June 30, 2026 - Delilah

 

Title: June 30, 2026 - Delilah
Hike Info : Description : Flowers and Plants

Hike Info:

Type:Lookout

Description:

It was a bit cooler last night than I expected. Still I kept warm, I just kept inside of my bag. While I can sleep with a light on, if I poked my head out of the bag, the moon was still going strong. It probably will be the same tonight.

I do wake up before the sun rises, at 0500. I had checked last night and saw that there was some lightning yesterday, both in my local area and in Stanislaus NF. The local one is outside of my vision. It stretched from the upper Middle Fork of the Kings to east of Florence Lake. The question is how to do the report. Yesterday I realized that the travel laptop I have did not have all of the files which my home computer had. Last night I had decided on how to jerryrig things to get something useful. I was able to get to mostly working and get the information the lookouts needed.

 

Delilah

By the time I was done with the lightning report-I had eaten breakfast while working on the report-it was 0800. I decided to go for a walk before getting into lookout mode. Of course, when in the tower, there is a reflex of looking around and seeing if all is right with the world. I am gone for about 40 minutes, having gone just to the saddle and back. Then I clean up the cab and get ready for the day.

Nothing special to start today off. I started off doing a scan, then took the weather. Nothing alarming with either. At 0930 I go into service with both Porterville and Sierra. Then I look at the fire weather forecast and see who is on in the Sequoia Forest. The “who is on” is what staffing there is around me and most importantly, who the duty officer is on duty. It looks awfully sparse as far as staff in this area. The radio traffic from Porterville at times can have a lot of static. This is one of those times. I have a habit of recording the staffing, so I can play it back and make sure I hear the staffing correctly. Evidently Buck Rock had the same issue as they called me up and I told her what I heard.

 

Smoke in the Valley

When I am at a lookout for more than one day, I try to clean windows. I am able to do Delilah’s windows in a couple of hours, between other duties. Well, after finishing, I still see places for improvement. At 1230 I have my lunch. Then at 1309, I take the weather. Not too much different than this morning, except more breezy. I am hearing on the radio that the duty officer and a work group is gathering at the McKenzie helipad. That is on the road into Delilah. I wonder if they are going to head this way? Am I getting lonely? I do not think so after all the isolation of Delilah is one of its attractions for me.

I do have two 15 minute rest periods, between scans. During my scans, I see a wide variety of land. There is the Valley land, filled with orchards, farmlands, and ranches. We do not report fires in this area. Then comes the foothills, above the Friant Kern canal. For the most part, these lands hold only some interest-the people I know and the history which is part of the land. Then there are the mid-mountains where Delilah is. I have traveled through some of the areas, both in a car and on foot. It is fascinating and not many people go over to Patterson Bluffs, nor into Millwood or any of the places which this lookout is part of. Finally, on a clear day, I can look up the Middle Fork of the Kings all the way to the crest.

And that is where my heart is. And why this train of thought came as I looked over the areas which I love? I wonder if I will ever be able to go back there? It does require strength and endurance, things I am losing. There is a bit of melancholy with that thought. The reason which I love that area is because I have been able to experience it, it became part of who I am. In stories you read about how a hero cannot go home and looks longingly towards the place he cannot return to. I can place myself in the hero’s shoes.

But I am fortunate as I can still do so many things I love to do, such as hike be in a lookout, read, and the plethora of interests I have. Also I have family and friends who love me. I am not despondent, just yearning.

Evening view from outhouse

At 1600, I responded to the lookout check in from Sierra. I spot two smokes, but neither are reportable as they are in the Valley. At 1716, I called up Porterville to say I am overnighting here, my last planned night for a little while. I do have a lot to be thankful for. At 1755 I went out of service with Sierra and Porterville.

Most days after I have been in the lookout all day, I am spent. Not because I am doing anything terribly physical, nor mentally challenging. I think it is because of always being on: listening to the radio and constantly looking out for smoke. Very little real downtime during the day. Yesterday evening, I was spent. Tonight, after finishing up everything, I got right to the business of eating the quiches Sherri had sent me.

