Today's Mesa Hike

This afternoon Tim called me and invited me to accompany him with Evan on a hiking trip.  I was delighted.  We drove to Jamestown and then back several miles behind a large mountain of lava probably at least 500 feet high with steep sides and a flat mesa top.  Tim and Evan had scaled it before. 

We parked and hiked most of a mile before starting the ascent.  Evan, 15, couldn’t resist climbing trees and leaping up on high rocks.  I can remember when I was like that… ha. 

(You may click on pictures to enlarge.)

We passed two ancient gold mine shafts going deep into the ground under the lava flow.  Men do daring things for gold.

Parts of the trail were quite steep.  I think Tim and Evan went a little slower than their last time for the sake of a certain 80 year old grandpa. 

We stopped occasionally to enjoy the view and rest.  Parts of the trail consist of just climbing over boulders. 

In one place we stooped low to go through a tunnel of brush where the mosquitoes discovered us and followed us almost to the top. 

Once on the top we hiked to the east edge of the mesa looking 500 feet below at the Casino. 

From the west edge, the side we had climbed, the view of Tulloch Lake is awesome! 



And the rocky slope dropping hundreds of feet is truly impressive.








I suppose that I may not have the privilege of joining in this kind of fun many more moons. 

Every morning as I start out on my two mile walk through the neighborhood, I look up there at the beautiful cloud formations and thank God for His abundant life.

Yes. I am living life to the full.  Of course we know that very soon the years of wear may drain away our physical abundance, but our "spiritual abundant life" just gets better and better… until the day when we meet our loved ones and our Savior face to face.

Ralph