Grid #111: MKRQ

Well, look at that, I'm writing about the inner peaks yet again.  For one of our least favorite hikes, it sure seems to get the most blog attention! 😂  (In reality, I mainly just want to have easily accessible trail notes for myself.)

Belknap Grid 111/144
Mts. Mack-Klem-Rand-Quarry via Wood-Reed Rds, 7.3 mi, 1640 ft, 3:37 hrs

Making progress! 👍🏻

The morning did not have an encouraging start.  This is a relatively big hike, and I woke up quite achy.  I wasn't sure why - I did do a lot of land work over the weekend, but it shouldn't have caused this much pain - then I realized it's because rain was moving in. 🤦🏼‍♀️ Oh it's fun getting old.  At least the worst of it was in my hands, which wouldn't affect hiking ability (as long as I didn't need poles).  Some preemptive arnica and plenty of yoga prepped the rest of my body for what laid ahead.

As usual, the beginning felt harder than it should be, then we eventually got our "hiking legs" and surprisingly made slightly better than average time.  And as always, there was plenty of complaining tossed back and forth about how we'll never hike here again after finishing the grid.  But to be fair, this hike isn't entirely horrible.  There are some actually pleasant spots along the way, especially this time of year when it's mostly dry.  A few little viewpoints, some spongecake trail, and gentle grades… but it's so long, and there is a lot of suck in between all of that… so it's hard to fully enjoy the route.  Plus every single summit is viewless, so they're kind of anticlimactic.  Although today I did celebrate each one just to stay motivated.

The weather was pretty ideal for this hike.  Once again it was cloudy with a chance of showers, though the ground stayed dry and we only felt a few raindrops here and there, and there was a really lovely cool breeze at times.  I still ended up doing most of the hike in my crop top, which was less pleasant when running into spider webs 😝 but more comfortable than a tee shirt otherwise.  I also got away with not wearing sunblock, between the mostly overcast sky and most of the trail in the trees.  See, there are benefits to this hike!  

With the clouds and haze, the few viewpoints en route had poor visibility, so I didn't bother taking any pics.  But there were some pretty wildflowers, and interestingly there appears to be grapes growing on the Reed Road trail!  Weird.

Overall the hike was uneventful.  I tripped several times, more as I got tired, but neither of us fell.  We spotted fairly fresh bear scat on our final descent, but no wildlife sightings beyond the usual birds, bugs, and toads.  Met few other hikers, so it was peaceful.  Though I can't say quiet, as we talk fairly continuously. 😉  Thank God, because I'd die of boredom trying to solo that many miles.  LOL  (And I'm extra grateful for Hummingbird doing this with me this month, as she already had July gridded out from a previous year's Belknap Range traverse!)  Near the end, I paused at one point, my hips and feet suddenly feeling the strain, and checked the mileage.  Sure enough we had just passed 6 miles.  My body knows!  

The good news is, despite my prior condition and the length of the hike, I wasn't totally broken after.  I even had the energy to go up & down stairs to do laundry when I got home.  My hands are still killing me, but everything else is pretty on par.  So that's a big win.  

An even bigger win is that I now only have Mt. Major to finish the July grid.  Will I make it?  Time is short and the forecast is iffy… but Hummingbird swears I'm going to get it, whether she has to nag me to death to solo it, or drag me up it herself. 😂 Well, here's hoping!

But for now, I think I earned some Cado ice cream. 😋