*Note the graffiti on the boulder. A bit of an oxymoron.*

Today we did an easy hike in section 29, from Forest Service Road 90H, walking north to our cabin. We walked through Double Springs Camp and were glad to see that the natural spring was still flowing. The forest is so dry as we wait for monsoon rains.

We brought Sadie with us today, our 70-pound sheepadoodle. After the first day, we left her home as she drinks sooooooooooooo much water. And I will not hike with a dog when it is over 80 degrees. Personal decision.

She was one happy pup as we walked in the early morning light with the faint echo of an unknown owl greeting our morning as he concluded his night.

This post today, is what I call a “Nuts and Bolts” post, with lists of all the birds and flowers we have seen in sections 30 and 31. And a note about our roles on the hikes. Kevin figures we have hiked 29.25 miles of the AZT, with additional access miles. That means we have completed 3.7% of the trail.

OUR ROLES:

Kevin is the map keeper. He consults his computer and the All Trails App to download an overall map of the hike on his phone, but he rarely uses a step-by-step route on the trail. He’s old-school, having orienteered since he was a Boy Scout with paper, topographical maps, and a compass. In unknown areas we still carry paper maps as a backup.

Kevin also carries a mental compass in his head at all times. He can evaluate ridgelines to determine where the car is located. In forty-five years of hiking with him, I can count on one hand the times we have gotten turned around for more than fifteen minutes.

Me? North, south, east, and west are only words in a dictionary. At every rest break, Kevin diligently shows me where we are on the map, because if he is ever in trouble, I have to get us both out of the wilderness.

If he is ever in trouble, we are both in deep doo-doo.

My eyes are constantly on the lookout for wildflowers and birds.

I hike with a small notebook and then transfer my notes to my nature journal when I get home. Along with photos, the notes provide the memories and background I need to write my stories. Ultimately, I am a storyteller. With a few exceptions, I have never bothered to learn scientific names for things. I’m not sure I ever will. Apologies to all the botanists and ornithologists out there.

For all the bird nerds and botany geeks, these are our sightings for sections 30 and 31 of the AZT. For flower lovers, I absolutely recommend any part of Sandy Canyon, whether you are hiking the AZT or not. At the end of the post is a haiku for day 6.