Sunday, August 31, 2008

Off the Trail


Since I had to work yesterday the plan was to go on a good long hike this morning. I had scoped out which one I wanted to do. had food packed the night before and woke up early to get a good start before it got too hot. While the first one I went to was in Cuyamaca State Park and didn't allow dogs. So that was a bust. But I had a plan B. Pine Creek Wilderness. It was only about 6 miles away and was a good distance hike so I thought I was good to go. I should have known from the beginning that it was not going to be a good hike. The flies were unbearable. They weren't biting or anything they were just all in my face and flying into my nose and ear. I could stand it. But we also went the wrong way and when I finally found the right way the trail was all overgrown with poison oak and I just went through it. There was no way around it and by this point I figured that I probably already had gotten it so why not. I did reach a point were it was too much and decided to turn around. Which was a bummer because the creek had water in it and I think would have been a cool hike if it was better maintained. I am going to get a topo and check it out to see if possibly I was on a cattle trail (yeah a cattle trail in a wilderness) or actually on the trail.
I wanted to get a hike in so Max and I headed to a small piece of open space in the Cleveland that they call Miller Ranch. It is right off the 8 and it actually was really nice. More open and oak savanna habitat with big stately Englemann oaks. These are some big trees. I will try to get some pictures the next time I go and post them. It is a place that I think I could pitch a tent and just hangout and explore for a night. Pack it all into my backpack and just do an overnighter. Something to check into when the weather cools off a bit.
Max was good and tired by this point so we headed home. So I went to Coronado with Sean and Ricardo (his friend visiting from New York.) As much as I feel guilty for going to the dog beach without Max it is nice to be able to just go to the beach and not have to watch the dog and be constantly playing with him. I took a little nap on the blanket. One thing that I wanted to mentioned was that Ricardo was wearing a nice tight red speedo. It actually surprised me when I first saw it. But I was impressed with the fact that he could care less what other people at the beach might say or think. That's what he was wearing. You have to give the guy props for that.
Above is a picture I took of Max recently at the small grassy area that we go to in Kensington. He likes to roll around in the grass and throw the ball into the air. I think it is funny and he loves to do it.

1 comment:

Steph said...

Oh Max-a-million! He's too cute. I see that that is a crack ball he's playing with :)

Can't wait to see ya!