Monday Afternoon, October 18, 2010
As of this morning, we had seen just about all the easily accessible arches. The elusive "Double O" was still to be found. We checked the map, located the trail head, packed a sensible lunch and plenty of water and off we went.
The Double O could be found at the end of a difficult 2 mile hike - steep terrain, scrambling and climbing over rocks, traversing a short span of trail with steep vertical drops on either side with no visible means of support...just up my alley!
There were a couple of other easily reached arches, Pine Tree, Tunnel and Landscape before Double O. On our way to Lanscape Arch, it started to sprinkle. We looked for someplace to get out of the rain and have that gourmet lunch, but none could be seen, so we skipped the lunch and went off to Landscape. Very huge, very awe inspiring, and you really do feel like an ant when you see it. No place good to have lunch in the drizzle, so it was on the the Double O.
As soon as we got to the first serious rock climb, I dug in my heels, and with the rock getting slick from the rain, said to my favorite Mountain Goat (a.k.a Mr. Fidget), go on ahead, I'll wait for you here. And on he went.
Whilst awaiting his return, it REALLY poured. Gee. Too bad I didn't take my raincoat with me. It's in the car about a mile back. Oops, Fred's got the car key. Guess I'll stand out the rain under that nice looking pine tree on the trail. Gee. Pine trees don't make very good umbrellas. Next time I check out my future in the crystal ball I'll make sure it's polished - the shower I foresaw on Sunday night was indeed in my future. But I was outside, fully clothed and without a bar of soap.
After an hour of waiting out the rain, and the rain winning, I began to ponder other warnings I saw at the trail head. The one going through my head was the wildcat warning. There I was, alone on the trail with a couple of nice ham, turkey and cheese sandwiches in the backpack which I'm certain you could smell for miles. What do wildcats eat? I know the warning said to pick up small children if you see a cat. Guess they eat them. They also siad if you encounter a cat, do not run - I know this from watching a housecat chase a mouse. Stand tall. I could to that. If you're attacked, fight back. Okay, but with what? A bottle of water? The flash from my camera? Seems that I nothing that would be a viable weapon.
Luckily, I suppose cats don't get out in the rain, because I didn't see a one, but I did see some interesting tracks off the trail that weren't human. Once the rain stopped, I decided to get back to the trail head, and continued to wait for Fred. Worrywort that I can be at times, I was thinking of what I should do if he didn't show up. It was a VERY long walk (18 miles) back to civilization and help.
But my story ends happily with Fred returning just before sundown. He had the good sense not to see what was over the next ridge, and came back instead. Double O was great, he said. He was dry as a bone. Seems that there was an overhang that he waited out the rain.
Cool as a cucumber and dry as the desert, that's Fred!
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