It was a great day, as usual, down at DCHS. My friend Ralph and I hiked down into the canyon at around 10AM, followed by my pooches Sparky and Bear. We got down before the day got real hot, and went for a dip just after arriving. I went ahead and picked up trash, and broke up fire pits, before the heat of the day kicked into gear. We had our DCV meeting under a tree by the grassy area at around 1PM with about 8 people attending our discussions. It was a good time with lots of interesting coversation, set against a backdrop of big thunderclouds to the north and east. When we arrived there wasn't a drop of water coming out of the shower, but later in the morning Paul, a DCV member got it unpluged, and after that it was working just perfectly. When you open the valve fully it really puts out the water, but for this time of year with the heat, folks enjoyed it with the valve about half open since the water coming out of the Aniversary pool is quite hot on these steamy summer days. In the Lagoon, next to the main hotpools where the hot water flows into the creek, a small pool has been put together out of rocks and some sandbags, which mixes the cool creek water with the hot flows, for a great soaking temp. I had a real nice time in it chatting with some friends at the end of the day, just before hiking out. It was a nice mellow day, very peaceful. Ralph, Carlos and I began hiking out right around sunset to avoid the sun's heat. When we got about a 100 yards from my car, I came inches from stepping on a rattlesnake. The light had faded to the point where you could just barely see the ground. I was pretty tired and was hiking, looking down when I saw a black shape slithering on the road write below me. Thankfully I did not step on the rattlesnake and it moved quickly off the road, I think sensing us coming before hand and trying to get out of the way. A good lesson, and I should know better, that when you can't see the ground, get out a flash light. Glad that the snake, and I were able to go on our way, without it being squished, or me getting bit :-) Did see some folks hiking out right in the middle of the day, one couple with a small child, and some people that realistically were not in physical shape to be attempting the 1000 foot gain in elevation in the hot and steamy temps. During those hot conditions, even with water, your body can heat up extensively, even dangerously and put you in dire straights, in a relative short period of time. know one wants to end thier day, collapsed on the trail with heat stroke. I put six new photos at the Wizard's picture link below, page 45, last 6 pics. The scenery along the creek is always a real inspiration, which draws all of us back there, time and time again :-)
