I needed to make a run to the Alpine branch library to get a couple of books, so of course I turn it into a geocaching mini-expedition! I decided to brave the pending rain and go for the ones I have left on Viejas Mountain. There are five I found back in March of 2016 (not counting that one up the road), and you will see three more I found today. Sadly, there are three left to do.
You will notice the peak elevation followed by an "m". I found out that stands for "meters". This is different than "feet", it turns out. And as it turns out, there was approximately 1,197 feet of elevation gain today, and there would have been 1,482 feet if I had made it to the peak.
Someone left a walking cast boot at the trailhead. I hope that isn't a portent of things to come! You will notice that you can see all the way up the hill. Actually, there is a cloud at the peak but you can't see it from here.
After I got a ways up the trail I looked back down to see the vehicle, and watched another vehicle park by it. Also, it is clouding up down there!
Higher still, and cloudier still!
I thought maybe I was at the summit. Nope, it's just a ridge, the summit is a BIT farther up the trail.
I went a little bit further, but the rain started and it got slippery and I decided to come back yet another day.
Coming down the trail I was passed by someone who had gone all the way to the peak and back. Turned out it was the guy who parked in front of me. He must have passed me at one of the geocaches I had stopped for!
Here I am going down the rocky trail, oh so rocky, and trying to compose an interesting picture. My umbrella blew away, and it was rainy, and this is all I came up with.
The walking stick was majorly important, especially in the wetness. A three-point stance is more stable than two!
A view from under the umbrella. It wasn't perfect, but I'm sure glad I brought it!
This is a different vehicle than the one in that other picture. Coming down I passed this guy who was coming up. He asked how far it was to the peak. I said I don't know, I've never made it!
My shoes were (and still are, a bit) coated in mud, the treads being packed. My pant legs were coated in mud too, and it was all very very hard to clean off. I'm sure my pants are now stained with the reddish-brown mud.
Thanks for reading!
It's not JUST about what I had for breakfast...
Monday, February 06, 2017
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