In our backyard, 3:2:1. Three hikes for two in one week.

We have undertaken a few hikes, some long walks and plenty of sleeps since our return to San Diego. It is
obvious that there are so many magnificent viewing spots in the world. Sometimes though, we forget to look in
our own backyard. We revisited two of our old favorites, Mountains Woodson, (twice) and Iron, on one occasion with
Sean Bradford. The clouds, as always, provide one of our favorite scenes. It was remarkable to see each mountain
from the other, decorated with clouds.



Early morning on Iron Mountain, 5:50am.




Morning has broken, light at 5:15am.




In the misty morning, from Mount Woodson. A cottage occupied by family of four.




Don't rain on my parade, the editor at the 'Wood' peak, 4 miles from the car.



It's not easy to reach a mountain peak before sunrise these days. Partly, we suppose, because we are
not fit enough but also because of 'fooling around with time'. Where does time go? In the mid-summer months,
we get hit with a double whammy. The sun rises early, of course, and then along comes the Federal Bureau of Time
and we advance our clocks an hour. For Iron Mountain, we left the apartment at 4:30am and could not beat the sun
to the peak. Woodson is impossible because the gates to Lake Poway, the trailhead, only open at 6am. We look
forward to winter.




The reverse, Iron Mountain from Woodson. 'Mind the gap'.




A tinted view from the 'Iron' peak, as the marine layer covers the county, before 6am.




'Clouds got in our way', two days later on the 'Wood'.




The sun reflects off boulders in the sky, on Mount Woodson Peak.




Back to 'potato chip' early, before the clouds...er crowds.




Lake below Woodson after clouds dissipated, week before. (Hike, not clouds).




We thought of taking a short cut between the mountains. Editor pointed out things aren't always
what they seem. (This one's for Maude.)