Potpourri -- Friday, 2/19/21

While today isn't Friday the 13th, it could be, at least meteorologically-speaking:  It's gray, drippy, gloomy, wet, foggy, chilly (43°), and decidedly unpleasant outside (good day for indoor blogging!).  We weren't surprised ... it was forecast by the weather gurus.  Because cold and damp was pretty much a given for today, we knew that if we wanted to get Out and About for a nice walk, yesterday (Thursday) would be best.  Where to?  Walking on our local Cascade Canal trail is easy, doesn't require us driving anywhere, and we can tailor the time we're out.  And, its ever-changing.  We never know what we'll encounter.  Yesterday's hike was the capper, as far as I'm concerned!

This canal trail picture is from last November, just to give you an idea.  Yesterday was a gray and cold winter's day.  We dressed in layers, beginning with long johns and ending in down parkas.  I was comfy in my silk long underwear beneath jeans, with my hands slipped into thermal mittens.  My nose was cold, though.

Cascade Canal is four-and-a-half miles one way -- with upper and lower "sections."  Plus, you can add mileage in different ways.  Jimmy and I have our own usual route from our house and it averages out at three miles.  This time we veered off the main trail onto a dirt road that led to who-knows-where?  Above, you see a bench beyond the dirt road.  We found a path down to it.  

Nice hand-hewn bench.

As we continued walking along the dirt road, we spied something downhill through the trees.  "What is it?"  It almost looked like ... a toilet?  Jimmy skittered down to check it out, and sure enough:  A toilet.  In the woods.  And a mailbox with toilet paper in it.  I don't know about you, but this brings the bear-in-the-woods to my mind.  Jimmy lifted the lid.  Yup, a toilet.  "Gotta go?" he asked.  Not in a hundred years.  

So be it.  What can you say after that?  We scrambled back to the dirt road and carried on.  We could hear hammering and after much peering, we spied two Pileated Woodpeckers dismantling a tall dead tree down near a tiny stream.

This was our turnaround point.  Neither of us wanted to get a soaker.  The road resumed on the other side.  It felt really chilly down here (we were far below the actual trail).

What?  Frozen resin weeping from a gnashed tree root?

We saw several patches like this.

Yes, we knew it was cold.

Ice crystals (above and below) formed on surfaces.

Sidestepping mud puddles, we returned to the trail -- you see the dirt road below us.  Interesting tree shape!  We were maybe halfway home, when I heard a swishing noise high in the trees.  Eh?  I looked up and got pelted in the face by a wee piece of ice.  It didn't amount to much, but we were pelted by tiny ice pellets for the next quarter mile.  Heck, the weather dudes didn't forecast this!  Ah well, at least it didn't rain.  We kept on, ending with nearly 3.5 miles/10,000 steps, meeting only a couple other hardy souls the entire time.  It felt good to get Out and About.  Keeps us halfway sane.

While snow has disappeared from our place,

some piles hang on forever.

Back on the home front, I made a quick pass around the yard.  Lo and behold, a native Giant Trillium is poking up from its hibernation!  Can spring be far behind?  (yes, it can)

A word on the Toastmaster toaster, which my parents bought when they first married in 1939.  It served us well for 82 years, but it died this week.  My youngest brother had it for a while after my folks passed away, then it came to us.  Jimmy (wizard man) tried to fix it, but it's shot.  It was one of the few toasters that had a clock timer in its works.  So, now we have to buy a toaster?  Think we can find one that'll last 82 years?

Finally, two weeks ago we got our first Pfizer coronavirus shots.  Next week we'll get our second jabs.  I wasn't going to participate in these vaccinations, but I figured the only way I'd get to travel anywhere would be if I could prove I'd been vaccinated.  Ergo, I capitulated.  After next week, we'll be ready to GO!

Robie Pt Trail, Wed, 02/10/21

Time to dust off the trail books to find another new place to exercise our ol' bodies!  Near or far, we have hundreds of options, many of which are seasonally-dependent.  We found this one in Auburn, roughly 20 miles down Hwy 49 from our house and 2000' lower in elevation.  Perfect for a blue-sky, sunny and cool/ish day.  Most of the trails in this area involve the North Fork of the American River, either up close or within view.  Other than that, we didn't know diddly squat about the trail ... which is good, 'cause we're always keen on surprises!

Descending from our parking place on Hwy 49 (above), we made a 3-mile lollipop loop, with elevation gain/loss of 300+ ft.  All those dashed lines on the map are more trails, offshoots and interconnected ups and downs and who knows where you'd end up.  So, we stuck to the red line -- a short and easy hike.  The solid blue line is, of course, the river.

The red Prius is right about where the red check mark is.  As you can see, we started our descent to the river as soon as we got out of the car, though we didn't make the strenuous hike way down to the river 'cause we didn't wanna hike up again! 😉

North Fork of the American River, zipping through the canyon.

At upper left is the Foresthill Bridge, which we've hiked under in prior years.  This bridge is the fourth highest in the United States, a whopping 730 ft above the river.  It was originally constructed to replace a river-level crossing of the American River that would have been flooded by a reservoir created by the unbuilt Auburn Dam.  We discovered much more about this today.

When we arrived at a trail crossroads and didn't know which way to turn, we went straight (haha), and found a "ruins" at the top o' the Point.  No signage, though.  When we returned home, we were curious enough to google Robie Point ruins, and came up with nothing, nada, nil, so we are no wiser.  A mystery.  It appeared to be an old homestead.  Maybe I'll call Auburn's Chamber of Commerce and ask the good folks there.  Whatever it was, they had a stellar river view.

Plus some fishy graffiti.

Look, we spotted wildlife!

Western Fence Lizard

Notice the Fire Break Trail has many spurs.  Since it's mid-winter, we spied no wildflowers, but top right are Pyracantha berries, followed by Manzanita with pretty-'n-pink blooms, and Bitter Cherry's bright red berries.

Looks like it's been in place a long time.

Here's where we were really intrigued.  The Auburn Dam I mentioned was first proposed in the 1950's and construction work commenced in 1968.  Yet the dam was never built for a number of reasons, including limited water storage capacity, geologic hazards (seismic), and potential harm to recreation and the local environment.  Much of the original groundwork can still be seen (above), and the next hike we undertake in Auburn will be to the Staging Area where more of this dam nonsense can be seen.

T'isnt very visible in this photo, but our Prius is still parked up on Hwy 49 at the red check mark.  That Foresthill Bridge?  The Prius up there?  If the Auburn Dam had been built, its reservoir would've flooded all the canyons and up toward the bridge height and our Prius.  Imagine that!  Hard for us to fathom.  Our hike would be flooded, too.  Glad it wasn't -- very enjoyable day.