A Walk Alone

I'm alone for a few days. Julie is in Amarillo visiting her father and mother. The unplanned trip was prompted by her father's illness and admission to a hospital. She should be back in a couple days. Her father is home and doing OK.

After she left on Saturday I planned a walk for Sunday morning. Here are some photos.

My destination was the top of Frances Crater. It's been two or three years since I last climbed to the top.

Part of the reason I chose the climb up Frances was to try out new trekking poles. Last March during a backpacking trip in the Grand Canyon I bent a pole which prompted me to purchase new poles.

I started climbing straight up the slope. About half way up my lungs told me it was time to begin switch backing. The rest of the climb was easy compared to the first half.

Looking northeast toward home which is located in the edge of the trees in the top left corner of the photo (underlined in red).

I spent only a few minutes on the top. The temperature was below freezing when I left the house. As soon as I crested the top of the hill I was in the wind from the southwest. I wore knit gloves but the windchill had my fingers stinging within three minutes. I moved down the northeast side out of the wind and phoned Julie. We don't have cell signal at home without an antenna but I knew at this height I would have a strong signal.

It was a good beginning to the day and, hopefully, many miles with the poles.