Some Shanahan
Wednesday, May 27, 2021
Phase 1: Shanahan Ridge N/S
S and D (the legacy crew) headed up the Shanahan Ridge North Trail on a clear, calm Wednesday evening, amid a throng of ten or so other hikers who trundled past, on their way to parts unknown. Also, there were some dogs.
Some trail signage has been removed, so we had to guess where we were. This didn’t work so well. However, on reaching the Mesa Trail junction and observing the sign about Bear Canyon Trail being closed through November, we were pretty sure where we were. So then it was off down the Mesa Trail to the South Fork Trail, and back along the Connector Trail. As usual, these return-trails were relatively shady and quiet, and mostly unpopulated.
Plenty of flowers: daisies and wallflowers, purple iris, and some blue harebells or harebells or whatever they are, sand lilies, mouse-ear, etc. So that was good. Some chopped-down trees, with bark and branches strewn hither and yon, purposefully or not, perhaps to be collected at some later date, or not.
Phases 2,3: That Park over there on Yale
A quick drive north from the trailhead brought us to the park on Table Mesa and Yale. We parked on the west side, which has much better parking opportunities than the strange church-like parking area that requires leaping or circumnavigating the creek.
Sandwiches and mosquitoes, and a dog who seemed disappointed when we didn’t give it any food. D asked whether its owners feed it, upon which the dog barked and haplessly watered a tree.
Question of the Night
Q: Who sang “I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in"?
A: Kenny Rogers and the First Edition.
Q: Can one photograph a lunar eclipse with any light on the landscape?
A: We think not.