RENEGADE RAMBLE. Day 6: 12.6 Miles
I am seeking $20 donations for each mile but will accept any amount: ProtectOurPreserve.org/donate. We only need another $3000 to meet our goal of $25,000 by the end of July!
Brown’s Ranch Road. Power line Road #1. Dove Valley Trail. The Divide Trail. High Desert Trail. Corral Trail. Buckshot Trail. Hawksnest Trail. Browns Ranch Road to Trailhead.
I talked to a runner in the parking lot and then met two kind gentlemen, Bob and Ken (pictured) as I set off on Brown’s Ranch Road this morning. Although they hike regularly on the Preserve, they were just learning about the DDC.
Powerline Road #1 is about as charming as its name implies. The sandy road makes for annoying hiking. Fortunately, part way through the slog, I caught up with a friendly father of two who works in water management. He’s also an avid bow-hunter who has been enjoying the McDowell Mountains since he was a kid with his dad. He has a wife and two kids, but he was up early this morning checking to see if there was any water in the cistern. It was bone dry. He was planning to call DNR to ask if anything can be done. We had a nice chat about the role hunters play in conservation and his hope that the Preserve will remain open to hunters so he is able to share this passion with his sons.
On High Desert Trail, I heard a cardinal song, and he humored me by chatting about the morning sun for a few minutes. (See attached YouTube video).
https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=qg5SKee10gU
Thank you to the many bikers and hikers who stopped to chat about the DDC. I appreciate your openness and willingness to listen.
If you’d like to hike a leg with me, or if you have suggestions about how ProtectOurPreserve.org might raise money and awareness, please contact me.