Rain Dance

I set out this morning for Millard Canyon in Altadena, and a historic, old mine recommended to me by a fellow hiker I met on my recent Sequoia/King's Canyon trip. Leaving the house, there was a light mist in the air, but the forecast called for partly cloudy skies and a 10% chance of rain. I figured I might actually get some fresh, smog-free views of the city.

Never trust an L.A. weather forecast. When I arrived at the trailhead, a rather heavy mist was falling, and I lamented leaving my trusty rain gear at the house. Nevermind, I like the rain, and set off along the trail, content that I might get a little wet. Unfortunately (or fortunately, perhaps, as the day turned out), I only got about 50 feet before reaching a sign stating that all area trails were closed.

Broken itinerary. [grin].

I headed back south, and after a little misnavigation arrived at Griffith Park, where I set off for a little hike into the clouds. The crowds were sparse, the birds were chirping, and I thought Bee Rock looked pretty cool from beneath the trees...

Bee Rock

...so I climbed up it, arriving in about a half hour. I think it was prettier from below:

Bee Rock summit

Why would someone climb all the way to the top of a mountain to spray graffiti? Anyhow, continuing up the trail toward Mt. Hollywood, I walked through a thick, gray cloud. It brought a smile to my face as I remembered trips to Rainier, Sandstone Peak, and Paseo Miramar.

I knew I was nearing the top when I heard voices of laughter, who upon my arrival offered a friendly greeting. The voices turned out to be a trio of South American ladies, who were kind enough to offer their company for the afternoon, share a meal, and enchant me with stories of Patagonian glaciers.

I really like meeting nice people along the trail.

Another great day in the outdoors, and another example of the serendipity to be found in broken plans.

Aloha.