After lunch - since the rain had stopped, I checked the hourly weather report. It showed a couple hours without rain - enough time for me to get up onto our trails. I'd been anxious to see how things had fared after Saturday's big wind & rain storm. Things were soaked & it wasn't long, until I felt water seeping into my boots! Whoops - forgot to change to my waterproof pair!
One of the biggest Cottonwoods, uprooted~
The area where these Cottonwoods grow is one of my favorite places... Looming over the trails for the 25+ years I've ridden here, they survived a lot of wind - but this last storm was a doozie. All the water that usually covers the low spots - has been dried up for over two-months. Even so - the wind was strong enough that it took the top off one tree & dropped this one to the ground. They didn't look high - we got over the first with just a hop. The second though - required moving a lot of large limbs & debris. Farah attempted a leap, but there was one big dead branch sticking out sideways - just enough that she couldn't clear it & make the jump. She reared up, cleared her legs & backed away. This will require a chain saw - that will require about a two-mile hike... So - we headed the other way...
Development...
We found what I knew we would... Houses going in like a blight on the land. The beautiful trails we had here are now paved over... An ATV had pushed a path through the brush & around the gate. We took it & cut right - up our old trail to the power lines. The rain moved back in - within minutes we were soaked. I put my raincoat on - but my shirt was already wet.
Bottom access to the Power Lines~
With the gate closed & ecology blocks at both ends, there's no way for us to get around. The old tiny trail that Khari & I had made years ago, was so grown over that I didn't want to try it to get around.
On our way back-
A new sign - that bodes no good news for me... Their "Future Road Extension" will be what's left of "my" trails... I was wondering today if the trails would last until we make our retirement move... Somehow - I doubt it. That will be so devastating to me - that - our move will be even more welcome.
With our old "Running Hill" totally overgrown & washed out - we still tried to take it & connect with our usual route to the power lines... About half-way up - it was So bad that my head about got taken off my neck! Farah instantly stopped even before I could ask her. Nothing to do but turn back yet again. Once on our road, with no one around - we went up to the top - onto a short trail, just to see if there might be a way through now? No - blocked by brush.
I tried taking a video with my camera & was actually surprised at how good it came out :-) We were both soaked to the bone by the time we got home, but boy-oh-boy was it Wonderful to get out! The air smelled like the Cottonwoods & was just So Fresh & clean!
oh, the big tree down is so sad, but the development is terrible. Sometimes "progress" doesn't seem very forward when we lose beautiful places.
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