BSRO
Skunk Canyon
“I turn in the direction of the sun and keep walking.” — Joy Harjo
At sunrise on Oct 29, our fearless adventurers, D, S, and C, gathered on the corner of Hillside and Table Mesa, to commence what is perhaps the first ever Big SunRise Out (aka BSRO) in the long and storied history of Humpday.
And a frosty morning it was, the temperature hovering around 28°F. After the balmy summer temps of September and October, this frigid awakening was something of a shock.
Our group ascended the trail, sending a trio of deer scampering (?) up the hillside. Birds chattered and sang, sending greetings and poetry to all and sundry.
Meanwhile, Good Morning
Ok this is weird.
The hikers and joggers and dog-walkers all said good morning to us, and to each other. And they didn’t just mutter it, in that familiar disgruntled tone one might expect on waking up and stumbling half-conscious into the kitchen, nor even the perfunctory utterance of office co-workers acknowledging existence and retreating to their cubicles. No, these greetings were enthusiastic, joyful, ebullient, and really annoying. It was as if these morning people, heaven help us, wanted everyone around them to mark their calendars, to fling confetti, to jump for joy, to proclaim to the birds and the deer and the sun itself: We exist! We breathe! We smile and jog and walk our dogs, in the morning!
People don’t do this in the afternoon. Imagine someone bellowing “Good Afternoon” with gusto and verve and smiles and bouncing steps. “Look at me! I’m jogging in the afternoon!!” No, it’s unthinkable. People in the afternoon pass each other with barely a glance, hardly a grunt. As it should be.
So what’s up with this strange morning cheerfulness anyway.
Anyway.
The morning chill faded, while echoes of frost clung to the grass in the north-facing shadows. Our intrepid explorers, clad in three layers more than required, found themselves over-heating as the sun climbed higher. Eventually they found their way to NCAR, and to breakfast.
P2. NCAR Mesa Cafe
Breakfast burritos, muffins, coffee, yogurt.
P1, again.
Descending back to Hillsdale. Fare thee well and adieu. A successful Inaugural BSRO!
Questions of the Hike
What mammals lived on Pangaea and did they end up inhabiting the various resulting continents?
☶