Bend Not Break
Sunday, 31 May 2020
The sprinkler guy arrived early this morning, so I took advantage of my semi-conscious state and headed up to Brainard. The winter gate was still locked, and the parking lot almost full when I arrived; fortunately, a car pulled out just as I drove up, so I got a decent spot.
First thing I noticed, other than the cool breeze and crisp air, was a hygiene mask on the ground, in near-perfect condition. I did not touch it: best let sleeping masks lie.
The restrooms were locked, much to the dismay of the various hikers testing the doors. Meanwhile, a small pile of dog-poop bags had breached the parking lot. Nearby, apropos of nothing, a discarded dental pick. One might imagine that the flingers of these dental picks are the same people who forget their discarded dog bags.
The forest was buried in wet, sloppy snow. I walked up to the Long Lake trailhead, dodging snowdrifts across the road, and found the trail snowed in. Didn’t feel much like micro-spikes, and besides, this was enough for today.
Back at Brainard, the trees slouched eastward, like rough beasts bowing to the relentless wind. Me, I was glad of the breeze: on this too-warm, summery cusp of June, I’d still prefer a few more months of spring.
Red Rock Lake