Friday, January 2, 2015

Hike #1: Wintry

When
Thursday, 2015-01-01
Where
Phoenix Mountain Preserve, 40th St Trailhead
Duration
3½ hours
Notable
First time on the Voaz and Irregular Link trails.

This morning I awoke to a rare wintry day in Phoenix, with the temperature down and the sun hidden behind gray, dreary clouds. Puddles that had formed from yesterday's rain still lay around the parking lot outside my apartment. It looked to be a good day for a hike.

Through teeth-chattering cold I rode my bike to the nearby 40th St trailhead, locked up, and began walking towards my one and only target for the day, Piestewa Peak. Despite my new year's resolution to read more, I didn't take any time to read the map on the sign at the trailhead. It's impossible to get lost in the Preserve.

Early on I found some soggy, half-deflated “happy birthday” party balloons caught under a tree. I tied them to a nearby trail marker and tried to take a photograph. At this time I realized my camera battery was discharged, so no one gets to see any photos for today.

In the words of a small troupe of small boys coming down the summit trail of Piestewa Peak, “Happy New Year!”

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