98.9% of a full moon

After washing the dishes and putting away everything, I went for a walk. I was thinking I would be about half an hour, but I was gone for over an hour. Wendy and I had a light and fun text conversation. Each of my replies would give me an excuse to pause while going up the hill which is Mount Sampson, not that the road goes over it.

When I returned, I talked with Sherri for about 45 minutes. Since I have waited this long, I think I will wait for the moon to rise. It is to rise at 2119 and be 98.9% full. Maybe not as nice as yesterday, but there will not be clouds getting in the way. By 2140, I am in my bag.

Flowers and Plants

Grove of Dandelions

Milkweed

Foxtail

Google says it is Penstemon, I am not that sure

June 29, 2026 - Delilah

 

Title: June 29, 2026 - Delilah
Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's : Flowers and Plants

Hike Info:

Type: Lookout

Description:

I got up a few minutes before 0500 this morning-I will be tired this evening. But I wanted to get an early start to Delilah for several reasons. First, I was not there all of last season. The last time I was there was November 2024. There is a bit of anxiety over will I remember what is in Delilah? What has changed since my absence? Second, the last two weeks I did some hiking in Minnesota. My left knee had some ache in it. With coming up the 72’, 80 stairs of Delilah, will my knee bother me? Third, how tired will I be climbing those stairs? Also how will I feel after three days?

I leave a few minutes after 0600, even for me, this is a bit early. I stopped at Costco for gas and discovered that I did not have my Costco card. If I had thought for a few seconds, I would have realized that I had my Costco app which had my Costco card on it. Instead I started to look for an attendant. But right beside me was Richard who would be going to Delilah to pick up supplies for storage. He swiped his card for me. The rest of the drive to Delilah did not have a problem, except for constant glare from a dirty windshield and the sun.

I get to Delilah around 0800. The road is just as “interesting” as it was two years ago. I load up the basket, which is one a pulley system, with things and take my backpack up to the cab. The knee did not act up and I took my time, stopping at each level for a breath. Not too bad. I made a second trip to pick the remaining food and water and my sleeping bag. I think I am good for the day now. Fears two and three down.

Now to familiarize myself with Delilah. In truth, not much has changed. There are a few small differences: a radio to listen to CalFire; new kitchen utensils, a few things moved. I think I will do OK.

I do my first scan. While I was doing that, Richard and Jan drive up. After while Richard comes up and we talk awhile. He had posted on FaceBook a couple of days about going up to Mitchell Peak and realizing there was a lookout there at one time. This got us into a discussion of lookouts which are no longer there and where they are. He talked about a fire in Arizona called the Pocket Fire which is burning close to Sedona. There are several things I told him I would send him:

• List of California lookouts, current and past-from PeakBagger. PeakBagger seems to have the most comprehensive list, but there are other sites which have lists and sometimes more detail:

  • Fire Lookouts

  • National Historic Lookout Registry

  • Forest Lookouts - some of the lookouts, have interesting news articles

• Blog entry for Henness Ridge lookout

• Blog Entry for Crane Flat lookout

• Blog entry for the book Call of the Canyon, a novel by Zane Grey about East Oak Canyon near Sedona.

And now it is time to act like a lookout. I take the weather-it is a really clear day, with only a few far away clouds. Then I go into service at 0929. Then start doing my scans about every 15-20 minutes. At 1000, we get the weather and staffing. Fortunately I record this as I can never get the staffing.The weather I get from a website. At 1059, Sierra does a roll call of lookouts. There are only three of us: Buck Rock, Delilah and Signal.

The morning has gone by pretty fast. I pretty much have been doing regular scans and listening to the radio. Something which I do at the start of each season at the lookouts is to go through the eight orientation points for the firefinder. The purpose is to validate that the firefinder does not need adjustment. What it does do for me is to identify landmarks in each direction.

By 1230, it is time for lunch. The usual, a peanut butter and Nutella sandwich with chips. Then I do another scan and take the afternoon weather. Not too much change from this morning. After doing another scan, I do a couple rest periods. During the rest period, I set a timer for 15 minutes, turn the radio up and lay down. If something happens on the radio I would respond appropriately. At the end of 15 minutes, time to do another scan.

