Been a while since I posted my hiking explorations. It's not that I'm not hiking, I am, but mostly around the subdivision, exploring the streets. I can plot out various distances in Google Maps, 1 mile, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3. And depending on how I feel, how hot or humid it is, hike longer or shorter. I've gone from hiking once every three days to hiking 2 to 3 days in a row, and then taking a day off to deal with allergies.
Exploring Google Maps I found a wooded area I might explore to the West of me.
https://i.snipboard.io/vrKOgs.jpg
To the bottom right, below the bridge, is a sports park. I figured I could park there, hike under the bridge and up the creek bed and then swing west and south along a dirt road and back to the street. I checked it out Saturday and found a security guard chacking parking tags and to-away signs. So Monday I went to the homeowner's office, on the bottom left of the map. A very nice woman issued me a tag and we talked about hiking and she said they maintain a trail behind the office and that I can park at the office no tag and any time day or night. She also explained the land beyond that and along the creek bed belonged to a horse riding stable.
So this morning 7 am I drove up to the office and parked and started here.
https://i.snipboard.io/hAmVjO.jpg
False start, ended up blocked off. To the left of me was a dog park so I walked around that and found the real trail. It looked pretty well marked and maintained.
https://i.snipboard.io/N5YXIz.jpg
A cold front had come through and the temps were in the 50s so compared to the summer morning temps in the 70s it felt cold. Figured I'd warm up.
The trail is quite pleasant compared to hiking streets and sidewalks.
https://i.snipboard.io/RjY6g2.jpg
I reached a point where an unmaintained trail veered left. I thought maybe it would lead to the dirt road visible on the map.
https://i.snipboard.io/yQKaBL.jpg
It sort of did but ended at a fence. The road was just beyond. I probably could have squeezed through the barbed wire but thought better of it. Maybe I'll go to the ranch and ask the owner for permission.
https://i.snipboard.io/NKDA1v.jpg
So back to the maintained trail. You can see they use weed killer, oh well.
https://i.snipboard.io/leGSEk.jpg
A ways down the trail I came close to the fence again. I could make out what looked like large rusty spokes and some trash.
https://i.snipboard.io/yqm4Zl.jpg
On closer inspection, it looked like an old wagon of sorts and figures set up for Halloween.
https://i.snipboard.io/DekGbj.jpg
Interesting. Back to the trail.
https://i.snipboard.io/XQw3Fu.jpg
I was thinking about the wagon and figures when I twisted my ankle and fell banging a knee (still sore!).
Here the trail takes a dip into a little creek bed.
https://i.snipboard.io/lUwd1V.jpg
About that time the sun had risen.
https://i.snipboard.io/ZyUQJk.jpg
The trail swung around back toward civilization.
https://i.snipboard.io/mJtnES.jpg
Me in the shadows of the rising sun.
https://i.snipboard.io/YKHe1T.jpg
Just an opening off the trail.
https://i.snipboard.io/sbSyI7.jpg
And back at the trailhead just east of the homeowner's office.
https://i.snipboard.io/Ev2Rhm.jpg
Here, BTW, is the trailhead just west of the office.
https://i.snipboard.io/QcgiMk.jpg
I'll have to thank that woman in the office for telling me about the trail. It was a real pleasant hike. Maybe a mile.
The approximate trail.
https://i.snipboard.io/xKeNap.jpg
The larger area I'd like to explore.
https://i.snipboard.io/XjsNvH.jpg