Hiking the Road to Nowhere

It is not the destination but the journey that is important. Thus it was on hike number two. It had a rather unknown air about it. I had a map. I did. I got it from the Forestry Service in Carson City. It was difficult to read though our path was on there. The Waterfall we were seeking was not. Thus, we missed the path to the falls and just kept going. Up and Up and Up.
It was a good hike: Kings Canyon is tucked in the northwestern corner of Carson above a residential neighborhood that I did not know existed. Nice flavor of discovery and it wasn't long before we were up in alpine territory looking at melting snow and realizing we had to come back and take the trail all the way to Spooner Lake at the summit on Highway 50 sometime this spring. We weren't really prepared for more than 4 or 5 miles. SP drained her Camelpak before we were even back to our starting point. I didn't bring anything to eat but trailmix. I think we did 4 miles, two of which were a steady uphill. Waking up those glutes and quads. It was a beautiful day. The waterfall will have to wait for another time. We revelled in the accomplishment.


Heading up, this is just a ways before we crested the trail where it evened off and headed south.

Alpine tree line and snow - really pretty and smelled wonderful


Coming back down looking over North Carson City. It was really hazy that day.


Our first hike two weeks ago was conquering Prison Hill, named mostly for the two prisons you can see from the summit. This is the capitol and I guess we get most of Northern Nevada's prisoners. Maximum security is in Ely. This is reassuring. Anyway, if you are driving through Carson City on highway 395 you can see Prison Hill from every angle. There is a big S on it.
I have been itching to climb it since I moved here just because it is there and loaded with trails meandering all over the place. Being spring and uncertain about snow melt and conditions in Tahoe we have decided to warm up the hiking mojo in Carson City. Summers here are much too hot to be climbing around in and there is very little shade available. Spring conditions are perfect for traipsing around these parts. Up we went, without hesitation I might add, scrambling to the top like mountain goats. Found a flat rock grouping and had a snack and looked out over all of Carson City. Wandered around up there for a while to take in a 360 view and then headed down.
I didn't take my camera but I found a photo from a biking club that has done the hill as well. This is looking south westerly across Carson City across towards Genoa and the Sierras. It was a great start to the season.

Uploaded from facility bike club

The Mystery Continues

The mystery pansies are flourishing. Strangely, they have erupted in a spot different from where they were last year. The mystery of the pansies is a source of great amusement for me.

The lilac trees are doing their darnedest to flourish despite lovely days followed by near winter days. Sigh. They didn't bloom to full potential due to a late spring frost last year. I am hoping they get a chance to burst, full and lovely, this year.

There is living room painting going on. There is a hike to take tomorrow. My finger has healed, thank you. That is all I've got today.

Enforced Break Time

Blogging has been a low priority of late. I sliced my left index finger with a serated knife on friday. This has caused all sorts of logistical problems like typing, writing, drumming. There are no good bandaids for fingers. Typing is a bit hit or miss, literally. I have been doing walks about the neighborhood with MMsis and I did my first hike of the season friday prior to the knife accident. I started up my drumming class again on monday evenings. It's all good things keeping me busy. More later when I can be free of bandage and typos.

Rock Out

Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you.
-Frank Lloyd Wright-

By the title you might think I would be sharing my latest iTunes downloads or a particularly great rock and roll story, even perhaps commenting on American Idol, though rock would be a stretch. Alas, I'm talking rocks, literally, rocks. Like all the ones I have in my backyard. I've got a lotta rocks.

Inspired by rocks? Suprisingly yes! Thanks to the blogosphere I've seen many rocks transformed in to lovely little creative pieces of art. Like these over at Marilyn's and
these from the fabulous Linda Davick.

Who knew there was so much rock fun going on. I am looking at my rocks in a whole new light. In the spirit of my rocks I thought a few weeks back "I'd love to find a heart shaped rock." The universe only took a few weeks to deliver. Saturday I found my rock in my yard.

It's a bit of a blurry photo, such is my excitement. It is most perfectly a heart shaped rock and it even is flat in one spot so it sits like this on the counter. How COOL is that! I may paint it, I may leave it in its natural form to remind me of the perfection of nature or something equally philosophical. I am currently painting a rock to use as a door stop. Sure, it looks like a 2nd grade art project. Who cares...it is art rock or rock art or something along the lines of rock and art.

Meanwhile, I am tiring of the starts and stops to the end of winter and anxiously awaiting spring. The signs are there but the weather seems to stall just when it picks up too much momentum in a string of sunny, warm days. My lilac bushes are starting to pop the tiniest bit of foreshadowing of what is to come. Behold the bud:

As I was wandering around the yard today taking stock of what needs to be done I wondered "Would the mystery pansy make an appearance this year?" Imagine my excitement when I spotted this:
Though my yard appears sparse and rocky, the signs of spring are everywhere and I am anxiously awaiting its arrival.