Early Trip

The weather was really nice. Not as warm as we'd have liked, but sunny most of the time. The fact that there was no snow anywhere in sight, we could hike in shorts, and there were cacti and reptiles all over made for a real gettaway trip. It was also good to bring E to the pool several times. Temperature was consistently 65 degrees and slightly breezy. Made getting out of the pool (85 degrees) slightly unpleasant, but we made the best of it (seemed to bother us much more than E).

We went for 4 hikes while on the trip. They were all a short trip from where we were staying. It was so great to just get outside and move around a bit in an environment that is so different from ours. I have a love/hate relationship with the desert. I love the harshness and ruggedness of it and reading or remembering stories I have heard of experienced of the desert landscape, but I also hate the savageness of it (kind of also love it). I think part of the reason why I hate it is because it is an environment that I am intimidated by. In modern times, I could find days of comfort there, but could never live/survive there like so many others have done. It is a scary thought.

My first real experience in the desert was a San Juan River trip I took 11 years ago. This trip, the people on it, and the 3 books (Everett Ruess- A Vagabond For Beauty, Monkey Wrench Gang, and Desert Solitare) given to me by a couple of good friends who are passionate about the desert, brought back so many good memories. Since then, I also chaperoned a trip to Crow Canyon and Mesa Verde a few years back. Two other places that are just unimaginable to me. The Cliff dwellings of the Ancient Pueblans are truly remarkable, let alone the fact that these peoples were able to live and thrive in this environment is mind boggling. I really hope that E decides to and is accepted to go on the school trip to Crow Canyon- I also would love my Parents and Sister to go too (actually, anyone who reads this would be better off having gone and done and seen these things).

Back to 2011 now and another reason I hate the desert- the fact that so many people make homes in it and have no business being there- it is against all logic that so many people live in an area (greater Phoenix) that can't provide for them. I know, I am a part of this picture going there for a vacation, but it makes me mad that the savageness has been removed- temporarily. On every hike, I was thinking about all of the subdivisions and how I bet when E is our age, all of them will be abandoned, broken down, modern day ghost towns because they don't belong there.

I like to imagine these areas as they were back when the handful of rough, tough caballeros and ancient peoples moved freely because they understood and could withstand their surroundings... I know, I am not man enough to survive it, but I am aware that some were.

Now back to our trip. Here are some fotos of things we enjoyed while we were there.

E, ready to go out and hit the trail.



Two serious women, taking to the trail.


Classic pose while trying not to sleep.


After waking from her nap, someone no longer liked the confinement, so she got to ride in her Dad's arms.


Next days hike, E in Sherpani.


Trip across the street to the resort's horse stables.


Don't feed the horses any hay, so, we gave them a lolly-pop.


After being on this trip, we've realized how happy we are that we live where we do. After having to drive everywhere to do or get anything, it is nice to go home to a place where we can walk to hiking, skiing, biking (I know that one doesn't actually walk to biking, but we can bike to biking without getting in a car), food, river, bar, library, schools, etc.