December Interlude: Monrovia Canyon Park

Funny how time can just slip past without being noticed. Doesn't matter how close you pay attention. Doesn't matter how frequently you scan the horizon, it can find a way to avoid detection and the next thing you know seven years are gone by. Seven years in the past, that is the last time i seem to have been out to Monrovia Canyon Park for anything - mountain biking or hiking.

I don't know that this days interlude made up for lost time, but boy you sure could not have asked for a nicer day in December. I suppose most folks, especially those with kids, tend to stick to the shorter hike to the waterfall, because there were not a lot of people hiking up canyon on the longer route, the one that would go all the way to White Saddle, and beyond if that were your desire. Even though this route starts out paved, all the way to the top of the day and then to the entrance to Trask Scout Camp, everything beyond there is dirt and, since this was a monthly interlude and we weren't riding, we were able to leave the dirt road in our wake, branching off onto the Ben Overturff Trail, allowing us to make a loop (or as close as you can get to a loop here).

With last weeks rain, the stream was rushing fully, and cascading over the many check dams in the canyon bottom; the shadows may be deep this time of year, but let your eyes follow the sound, and search between the trees for a shower of white falling through the darkness. And green; it is so green, surprisingly so. Throw in the red of the Toyon berries and the canyon is very Christmasy. 

Other than the sculptures downtown, where we had a late lunch after the hike (Merengue), we saw neither hide nor hair or Monrovia's famous mountain denizens. That's maybe not so surprising since they seem be prefer summer swimming in peoples' backyard pools. 

Anyway, a picture perfect day, and it has got me jonesing to get back there with the bike.