My coworker Steve and I decided to do a spur of the moment afterwork hike to Granite Mtn. We left work at 5:30, stopped at Safeway N. Bend for some trail food and fresh batteries and started hiking. I've been up Granite Peak a few times, so I didn't expect anything unusual, but when we cleared the forest and started up the open slopes I was really surprised by the amount of flowers on the mountainside. Lots of bear grass, indian paintbrush, and lupine mades for some great dusk scenery. I would urge anyone considering doing this hike to do it this weekend or next to get the full effect. It was nice. About halfway up the open part I got this huge cramp in my calf. It rippled up and down my leg somtimes pretending to leave, but in reality, just lurking until I tried to move again. .........3 minutes........ Steve had brought some ginger cubes. Some people gobble them down, but they are pretty hot. Steve mentioned that if you eat alot of them, your stomach might not be feeling well later. I ate the first, then just sucked on one for awhile. This seemed to divert the cramps attention, and soon it left me. We stopped at the pond below the lookout. There were a few bits of open sky and this created some neat reflections in the pond. Far below, the lights along I-90 were visible, wending their way up the pass. Off in the distance you could see Lake Kechelus. A cool breeze was wafting and I put on my sweater. The downhill trip was smooth. We got out the flashlights justs before we hit the forest. I'll probably be looking to upgrade mine to something with a stronger beam. We were looking for a place to eat but it being 11:30 we figured it was either fast food (Wendy's) or slightly slower food (Denny's). What would you have done? We went to Wendy's. :fries:
PB-
It would appear that on this adventure you did not have the ill effects of slope and gravity disrupt your feeding hour. The photo evidence clearly indicates you have discovered by laying the ginger cubes out horizontal in the large dish you packed along
I was up there last Saturday, and concur it was very nice. I was surprised, there were even patches of snow in places.
Of course nothing like a few years ago when I had to trek through about 1/2 mile of snow field in early June to get to the top.
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.........3 minutes........ 
I ate the first, then just sucked on one for awhile. This seemed to divert the cramps attention, and soon it left me. We stopped at the pond below the lookout. There were a few bits of open sky and this created some neat reflections in the pond. Far below, the lights along I-90 were visible, wending their way up the pass. Off in the distance you could see Lake Kechelus. A cool breeze was wafting and I put on my sweater. The downhill trip was smooth. We got out the flashlights justs before we hit the forest. I'll probably be looking to upgrade mine to something with a stronger beam. We were looking for a place to eat but it being 11:30 we figured it was either fast food (Wendy's) or slightly slower food (Denny's). What would you have done? We went to Wendy's. 
:fries: 
