Pinnacles National Park - west entrance
We planned to go the previous Friday while Andy was still on Spring Break, and I even invited a couple people to join us. However, the weather had its own plans. This was the second planned hike last week that was cancelled due to rain forecasts; the other was to Henry Coe with another blogger and his wife. Yay, my rain curse has returned... I can't believe I'm even saying this. Both mornings it was raining, but by the afternoons, sunny skies. Who knows, even if there weren't butterflies and opened flowers, I think I would have enjoyed the overcast. No matter, I went by myself this sunnier day to continue my butterfly quest. I'm making good use of my $15 annual pass. It's so cheap!
Other people seem to be more particular about inclement weather, whereas I'm a total heat wimp. It started in jr. high when I was running track. All of a sudden I got tunnel vision, my ears rang, I got really cold and dry, and the next thing I knew I was in the nurse's office with an ice pack on my neck. Was that heat exhaustion? Ever since, I often get sick to my stomach in extreme heat. It's not pleasant. The previous visit to the east side had me feeling faint at only 82.0 °F. Ooof. However, I think I'm starting to get acclimated. With a new sun hat (necessary because my 15-year-old ripped at the brim just days before) and plenty of H2O, I surprised myself and found Pinnacles tolerable at 90.0 °F. Eh, I know a marine biologist who gets horrible sea sickness, and she manages. So, maybe I can be a butterfly gal who faints at the sight of butterflies?
The last three photos above are from a section of trail I've been calling the "butterfly highway" for the past 4 years. I remember editing that particular post quite a bit. I had an awful group experience shortly after I arrived back in CA, which I wrote about in detail and then deleted. Given the chance, I tend to blab, but I've been trying to be more responsible and better about not airing dirty laundry in public. I'm gingerly testing the waters again and so far have had encouraging encounters. I honestly don't have a plan yet, except to follow the green-lined path at my feet. I do know I'm having a good time, stretching my legs and brain in ways I haven't in years. And, I'm grateful.
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