today was a good day, with a heavy pack and plans to make it past Cliff Arch. It was a cool one. the region it was in was a huge cathedral, or bowl and waterfalls in Coyote gulch made passing difficult. My body is clean and tired. Bats fly around everywhere eathing the first ineffective mosquitos of the season. The water does funny things--I can hear it change its flow when something disturbs it. And in the canyons, any sound is amplified. I noticed it today when crossing in Coyote that it would really change the sound below. I also noticed even the smallest rapids make a lot of noise when amplified by rock overhangs. So I stopped tonight on an exquisite bench overlooking the creek and housed in every direction by 3-400 foot cliffs. the moon is 1/2 full tonight and I longed for each step in the cool creek today. I drank filtered water from it. I saw two squirrels and two little rock climbing chipmunks and the same little lizards. No big boys yet, no mega fauna, although I have seen several tracks from small cats, and what even look like a mountain lion's tracks. I know they are in here.
I think from my camp tonight I can see Stevens Arch, but not sure. I get so disoriented in these canyons with distance. My topo maps really help me, but I still doubt my instincts. I think it is Stevens Arch because the rock through and behind the arch looks lighter, like it still has the setting sunlight on it even while I sit in this heaving dusk. Anyway, day 3 is good, and staying away from bugs and snakes and scorpions, although I would like to see both of the latter. God bless.
Also saw JHA, Natural Bridge, Cliff Arch. I see why people come down here but cannot imagine that many people are in good shape to crank out miles here. Maybe they are. They say once April starts, 7000 people visit this gulch annually.
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