2 hikes in 2 days....yep, still working off those calories. Drive to the end of 24th Street past Baseline and there will be a small parking lot with about a dozen spaces; otherwise, park in the neighboring area. Here begins the Mormon Trailhead and the hike starts off with an incline, so get those poles ready. We keep at a steady pace until a mile and a half later we reach the National Trail. We could have veered to the right and hit Fat Man's Pass to squeeze thru the canyon, but that would have added another mile to the hike. Not willing to do that this time, so we continue the National Trail (which by the way is just a peek into the 13+ mile National Trail Trek hike that occurs in January if you're one of the lucky ones that register within the first 5 minutes when registration opens in November). Along the way we encounter the "barefoot" hiker. Yes there is one. I really wanted to stop him and ask to see the bottom of his soles, but I continued on since I can't risk interrupting my momentum in order to complete the hike. A mile later there is a stone structure to the right where other hikers are taking a rest and enjoying the views of Phoenix. We veer left to continue the bottom half of our loop which joins us back to the Mormon Loop Trail. Hubby and Daughter #2 hike ahead of me and stop every now and then to ensure I haven't slipped down a path as well as to offer some water which I don't lug around because I don't need to add to the weight I am already carrying which is just myself. With another close to 5 mile hike under my belt, I can feel the calories melting. Combined with the serenity and the scenery in the two hours away from the city, the South Mountain Preserve was an exhilarating morning getaway.