We got to the camp site at 8:45pm. Steve, Bill and Paul were sitting around the camp fire. I joined them for a short while before turning in for the night to get ready for Friday’s hike along a section of the Arizona Trail (AZT) which Steve said was full of wildflowers.
We all were lined up and ready for our drive to the AZT trailhead the next morning, with Steve up front on his dirt bike and Bill behind him on his ATV. Twenty minutes later we were at the section and proceeded south.
“We will go down this way a few miles or as long as the members want to” said Steve, which amounted to two miles along a scenic stretch of Whitford Canyon. Wildflowers were, as expected, in full bloom. There was even some water for the dogs. Angel was on her leash but Sara and Sammy were off leash and right behind us, following the trail with everyone else.
Purple lupines, white chicory, red Indian paint brushes, orange mallows and yellow poppies were in full bloom along this section of the AZT. Giant saguaros, mature chollas and prickly pear also lined this trail of endless mountains and vallies.
The dogs were great, never running off the trail or chasing wildlife. They were at their best behavior and Steve mentioned that. I wouldn’t have them hiking with me if they acted otherwise. Angel, however, loved to bark for no reason. Sara growled at Angel a few times to let Angel know who the boss was; Sara has never had much patience with small yappity dogs anyway. Sammy, as usual, didn’t care. After sniffing her butt he was more interested in snapping at flies or sniffing for animal scents.
This was Kevin’s first real hike in almost two years, too and he did well as well.
After a fruit break we hiked back to the start and proceeded north on the AZT, this time hiking a higher and dryer section of the trail with more vistas but as many wildflowers. This section had no water, however as we hiked an elevation of around 3000’ up and down and around single-track trails.
Our destination the first day was an abandoned corral near mature cottonwoods that provided shade for us and the dogs. The dogs splashed around in the water while we ate our lunch and went back to the camp site via the main road, which cut off a good mile from the winding hike. We made it back to the camp site by 2pm.
I went back into my old car camp mode and drove into the town of Superior to case it out. I quickly found the RV Park that allowed for public showers at $1.50 for seven minutes, I found a purified water machine off Main Street, and I found a Dairy Queen where I stopped for a Mocha Chip blizzard. The place was crowded with snow birds from British Columbia, Iowa, North Dakota and Washington State. I shared all my information with the guys back at the camp fire two hours later. It’s always great to share basic information such as where one can shower after a few days of camping, where resupply points are and where the ice cream is.
We gathered around Bill’s trailer for beer and chat. After three hours I had had my two beer limit, but then I accepted a glass of Chardonnay by Bill. It was good wine, but perhaps not compatible with the two beers I had earlier…as I woke up the next morning feeling dehydrated and queasy.
I had a severe case of heat exhaustion years ago in the army, after running five miles in a fast group of novice runners shortly after the birth of Erin. I didn’t realize what was happening to me and didn’t go on sick-call that morning to avoid missing classes, but I remember staggering to the car after the run feeling red and dry, and when I got to the apartment stood underneath the shower for a long time letting the cool water hit my face. Now, years later, it doesn’t take me much to feel dehydrated.
Saturday morning started out well: I woke up right after sunrise to walk the dogs for their bathroom break and to share two cups of coffee with Kevin. Everyone else was also getting ready for the morning.
I figured Kevin would feel sluggish today after the beers he had the night before, but instead he was up front feeling frisky. Shortly after we arrived at our trailhead parking lot north of the Lost Dutchman State Park I felt nauseous with a headache behind my left eye.
The trails in the western half of the Superstitions are always well-used and crowded with horses, families and dogs. I knew the dogs had to be leashed to keep them from chasing horses and other dogs. A park ranger, Missie, stood by the trailhead gate making sure all dogs were properly leashed and other park regulations were followed. She assured us there was still water in some of the creeks. Our hike would loop around for seven miles.
At trail heads there is no other way around containing the dogs than by having them leashed. However, I kept getting sicker and sicker to the point of feeling like bowing over to puke. At one point I had both dogs on leashes and their weight overpowered me. I couldn’t walk balanced let alone take any photographs. It was easier once Kevin took one of the leashes off of me.
I sought ever precious piece of shade that I could to rest. Kevin’s cigarette smoke bothered me but I couldn’t escape it. It seemed as if he was smoking more than usual.
There were so many people coming and going on the Lost Dutchman trail. Backpackers, horseback riders and speed hikers from both directions kept us on our toes.
We took a lot of breaks and I felt bad for my illness, but others were also feeling overheated.
We all were lined up and ready for our drive to the AZT trailhead the next morning, with Steve up front on his dirt bike and Bill behind him on his ATV. Twenty minutes later we were at the section and proceeded south.
“We will go down this way a few miles or as long as the members want to” said Steve, which amounted to two miles along a scenic stretch of Whitford Canyon. Wildflowers were, as expected, in full bloom. There was even some water for the dogs. Angel was on her leash but Sara and Sammy were off leash and right behind us, following the trail with everyone else.
Purple lupines, white chicory, red Indian paint brushes, orange mallows and yellow poppies were in full bloom along this section of the AZT. Giant saguaros, mature chollas and prickly pear also lined this trail of endless mountains and vallies.
The dogs were great, never running off the trail or chasing wildlife. They were at their best behavior and Steve mentioned that. I wouldn’t have them hiking with me if they acted otherwise. Angel, however, loved to bark for no reason. Sara growled at Angel a few times to let Angel know who the boss was; Sara has never had much patience with small yappity dogs anyway. Sammy, as usual, didn’t care. After sniffing her butt he was more interested in snapping at flies or sniffing for animal scents.
