By Carol Young
It was a very outdoorsy month. First, I participated with about 6 others in a 6-mile walk up South Mountain in the annual NorWest Cancer Hike. The day was perfect for a hike: a little cool, a gentle wind and low humidity. There were plenty of water stops along the way, so you didn’t even have to weigh yourself down carrying bottles. You could just go, get some exercise and enjoy the outdoors. One member of our group was Joan Gibson, a brand new Mensan who’s only been a member since November, and her trusty guide dog, Monroe, the sweetest golden retriever you’d ever want to meet. Joan is visually impaired, but that doesn’t stop her from enjoying physical activity, much to the delight of Monroe.
Going downhill on Holbert’s Trail on our way back was an exercise in team cooperation, as Joan and Monroe led the way (actually Monroe, equally enthusiastic about downhill as he had been going uphill, with Joan holding on to his lead and trying to keep up). Gene Holmerud walked closely behind describing in detail for Joan what the terrain in front of her looked like and how she was going to have to step. Everything clicked along beautifully, we kept up a very nice downhill pace and we arrived safe and sound at the bottom, having raised some funds for cancer research and gotten some nice exercise. We rewarded ourselves with our picnic lunch and the free hot dogs and cokes provided.
A few weeks later, Joan and Monroe and I joined Bill Taylor’s Not So Strenuous Hike (and you know something? It wasn’t!) in the McDowell Mountains. We saw up close just how devastating the fire that roared through there a while back was. But even with blackened cacti and paloverdes, the landscape was dramatic and beautiful and it was heartening to see new growth coming up through and even right on top of the burned out plants. There were eight of us on this, Bill’s last hike of the season. It whetted my appetite for more such hikes and I’ll try to rejoin this monthly outing when it picks up again in the fall.
Finally, if you haven’t gone out and viewed comet Hale-Bopp in the northeastern sky just before sunup, you are missing an eye-popping experience. Gene and I went out beyond the city lights early one morning and were dumb-struck with how beautiful the comet is. Just like the illustrations in my old science books way back in 4th grade! A star-like head and a long sweeping "tail" and the brightest object in the sky. No wonder the ancients were terrified at the sight! It looks like something mysterious and magical swooping down on Earth. By the time you read this, Hale-Bopp should also be visible just after sundown in the northwestern sky, and I understand Phoenix will be lucky enough to be able to see Hale-Bopp through mid-May. Don’t miss it.