That is pretty much my afternoon and evening-not resting, but doing things in 15 minute increments. Scanning, then refreshing myself on locations close to Delilah. On my list of sites, I get to about 6 miles out, which is about 65 locations. It is not that I memorize them. Most of them I have a good idea where they are. If I do not, then I have my spreadsheet. Every other 15 minute segment, I do something personal-answer emails, read, write this blog. There is a small thing of keeping the hummers happy. So I refill their sugar water.

At 1600 the mundane is broken. I need to respond to Sierra’s status check-they do that to make sure we all are still alive. Sometimes we get distracted and do not respond quickly and have to sheepishly say we are really here afterwards. At 1800 I went out of service with Porterville and Sierra. And that is the end of my work day.

Strawberry Full Moon with a little bit of a cloud

After going out of service, I rested for about half an hour. Then I fixed myself dinner of Sherri’s enchiladas and Stagg Chili. Maybe not high class cuisine, but it is filling and I eat it all. After that, I go down and do a 25 minute walk down to the saddle, taking pictures of a few things.

I will make sure that I am back in the tower by 2010. Why you ask? I want to get paid, as I get paid in sunsets. The setting sun should be around 2020. Sunsets are a yin and yang thing. If there is a spectacular sunset, that usually says that there is a lot of pollution in the air. Today, the sunset was not spectacular, which means there is not a lot of smog. But there is enough that I took many pictures.

Occasionally I make it into a lookout on the night of a full moon. That is tonight. There are a lot of clouds and I wonder if the moon will come out while I am awake. It finally comes out and I am able to get some nice shots. Enough to get some ooh’s and aahs.

After that, I talked with Sherri for about half an hour. It is after 10 before I snuggle inside of my sleeping bag.

Extra Photo's

Full Moon covered by a cloud

Pine Flat and Setting Sun

Looking towards Finger Rock in the evening

Content Hummer

Yokut/Squaw Valley

View from the Outhouse

Afternoon cloud buildup beyond Spanish Mountain

 
Flowers and Plants

Dandelion in the evening sun

June 23, 2026 -Return to Minneapolis

 

 

Title: June 23, 2026 -Return to Minneapolis

Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's 

Hike Info:

Type: Walking  : Car 

Trail head: S Minnehaha Drive

Trail: Walking paths around Minnehaha Park

Destination: Minnehaha Falls

Actual Destination: 

Distance:  0.82 miles  ¹

Elevation Rise:  167'

Descent: 167‘

Maximum Elevation: 813'

Minimum Elevation: 735'

 ¹Plotted from Google Earth

Rest Stop sign

Description:

I woke up about 5:30-how will I adjust back to California time? Or will I be waking up at 3:30? No lightning to report.

Rachel gets up and then Sherri’s alarm goes off about 7:15. We went down for breakfast and then finished getting packed. There is more to do with Sherri’s hair before we lose Rachel;’s services. Or should I say before Sherri does? When Rachel gets done, Sherri is content with her hair.That is a pretty good job by Rachel.

We will lose Rachel today as she flies home. It also looks like it will rain this afternoon. So we will see how today goes.

With that, we leave about 10. We stopped at Circle K for gas-because of Rachel’s running, she gets $0.15 off per gallon. Also she gets a free drink and a bottle of water. Was it worth running 13.1 miles? Then we are off to Minneapolis. We do make one pit stop along the way, about ⅔ of the way to Minneapolis.

There are some falls within Minneapolis. But the first order of business is to find a parking place. Rachel secures one close by where the falls are. After paying the parking fee, we started our walk. About 150’ brings us to a bridge crossing Minnehaha Creek

Minnehaha Falls

. The bridge is right behind the top of the falls, so we only see over the lip from this view. But once we cross the bridge, we can see Minnehaha Falls is the falls which we have been wanting to do for the last couple of days.