This was Kevin’s first real hike in almost two years, too and he did well as well.
After a fruit break we hiked back to the start and proceeded north on the AZT, this time hiking a higher and dryer section of the trail with more vistas but as many wildflowers. This section had no water, however as we hiked an elevation of around 3000’ up and down and around single-track trails.
Our destination the first day was an abandoned corral near mature cottonwoods that provided shade for us and the dogs. The dogs splashed around in the water while we ate our lunch and went back to the camp site via the main road, which cut off a good mile from the winding hike. We made it back to the camp site by 2pm.
I went back into my old car camp mode and drove into the town of Superior to case it out. I quickly found the RV Park that allowed for public showers at $1.50 for seven minutes, I found a purified water machine off Main Street, and I found a Dairy Queen where I stopped for a Mocha Chip blizzard. The place was crowded with snow birds from British Columbia, Iowa, North Dakota and Washington State. I shared all my information with the guys back at the camp fire two hours later. It’s always great to share basic information such as where one can shower after a few days of camping, where resupply points are and where the ice cream is.
We gathered around Bill’s trailer for beer and chat. After three hours I had had my two beer limit, but then I accepted a glass of Chardonnay by Bill. It was good wine, but perhaps not compatible with the two beers I had earlier…as I woke up the next morning feeling dehydrated and queasy.
I had a severe case of heat exhaustion years ago in the army, after running five miles in a fast group of novice runners shortly after the birth of Erin. I didn’t realize what was happening to me and didn’t go on sick-call that morning to avoid missing classes, but I remember staggering to the car after the run feeling red and dry, and when I got to the apartment stood underneath the shower for a long time letting the cool water hit my face. Now, years later, it doesn’t take me much to feel dehydrated.
Saturday morning started out well: I woke up right after sunrise to walk the dogs for their bathroom break and to share two cups of coffee with Kevin. Everyone else was also getting ready for the morning.
I figured Kevin would feel sluggish today after the beers he had the night before, but instead he was up front feeling frisky. Shortly after we arrived at our trailhead parking lot north of the Lost Dutchman State Park I felt nauseous with a headache behind my left eye.
The trails in the western half of the Superstitions are always well-used and crowded with horses, families and dogs. I knew the dogs had to be leashed to keep them from chasing horses and other dogs. A park ranger, Missie, stood by the trailhead gate making sure all dogs were properly leashed and other park regulations were followed. She assured us there was still water in some of the creeks. Our hike would loop around for seven miles.
At trail heads there is no other way around containing the dogs than by having them leashed. However, I kept getting sicker and sicker to the point of feeling like bowing over to puke. At one point I had both dogs on leashes and their weight overpowered me. I couldn’t walk balanced let alone take any photographs. It was easier once Kevin took one of the leashes off of me.
I sought ever precious piece of shade that I could to rest. Kevin’s cigarette smoke bothered me but I couldn’t escape it. It seemed as if he was smoking more than usual.
There were so many people coming and going on the Lost Dutchman trail. Backpackers, horseback riders and speed hikers from both directions kept us on our toes.
We took a lot of breaks and I felt bad for my illness, but others were also feeling overheated.
When Steve told us two hours later that we had only gone three miles I wouldn’t believe him. I felt the pace was rather fast, and we had gone quite a ways inland toward Reavis Needle, a landmark of the western Supes. What didn’t help me feel better was the lack of shade, and I was getting worried about the lack of water for the dogs.
Sara looked especially overheated and stopped at every piece of shade she could find.I felt better on the return break, having had more fluids and some sugar, but once back at the van hours later I let Kevin drive while I rested on the cot in the back with the dogs straddled between the legs.
Once back at the camp site I rested in the cool van, napped a while and a few hours later felt well enough to read my Master Gardener assignment on fertilizers, a lovely topic to mull over when one is under the weather.
I knew I was dehydrated shortly after the headache came this morning. I didn’t pee at all once we left for the hike, and didn’t pee back at the camp site. When I felt better in the evening I joined the guys for another camp fire chat about upcoming hikes and a few I may lead myself…if I just have the time to scout out the trails beforehand. My specialty is peak bagging and we have a few challenging peaks within a 200-mile drive that a few others are interested in bagging this year as well. My one concern is over-committing myself when there are other things I have to accomplish this year besides hikes in the wilderness.
Sara was resting by my right side and Sammy was behind me about 20 feet as I sat near the fire. At one point Steve got up, walked around me and Sara and Sara got up and nipped Steve in the pants. Did he startle her and Sara instinctively nipped at him? Within seconds Sammy was up to bark at Steve as well, but luckily Sammy came toward me and I was able to grab his collar while I was still sitting down. Did Sammy jump up to protect me or Sara? At any rate, whatever happened happened so fast and luckily Steve was not bitten or else I’d have felt horrible.The dogs would have been caninas non gratas at any future camp-out with the group.
Non dog owners don’t understand when owners protect their own dogs, but to me Sara’s behavior was simply a reaction to being startled in the dark after sleeping after a rough day on the trail. To most non-dog owners, my explanation is a no-go. Now I will have to watch out for both dogs in the future. No doubt the dogs are protective of me, and no doubt I feel safer with them around than alone, but both need to relax around other people.
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