No Hobbling Heat Stroke For Me ... No Sir

I know a lot of you visit Homer's Travels religiously just to read the scintillating descriptions of my weekly hikes in the Ventura and Santa Barbara wild country. I can’t tell you how much I look forward to doing those hikes. The long Labor Day weekend seemed like the perfect time to do the short but strenuous hike up Cathedral Peak. Unfortunately, as you all know from my last entertaining hiking post, I am suffering from tendonitis in my left foot. The fun loving hiker in me wants to climb the peak but the rational (i.e. boring) side of me has decided that another week of rest is needed to let the foot heal up completely. As added disincentive the National Weather Service has issued a Special Weather Statement that, in part, says:

“...VERY HOT TEMPERATURES EXPECTED ACROSS SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK...”

“IF YOU PLAN TO ENJOY OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES THIS WEEK...BE PREPARED FOR VERY HOT WEATHER...EVEN IN THE MOUNTAINS. TAKE PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THE HEAT. REDUCE OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES IF POSSIBLE...AT LEAST FROM LATE MORNING THROUGH EARLY EVENING. WEAR LOOSE FITTING LIGHT WEIGHT CLOTHING AND DRINK PLENTY OF WATER. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SHADE AND AIR CONDITIONING IF AVAILABLE.”

With this hot weather forecast and the bout of tendonitis that I'm wrestling with, I have decided to postpone the hike up to Cathedral Peak. The hike up is a steep rock hopping trail with little, if any, shade. I am really looking forward to this hike but I'm not keen on hobbling around on a sore foot while suffering from heat stroke.

Now don't worry. I hope to be hiking again after another week of foot recuperation. We are planning to go to Soledad and Carmel Missions on Sunday. I am also thinking about doing a walk on the beach sometime this weekend – not sure if that is good for the foot or not. We’ll see how it feels.