Pinnacles Visit

Monday: (05/04) Granola for breakfast. I headed off early to a hike. I hiked out the Bench Trail from camp then up Bear Gulch Trail to the High Peaks Trail. Then I took the Rim Trail to the reservoir. It was full and there was a good flow from it so the stream in the caves, that are closed, so the waterfalls would have been nice. This was my decision point. I had given Lou two possible routes. One was to continue on to North Chalone Peak and do the entire Pig Fence South Wilderness Loop. The other was to return to the High Peaks Trail and continue up to the Juniper Trail and return via the Balconies Trail. I decided Option 1, the pig fence hike even though it is super strenuous and the longest hike I do here.. All these hikes are three miles longer than usual because they must start at the campground rather than the trailheads. It was a beautiful clear day for the hike but this was likely the coolest day during our stay only getting up to the mid 70’s. I had my trail lunch by the old fire lookout tower on top of North Chalone Peak. Then I continued down and back up to South Chalone Peak and then down alongside the infamous pig fence. This is an extremely steep descent on loose rocks and sand that requires use of the barbed wire pig fence to control descent. The “trail” was way overgrown since previous hikes here, some nearly impassable. At the bottom the water hazards that were nonexistent on the first hike 7-8 years ago and began to require three short water crossings since now amounted to an entire flooded section of over a ¼ mile. I tried to find some bypasses through the brambles but, in the end, just waded through. I returned to camp worn out about 2000. Lou provided spaghetti dinner and pudding dessert with lots of water. Along the way today I saw two huge horned toads. The first one seen near Bear Gulch Visitor Center was nearly 5 inches without his tail and iridescent green. The second one was seen on the South Wilderness Trail and about 4 inches long.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday: (05/05) Another nice day. Nice to be able to move again, though not too fast. Lou made an oven omelette for breakfast from many of our leftovers. I cleaned up my pack but didn’t get to the task of plucking the fox tails from my socks and shoes. Sometime in the morning the power went off in the park. We didn’t notice it until Lou wanted to run the air conditioner. It returned about 1530. Fortunately we have solar and batteries and the day was nice as well. I uploaded some photos and made a Facebook post. Lou and Dawn took a drive up into the park for a short walk. Handicap placards are allowed in. Leftover spaghetti for lunch. Lou served leftover chili for dinner. I took a walk around the campground just before dark. There were 20 big birds in the trees we saw birds at before. Most likely not condors, too dark to tell but that would be amazing.

Wednesday: (05/06) Started with an early morning walk around camp. Leftover omelet with pan toast for breakfast. I took a walk around near the campground and when I got back, I joined Lou in another walk around the campground. Ham and cheese sandwich with broccoli soup for lunch. Leftover chicken artichoke and rice for dinner.

Thursday: (05/07) Lou made potato pancakes with applesauce, yogurt and some chicken Italian sausage for breakfast. Lou drove me up to the Old Pinnacles trailhead, thanks to her handicap placard, and dropped me off for my hike. She wanted me to limit my hike to 8 miles today and those hikes are non existent without being creative. I hiked out the Balconies Trail to where it is closed at the caves. I then hiked back via the Bench Trail to camp, about 7.5-8.5 miles. At home We had leftover chili for lunch. Leftover meatloaf with baked potato and carrots for dinner.

 

 

Friday: (05/08) Biscuits and gravy for breakfast. We took a walk out to the Bacon ranch house to look around. The Pinnacles NP was once the Bacon Ranch. We saw a few turkey’s, some turkey footprints in some deer on the walk. The house is riddled with woodpecker holes now. We prepared to roll and left the park a little after 1000. We stopped for gar for the RV in Gilroy at Costco before continuing on home. I parked the RV and tried to set it up in the driveway but the jacks failed to go down, or at least the left front one would. Same problem as last year. It’s been nice for over a year. I suspect it might be the heat, it’s hot today. I’ll try it again when it’s cooler. I don’t like to put the slides out without the jacks down but i did slide the bed out so we have access to the closets. I picked up lunch at Super Taqueria, a couple of super burritos. After lunch Lou and I went to our Ace Hardware and bought manure and some other things. While we were gone our yard man had been there and mowed the lawn. First time he’s been allowed to for over a month. Leftover chili for dinner.