 Where has the time gone? I left home just after
3pm, and here I was starting at the trail at 7:16pm. It was dark. The sun was
long gone. This would be a real night hike. I never started this late.... hmmm..
But it had to be done. I had to hike today.
The Superstition Mountains begin
30 miles east from Phoenix. There, a long and winding "Apache Trail"
leads through a land of cactus, tall rock and powerful sun. In the first
10 miles the road winds upwards, through blind curves and mountains in
the distance. Then the road leads downwards, and alongside Canyon Lake
- the jewel of Supersitions. 5 miles later, Apache Trail becomes a dirt
road. This is where 4x4 adventures begin. This is where passenger cars
pull over in view of dust-stirring Jeeps from behind. This is where hubcaps
are lost, and shocks tested. And dust covers all. This is where city folk
keep their a/c on high, windows closed and complain about the heat. The
desert rats keep the windows open, and the gas pedal down. The road winds
upwards, then downwards into the canyon. Rock-wall to the right, canyon
to the left, the road sometimes narrows and right of way has to be exercised.
But at night......at night, the cars are few, the foot is down, and slides
are frequent.
In the heart of Supersitions, just before Apache
Lake (the other jewel) lies a hiking trail with beautiful desert views and a
slightly upwards trail. Mountain peaks can be seen in the distance, and cactus
and shrubs are everywhere. At night, the scenery changes. There are dark spots,
very dark spots, and dark moving shapes of varied sizes. The three animals of
concern in no particular order are the snike (the rattler), scorpion (the little
nasty guy) and puma (called mountain lion by the Southwest folk). The snikes
are what concerns my adventurous soul most during the night. Unless I saw a
puma there during the day....but that's a story for another day. (Coming Someday).
7:16pm, 3600ft elevation. The hike
begins. The first few minutes are the worst at night, all the dark spots are
possible locations of the snike. Lucky night tonight, no encounters. Yet...
I stopped to write something down (some cool Quotes for my website) and decided
to sit. In the middle of the trail, the best place. I was scanning every few
minutes for scorpions approaching from the bushes. "Expect
the worst, hope for the best." Words to live by. Something
landed on my arm. The Praying Mantis! Cool!!!!! I only ever saw one in a cartoon
before. I got a very good look at him - stick body, 4 legs, 2 praying hands.
It must be him. Something made noise in the distance. Is it just wind? My flashlight
picked up something... ahh, shiny spots.. moving.. eyes! I felt a grain of fear,
the kind an element of surprise brings - that someone, something, was watching
me. Something big... it's eyes were way up high. too high for puma.... then
they disappeared, but i heard it run. Big animal (they all sound bigger at night).
Probably a deer.
Back on the trail, T-shirt off for good this
time (ohhhhh, i love the desert), I saw
a bright spot on the ground 30 feet away. "Eye!". But why not two?
Is it an eye? I slowed down.. The creature flew away. A bird, or bat? Too small
for a vulture. Minutes later, I saw it again. In the middle of the trail. I
was able to get closer...just a bird. Somewhat later I spotted something black
on the ground - two big juicy black bugs, the smaller one on top of the other.
hmm... They both seemed alive. (and yes, both drawings are mine...)
Finally the summit. Not the highest peak in
the area, not even a real summit... but a spot I have visited many times before.
And I always returned from it in pitch dark. I stood on a rock I named the "sitting
rock", spread my arms and felt the wind. It came in waves, picking up and
fading, but always there. This is the climax of the hike, the summit, the wind,
the clear head, the peace. This is what I come for. The fuel for my week to
come.
The walk down was uneventful - pleasant, but
without surprises. It wasn't the unknown any more, i felt a "I have been
here...just a short time ago" feeling. I only stopped to drink from my
3 quart water supply. I brought half of it back, it wasn't a tough day.
Back in the Jeep, i was cruising downhill in
second gear sliding and braking into the turns. You just can't do that during
the day. But if it has been dark for hours, there is no traffic. Plus the headlights
would give away oncoming traffic. Sliding and braking - but always in control.
It wasn't long before i was back on the main road -- main dirt road that is.
Now, I was watching the road ahead in hope of seeing again...... and there she
was! Tarantula .The unmistakingly huge
black spider. Doing 40mph in the dirt caused me to slide past her and having
to turn around. I positioned the car to shine lights on her... then hopped outside
to examine my catch. I got within 20 inches with my camera.
I drove away with my camera ready for more action. Just in case. As I left the
far backcountry and was approaching paved civilization, i decided to put the
camera away properly. Not 30 yards later did i find another creature of the
night. Snike! All-roight, mite !!! But, i just put my camera away... Out it
went. I only saw a rattler once before, on top of Squaw Peak (story Coming Soon),
but this one was more massive, thicker, bigger. He was about 3 feet long, and
remained totally motionless as i neared him with my camera. I got my camera
within 3 feet from him, diagonally. That was the limit of my camera, and my
common sense. Crazy is ok, but stupidity is expensive. Eventually he moved,
sliding through the dirt and making waves. The best shot is with animals approching
you, but he was avoiding me, and changed direction when he realized i was in
front of him. I took about 4 pictures before he decided to flee in a hurry.
During his escape he made the rattling sound from his 2 inch long rattler. 3
feet might well be the size of the biggest rattlers... unlike their Colorado
cousins, Arizonans have to deal with desert conditions....
That was the end of my backcountry excitement
for the day. Back on I-60 heading towards Phoenix, within 10 miles of home,
the road construction caused lane merging from three into one. Speed limit 45mph.
I noticed the flashing lights of a cop's car far far behind me. He was in the
fast lane before the construction. My first thought was that he was about to
pull someone over. "Lucky. Could've been me." Construction ended within
a mile, and I took position in the middle lane. I saw the flashing cop approaching,
he was behind me... then he blew past me in the fast lane. Haulin ass!! "Should
I, shouldn't I?" I did. I followed him. I was curious how fast he was going,
and what are the odds of him pulling me over..... if i just leave enough room
between us. I got up to 75mph, then 85mph. The police dude just unleashed the
V-8 power of his police machine and he was dropping me. Gee, I must be up to
100mph now. He was still dropping me. COoooooool. My spedometer scale stops
at 85mph, but i was over 100mph. He took an exit in a hurry. I didn't follow.
Another day.......
I arrived home at 12:30am, body tired, but
brain awake, eager. Eager to write my first story ever. Not the best, but the
first. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
#
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see also my Arizona pictures
Afterthoughts:
I wanted to return the following night to the desert... bring something better
than a napkin to draw a Praying Mantis --- he looked so cool in person... and
he is too small for me to photograph him.. (too small and darkness).
As it turned out i went back 8 days later. Colder weather - ie T-shirt needed
:-). Big juicy bugs yes, but no Praying Mantis.... it must have been too cool
for snikes too... Oh, and instead of starting at 7pm, this time i started (no,
not by choice) at 9pm :-).
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