It’s conventional wisdom that there are some things in this world that just don’t go together, like the above-mentioned substances.  We Americans try anyway- beer and ice cream, ice cream with meat filling, dill pickle-flavoured potato chips, loud, swing jazz “lullabies”.  Sometimes we get a serendipitous hit, other times- it’s Loserville.

I have observed the Baha’i Fast, every March 2-20, since 1981.  It has generally been a given that one should lie low, go easy on physical activity- unless it is necessary for one’s livelihood.  Only once before, in 1992, did I let my wife talk me into a hike during the Fast.  That was a leisurely walk up and down Prescott’s Thumb Butte.  It hurt me none, but the following year, we both reverted to form.

This year, I have kept up my work schedule, and been no worse for the wear.   This week has been Spring Break, and I found myself getting a bit restless, after accomplishing all I wanted to do around the house- which was a considerable to-do list.  So, I have devised the Fast Four-miler.  That round trip distance is about as much as my body will do, without constant replenishing of its water supply.

Sunday’s visit to the Chino Valley Peavine Trail was the first such outing.  This afternoon, I made a more vigorous jaunt- on Seven-Mile Gulch Trail, in the Lynx Lake area.  Seven-Mile is the name of the gulch and its nearby mountain.  The actual round-trip is four and a half miles.

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The journey starts out easily enough.  The first 1/3 mile or so is relatively flat, and goes through shaded ponderosa and alligator juniper country.  After that, this small rock formation indicates it’s time to turn right, and up the first of five inclines we go.

The first incline is wide, but slippery, and moderate in difficulty.  This trail is exposed to the south, after the turn, meaning the afternoon sun can be an issue.  I coped by soaking  head and ball cap, after a fashion.  The first incline is about 1/4 mile long.  There are four more inclines, before the summit of Seven-Mile Mountain.  To the tenderfoot hiker, the third, and steepest, climb could very well feel like seven miles.  It’s actually 9/10 of a mile, but it is of Grand Canyon quality, without the switchbacks.  Here are views of halfway up the Alley-Oop.  First, looking back-then, what lies immediately ahead.                                                                                                               

Pacing oneself, though, makes this hike a satisfying venture, with fine panoramic views at each of the four ridges along the way, and from the summit itself.

This view, of the Bradshaw Range, is from the second ridge.

On the way down, at the end of the aforementioned third uphill, there lay another heart-shaped rock- this one of pink quartz.

Minimal pain, followed by a very sweet gain.