Fat Tuesday
New member
Isolation Attempt #2 (foiled again); Stuck at 47; You can't cross a chasm in two leaps.
Sunday, 11-9-08
Larisa and I set out a few minutes past 7:00 on the Rocky Branch trail after considering a Glen Boulder traverse. The notch was socked in fog and it was super windy. As I am also recovering from a pectoralis strain (formerly and erroneously posted here as a brachial plexar strain), we decided that the gradual ascent of Rocky Branch was a better option given all the days' variables.
We were the first car in the lot, and another car carrying a hiking couple pulled in after us. We set out. It took me a bit for my pain meds to set in. I was slower than usual. Temps were warm, but the sky was ominous.
The drizzly rain began just a bit beyond the dry river wilderness boundary. As did the river. Meaning, the trail became a 6-8in river bed at this point and did not let up for quite some time. We stopped to put on raingear and take out our poles. The other couple passed us.
Less than a half a mile after starting up again, we met a ... companion. We both recognized the grouse from a thread posted here a couple of weeks ago and stopped to take some pictures. We apparently stopped for too long. as we started to head out, the grouse charged aggressively towards my left leg and started pecking at my gaiter quite viciously. (confession: I screamed like a little boy.) I tried to walk away slowly but he continued toward me and attempted to bore into my gaiter.
sufficiently freaked out, we kept on, and were followed by our friend for another 200 yds or so.
It began to snow lightly. Just before approaching the first river crossing larisa saw two bolts of lighting (I'd read on MW obs that there was a slight possibility). We found the couple staring at the crossing. The common route across was impassable. There was a pile of logs that would've done the trick, but all four of us looked at our watches and realized that it had taken us 3 hours to go 3.5 miles, and we weren't even 1/4 way through our day yet. the thought of navigating that river bed of a trail in the dark was unappealing.
We all collectively turned back.
Larisa and I were quite nervous to approach the grouse again. I took off my red rain jacket as I was convinced that this had offended him. as we trepassed upon his territory, we heard that indescribably loud and full flapping-of-wings sound. We. Had. Been. Warned.
as we passed the wilderness boundary the sun came out. alas.
Pictures of the grouse, the rocky branch crossing and the stream-trail:
http://picasaweb.google.com/idramsarg/RockyBranch#
Sunday, 11-9-08
Larisa and I set out a few minutes past 7:00 on the Rocky Branch trail after considering a Glen Boulder traverse. The notch was socked in fog and it was super windy. As I am also recovering from a pectoralis strain (formerly and erroneously posted here as a brachial plexar strain), we decided that the gradual ascent of Rocky Branch was a better option given all the days' variables.
We were the first car in the lot, and another car carrying a hiking couple pulled in after us. We set out. It took me a bit for my pain meds to set in. I was slower than usual. Temps were warm, but the sky was ominous.
The drizzly rain began just a bit beyond the dry river wilderness boundary. As did the river. Meaning, the trail became a 6-8in river bed at this point and did not let up for quite some time. We stopped to put on raingear and take out our poles. The other couple passed us.
Less than a half a mile after starting up again, we met a ... companion. We both recognized the grouse from a thread posted here a couple of weeks ago and stopped to take some pictures. We apparently stopped for too long. as we started to head out, the grouse charged aggressively towards my left leg and started pecking at my gaiter quite viciously. (confession: I screamed like a little boy.) I tried to walk away slowly but he continued toward me and attempted to bore into my gaiter.
sufficiently freaked out, we kept on, and were followed by our friend for another 200 yds or so.
It began to snow lightly. Just before approaching the first river crossing larisa saw two bolts of lighting (I'd read on MW obs that there was a slight possibility). We found the couple staring at the crossing. The common route across was impassable. There was a pile of logs that would've done the trick, but all four of us looked at our watches and realized that it had taken us 3 hours to go 3.5 miles, and we weren't even 1/4 way through our day yet. the thought of navigating that river bed of a trail in the dark was unappealing.
We all collectively turned back.
Larisa and I were quite nervous to approach the grouse again. I took off my red rain jacket as I was convinced that this had offended him. as we trepassed upon his territory, we heard that indescribably loud and full flapping-of-wings sound. We. Had. Been. Warned.
as we passed the wilderness boundary the sun came out. alas.
Pictures of the grouse, the rocky branch crossing and the stream-trail:
http://picasaweb.google.com/idramsarg/RockyBranch#
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