I was well enough to go snorkeling at Pinecrest yesterday.

It was great and I feel a bit re-energized despite neck pain. I'd like to write about it in more detail, but suffice it to say I caught a couple of snakes (I really want to tell you about one of them...wow!) and saw wild animals in abundance. I just love the little Douglas pine squirrels (chickarees) and all the birds. There are always ospreys hunting over the lake and common mergansers resting on rocks and logs. I almost always see ravens and Steller's jays--and of course, the ubiquitous little dark-eyed juncos. The water was just perfect. I saw all kinds of fish: trout, catfish and a species I couldn't identify. I collected a lure and two treble hooks. It felt so good to be swimming again.

I nearly ran into trouble when I got cramps in opposing muscles in my left leg. When I tried to stretch out the back of my calf, the muscles in my shin would cramp. When I tried to stretch out the shin, the calf would cramp. It wasn't pleasant. Ack! I can see how cramps cause drownings!

I also had a little trouble with someone's dog getting into my pack. Dogs aren't allowed at the lake, but yesterday no one would have known it. There were literally hundreds of dogs there and at least half were off their leashes. I wrote a rant about it late last night, but no one responded. Probably that's just as well because I was feeling a bit pissy.

I like dogs a lot, but they don't belong at the lake. It's too dangerous for the diurnal wildlife that must forage there. It's dangerous for the dogs, too, because they might pick up a disease like rabies or bubonic plague from the squirrels, or salmonella from the reptiles.

I need warm water myself..

I'm glad to hear that :) :hi: And dog people, keep them on a leash!