Earlier this week I tried out a new hiking trail that my friend Kirsten helped construct a few summers ago while she was on a trail crew. She brought her boyfriend Joe along and we started out after I got off work. The afternoon air was cool and we needed jackets and hats but it felt perfect. We stopped at the top and scoped out the old petroglyphs on a flat side of boulder, there were several basic images etched in stone of deer, frogs, and people. Its amazing these things last and endure the weather here. On the way down we encountered an elderly woman and her large shepard mix walking towards us. I was suprised she was starting out on a trail so late in the day, the sky was pink and hazy, the sun was going down. She seemed timid and scared to approach us because she said her dog would pull her so we stood talking from afar for several minutes. She was strong and lean but told us she was 92 and has lived in Prescott since the 1930’s. Her name was Olive McKinney and she said we could find her number in the phone book. So now we’ve arranged to be walking friends and I hope to call her next week! It’s been awhile since I’ve reached out in the community like this and I’m glad I offered to walk with her.