But to get the view we think is there we need to go down to the base of the falls. This requires descending down 50-60 feet of stairs. At least there is a railing to stabilize those of us who are not as agile as they once were. But the view is worth it. This is the sight we were wanting to see at the falls we witnessed along the North Shore. The water spouting over the limestone ledge on top, dropping down 55 feet into a pool. Just magnificent. But this beauty also draws a crowd, not as big as Yosemite’s, still there was enough. As I commented to Rachel, we have beauty, but not solitude.

 

 

 

 

Minnehaha Creek

We do walk a little ways further down the Minnehaha Creek . There is a bridge further along where we recross the Creek. From there we ascend the stairs back up to the lip of the ravine. Some people passed us with Maine T-shirts. We asked them about it and they said that the Special Olympics were in town and their nephew was competing in Track.

At the top of the climb is a fountain with part of the Longfellow poem of Song of Hiawatha engraved in a circle around it. Why? I am wondering. Apparently there is a line which ties Minnehaha with Hiawatha. I will have to research this out a bit more. We found a statue with both figures in it. It was originally commissioned for the 1893 World’s Fair.

Minnihaha Falls

It is getting close to the time for Rachel to get to the airport. We saw that there was a cafe in the park. We looked on the menu and it was all fish food. While Rachel does eat fish, she was not desiring anything on the menu while Sherri and I are more picky.

So off we went to deliver Rachel to the airport. The rental car had a nice connection with Rachel’s phone. But now that she is leaving, we try getting my phone to give me navigation. We eventually make it work and off we go. We delivered Rachel to Terminal 2-there are a lot of cars there, but eventually Rachel is able to get her stuff. We say our goodbye’s and she goes off into the terminal.

 

 

 

We need to return the car to Enterprise. First, we go to Costco to fill up with gas. Much cheaper than when we left Fresno. As we leave Costco, we lose the map on the car’s screen. I still can follow instructions because the car projects them on the windshield. We go a little ways and find a stopping place and we get the navigation to show again.

Minnihaha and Hiawatha

Our next stop is at Home2Suite. We get there right at 3 and are able to check-in. We only have time to bring our luggage upstairs to the room before needing to leave to take the car back. I get turned around a bit-Minneapolis has two sets of numbered streets which are almost identical. I get confused easily by it. Once I decided to follow Google’s navigation, we got to Enterprise pretty quickly. About 3:45. The return time was 3, but we fell within their grace time.

One of the things which made going to Enterprise so challenging is that the skies opened up. Now we need to get back about ten blocks to our hotel in the pouring rain. Is this a problem? The only problem is getting to a Skyway entrance. We just need to go through a driving rain for half a block, go around a Chris Ruth and go through a lobby. I actually do not get too wet. Sherri has her rain coast on and is able to protect her hair. All is good.

 

 

From there, we roam the Skyway maze to get back to out hotel. I had gotten a map of the Skyway last week and I followed it with Sherri in tow. I do a pretty good job of knowing where I am, but I do realize that I had drifted a bit away from a line to our hotel. But wait, there is a Chipotle and we have not had lunch and it is approaching dinner time. We stopped in and got a meal. Sherri has a chicken bowl and I have a chicken burrito. During our meal, we find that Rachel has finally taken off for Chicago after a 30 minute delay.

After easting, we continue our walk through the second story of buildings till we reach the block which Home2Suite is on. I cannot figure out how to get to our place as it does not appear to connect the hotel to the Skyway. We exited out and walk a few feet back to the hotel entrance and dryness.

It is time for the old people just to relax a bit. Sherri does discover this place does provide a small laundramat on the floor above us. She does the laundry which we were going to do Sunday. Now I can take a shower and put on clean clothes. Life is good!

Around 10:15 I head to bed. No rush on getting up tomorrow.

Extra Photo's

Rachel checking her flight

Minnehaha Falls

Minnehaha Falls

Even the young sometimes need to sit

Sherri and Gary at Minnehaha Falls

Minnehaha Falls

Rachel in the garden area with the Longfellow poem

Minnehaha and Hiawatha

Gary wandering

Chiptole Dinner