Sunday, November 4, 2018

Pinnacles NP Hike Week

Sunday: (11/04) Lou made sausage eggs and potatoes for breakfast. It was the first use of her air cooker. I finished preparing the RV to roll, packing, etc. I did a final review of my hike attendance and closed RSVP’s and sent out a final notice to the hikers, I printed my attendance sheets. I pulled out about 1130. I’m traveling solo for this trip. Lou and Dawn were going to meet me late Monday but have changed their plans. The are preparing to do a sale at the Palo Alto High School Flea Market. It will get our cottage cleaned out a little. I stopped at PW Supermarket for some chicken strips and Lucky China Bistro for a lunch combo to go. All for future meals. I also stopped at Smart and Final for energy drinks. Another stop for cash, and then a stop for gas in Sunnyvale, our cheapest spot, an Arco at $3.49, 50 cents cheaper than in Palo Alto. A stop at a Walmart Neighborhood market in Santa Clara for some canned goods then onto the Freeway toward the park. A final stop in Hollister for a super burrito and some donuts before leaving civilization. This seems like work. I stopped beside the road about 9 miles before the park and still had good cell signal so I updated my hike attendance lists and called home. I was settled in at the park ny 1645. I had half of my chinese dinner and a donut for dinner. I took a walk around the campground as it was getting dark. I noticed that they had closed eight of the RV campsites, and others in the tent camping because of fear of tree limbs falling. Evidently the statistics on limbs falling have risen much higher recently. I feel protected, and almost homeless. I napped and listened to the radio in the evening.

Monday: (11/05) I made pancakes with sausage for breakfast. I showered then met my fellow hikers about 0900 at the Visitor Center. Were were 12 hikers and carpooled up to the Bear Gulch trailhead to start. We hiked up Condor Gulch, High Peaks, Rim, Bear Gulch Cave, Bear Gulch Trails returning to our start. Nice hike, I managed get the group to do a couple of extended stops, one at the high peaks and one at the reservoir so we could actually enjoy the view. I managed to return with all 12 hikers. We finished about 1345. After a nice ice cream bar, thanks to Colin, I returned to camp. The campsite was nicely shaded. Leftover Chinese food for dinner.
 

 


 

Tuesday: (11/06) Pancakes with bacon jerky for breakfast. Today’s hike was up the High Peaks Trail, down the tunnel and Juniper Trails and back on the Balconies cave trail. Eleen hikers today. Another nice clear day with moderate temp. Election day. I have to wonder how it went and just hope Americans can start to  awaken from their nightmare. The campground has been full since I arrived Sunday but today we’re down to only three neighbors.


Wednesday: (11/07) Today’s hike was out the North Wilderness Trail. We had a perfect day with clear skies for some nice views of the area. We were 12 hikers. We did another passage through the Balconies Caves and said hello to the lone bat in residence. Pancakes with bacon jerky for breakfast. Trail lunch. Half a super burrito for dinner.
 

Thursday: (11/08) Cormell, Tina and I had a nice walk out the South Wilderness trail and beyond to check on the pig fence return route. No water hazards this year. Cornell wanted to see the fence line we’ll be coming down. He then said, it looks worse than the photos of the hike present.  Pancakes with bacon jerky for breakfast. Trail lunch. Chicken and rice for dinner.

Friday: (11/09) Pancakes and sausage for breakfast again. I met my fellow SJMW hikers and we headed out to the Peaks View TH to start. We hiked through the Bear Gulch caves then up past the reservoir to North Peak for lunch. We were lucky to see a condor high above the peak. After lunch we continued down and up to South Peak then down beside the pig fence to return on the South Wilderness Trail to our start. Almost a 14 mile hike. This hike takes longer because the two miles down beside the pig fence is treacherously steep and slippery. Trail lunch. We started the hike at 0830 and returned at 1645. Chili size for dinner.
 




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