Detour Day

Soaptree Yucca in LDR-A arroyo

A light grey pickup was parked at the side of Tellbrook Road almost blocking the dirt road entrance to the trailhead this morning.  I felt it might mean that somebody else was on the trail ahead of us, and sure enough when Willow and I started down LDR-A I saw a woman with a dog heading our way.

We backtracked and hiked along the upper flatland road west; my intention was to descend LDR, but just when we reached the junction and looked down I saw the Basset people and their hounds heading toward the Tellbrook Arroyo ahead of us.

By then I noticed the woman and her dog getting back to the pickup and driving off.  Willow and I retraced our steps and went down LDR-A, descended the adjacent LDR-A arroyo and were going to do our regular route when we heard dogs barking.  Since the parking lot at the corner of Tellbrook and Sonoma Ranch was filled with vehicles I wondered if it had to do with a search and rescue exercise; since I couldn't be sure I decided we'd cross the Tellbrook Arroyo and explore some of the side canyons we've hiked in before, which is what we did.  Willow was completely satisfied with my choices.

This & next:  east up the Tellbrook Arroyo

This & next 2:  side arroyo north of the Tellbrook

Willow in a familiar resting place in a side arroyo

This & next:  following an arroyo back to the Tellbrook