Easy Hike My Foot!

A little back story is in order for this one.  My birthday is in January and I wanted to hike to see the Petroglyphs in the Superstition Mountains on the Hieroglyphic Trail.  I was dealing with a sinus infection and the medicine I was taking made me very dehydrated.  We walked and walked but never made it to the pictures on the rocks before I got ill and forced us to turn around. 
Fast forward a few months...
I no longer have a sinus infection and have been utilizing my elliptical trainer for more than a glorified clothes hanger, so I thought I might be able to make it.  We decided to give it another try for the hubby's birthday on Memorial Day, so away we went. 

The trail head is easily found and well marked, so there was no worries about getting lost and recreating any of my favorite scenes from Hatchet.  The trail is not that steep (only the first part has much climb to it at all), but the loose rocks that cover the trail make for some tricky footing.  I'm used to hiking back East on pine needle covered trailed, so this is quite a change for my aching, arthritic knees. 

I am happy to announce that I made it back all the way to the pretty pictures, and was able to sit in the shade of a rock outcropping and gloat on how far my conditioning has come.  (I went home and took a nap which kind of tells you how much farther I have to go, but oh well, I will take my small victories). 

I made it, but our 7+ year old Brittany Spaniel, Ginger, wasn't so lucky.  She literally walked the skin off the pads of her feet.  Luckily, the hubby was hiking too and was able to give her a lift back to the car.  She is nearly better now, and I'm sure that she is looking forward to more hikes - but with better foot protection.