Bill asked me Friday if I wanted to hike this Sunday. Sure, but could it be a closer drive, like Carr Peak? I hadn't done the peak all year. We agreed to meet at 6am, with him picking Hansel and me up at 6am.
Gretel threw a wrench in that plan when she busted out the front door at 5:50am and then ran up and down Kino Road for 30 minutes with Hansel. Luckily both came back by 6:20am and we were able to take off.
The drive up Carr Canyon Road, a 13-mile dort road, took us an hour. The blaring morning sun on a dusty windshield made driving up the badly rutted road more treacherous than usual. We started the hike at 7:33 with 51F and clear skies. We had no wind, but instead were kept cool with a fall breeze.
I didn't know what to expect along the trail as far as wildflowers go. But there were many all along the trail. The lower elevation was taken over by fleabane, common mullein, and yarrow, and higher up goldeneye took over all the way to the peak. There was some autumn sage and purple penstemon, but yellow once again took over the color scheme.
The Aspen are now reaching their prime. In another week the colors will fade.⁹
We were the only people on the trail. We didn't see anyone until we passed a father and young son with their Newfie a mile from the trailhead. We had no cold winds at the top. Ladybugs were still huddled along the lower stems of shrubs.
The hike took us 4:30 hours. I had a big lunch when I got back. Hansel chilled the rest of the day while I scrolled through my social media. I found out that a former county ACO, Jill Davis, had tied two nights ago in Tucson. She had been having medical issues and had been hospitalized for various blood issues. We met in 2011 and then again two years ago when she took care of the two German shepherd dogs left behind when my neighbor Stephen was found deceased in his home. Jill was only 56 years old.
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