Up absurdly early, with a local petrol and water-bottle stop,
then out to
American River Middle Fork Canyon,
over the Auburn Ravine Bridge,
past baking
chaparral slopes to
the Western States Trail Junction in
Foresthill
for
the last 8.3 miles (16.6, actually, since this will have to be a round trip) of a series of connected hikes between Rohnert Park and the Talbot Trailhead of the Granite Chief Wilderness.
Time for another Mark-of-Arabia (or is it more Flying Nun / large white rabbit / water buffalo this time?) get up before heading down
California,
Lowe, and perhaps
California again to
the
Trailhead,
where
the
views
open to the
east,
south,
and
west.
The way leads across a digger-pine-and-chaparral plateau,
then down Dardenelles Canyon within sight of the distant North-Fork-of-the-Middle-Fork Divide to a sunny
checkpoint.
From here,
the woods are alternately thin and dense,
with enough views of
Buckeye and
Cock Robin Points to keep it interesting, yet enough
shade to keep one alive on a very warm day (with three horsewomen and no other hikers encountered the whole time).
At last the clearing (in what proves to be just about the only truly deep forest section), known as
Peachstone Junction, appears, after a brutal, open downslope.
Resting briefly, there is nothing to do but tackle the reverse upslope -- the most difficult stretch of the day, wrapping the upper shirt-scarf tight against the heat radiating up from the rocks, meditating on the horse that started earlier and almost knocked its rider and me for a loop (what if?). All the potential dangers -- sprains, broken bones, heat stroke, insurmountable fatigue, bears, mountain lions, bees, poison oak, sunburn, blisters, becoming lost, dehydration, starvation, being kicked by a horse -- pretty much averted.
Uncharacteristically thankful for shade and
cool springs, relatedly appreciative for having taken three (rather than two of last week) water bottles, plus the re-discovered daypack of yesterday, which proves semi-insulated, and thereby a keeper of relatively refridgerated goods.
Homeward, again, pretty wiped out, but perhaps in slightly better shape than last week at this time -- still there are two pages (51-52) of Symphony No. 2: II (Part 2) to do, as well as another for Psalm 20 (2 pages total, concluding it), and video edit for San Rafael News: I. AIDSong.
