickup. 

I know I'm going thru a depression right now. I need to stay active and not dwell on my demons.

https://www.strava.com/activities/6492884131