Labor Day hike

So, there it was, Labor day, over 100F, dripping wet humidity, and blazing sun and we said to each other let's take a hike!   So we loaded Kerby up in the Jeep, drove along the Foothill freeway to a spot that we've often seen from the freeway, got off the exit and got ready to walk.  The hike starts along what appears to be the original road that was in place before the freeway was built in the early 70s and takes a right turn to go up the ridge to some radio repeater sites and then (I have been told) continues down the other side into Los Angeles proper.  Our goal was to try to make it up the hill to the towers.

When we started we noticed that we were only meeting people coming down the hill.  No one was going up.  That was because they started earlier in the day when it wasn't so doggone hot!  How hot and humid was it?  It was so hot that the Missus who doesn't ever perspire was glowing as they say.  I was just out and out drenched. Total round trip was only six miles but it felt like twelve to me.

Here we go!

Starting up the hill from the parking spot.  It only got steeper from here

Looking  down the hill to the Jeep (can you see it and the Iraq war tire cover?) and the freeway nearby

Up we go!  Kerby already suspects that this was a mistake

The sign marks the right turn to go up to the towers

This firebreak was the shortcut to the top.  We met a very buff guy coming down the trail about a third of the way up and then met him again about two thirds of the way up!  We can only guess he ran down the hill, up this way to the top and was on his way back down again!

There is our goal

Still going up

Some welcome shade along the way

I was still feeling the effects of my illness - this hike was a struggle for me

Some houses on the other side of the freeway

That road is how we got to this point!

Still going up!

Nice view from up here

We had to be getting closer

Excelsior!

Yay, we made it!

Headed back down with Kerby off the leash so she didn't pull the Missus down with her

Where we'd been

Almost back!  The water we carried lasted just long enough