RENEGADE RAMBLE. Day 2: 9.4 Miles
I am seeking $20 donations per mile, but will accept any amount.
ProtectOurPreserve.org/donate
Gateway Trailhead. Gateway Loop Trail. Bell Pass Trail. Bell Pass. Windgate Pass. Windgate Pass Trail. Gateway Loop Trail. Gateway Trailhead. Rush home to get daughter to swim team on time. 
😃
I met my new friend from yesterday’s hike at the trailhead at 4:30 this morning, which gave me a moment to drain my coffee and apply sunscreen liberally before the gates opened around 4:45. We were the first cars in. While we hiked toward Bell Pass, we had a great conversation about small farms in and around Phoenix. She’s currently volunteering at The Simple Farm a lovely local farm which will be open tomorrow, and then closed until October. Stop in for caramels in a little slice of heaven. She turned around shortly before we arrived at Bell Pass to get to the day’s business.
The view of the Four Peaks from the Bell Pass was lovely, but I was pressed for time, so I began to jog the trail toward Windgate Pass. There isn’t to much vert lost and gained between Bell Pass and Windgate Pass (Thank Goodness!).
Between Windgate Pass and Inspiration Viewpoint, I was graced with my second exciting wildlife viewing in two days of hiking! As I trundled down the trail, I noticed an animal crossing the trail about fifty feet below me. I stood transfixed for a moment and sincerely regret not breaking out my camera. Not knowing for certain what type of animal I was encountering, I decided it was best to make a bit of noise. My cheery notification, “Hello, down there! Here I am!” got the attention of the animal’s mate. The two of them trotted up the mountainside, and although I could see them go, I still wasn’t sure what I had seen. I’ve done a bit of research and am quite sure I saw a pair of kit foxes. Besides being elusive and sensible enough to stay in the shade during the day, I learned that kit foxes live with their family throughout their lives. For more information on the kit fox, here’s an interesting article from Arizona Highways.
On the remainder my jog back to the trailhead, I had the opportunity to talk to about a dozen Scottsdale residents also braving the summer heat to appreciate the Preserve. They were all aware of the proposed DDC or dismayed to learn about this possibility.
If you’re interested in hiking a leg with me or have ideas of how we might continue to build support for ProtectOurPreserve.org, please message me.
For those who need reading glasses, like we do:
“The heart sees, the eyes touch, the bones feel. Here the centuries gather.” -Alberto Rios
