Let The Summer Begin! (06-12-18)

On June 5th we had everything “summerized” in the house, and the camper all packed up ready to go! Ordinarily we would take the trailer on a trip this long, but not this time! Our plan for the summer is to combine exploring with genealogy research. Much of that research will need to be done in major cities, and we decided that driving a dually would get very old very fast, so we are taking the camper and towing the Jeep behind us. 

Before we left we sat down and made a list of the states and provinces we need to visit in our search for information. Our basic route will be Texas /Mississippi /Tennessee /Georgia /Alabama /Virginia /Massachusetts /Nova Scotia.Then, if need be, we will reverse the order on the way home, depending on what we learn along the way.

We are determined to keep our pace as leisurely as we can, even though we know that won’t always be possible. With that idea in mind, we stopped several times before we got to El Paso to visit Paul’s mom.

Our first stop was Colossal Cave, just outside Tucson.  We have seen the highway billboards for this cave for years. It has been a tourist attraction since the 1920s!



The underground temperature is about 70 degrees, which we figured would be a  welcome relief from the 107 degrees on the highway.

The only problem was the cat.  We couldn’t leave him in the camper for 3 hours without air conditioning, so for the first time ever, we paid for an rv spot with electricity, even though we had no intention of spending the night there.

There are several different tours you can take, and although I am NOT a fan of being underground, we chose the 1.5 hour long Ladder tour, which involves some scrambling and climbing. I figured as long as I was going to be underground,  it might as well be fun.

The pictures came out fuzzy because pretty much the only light we had was our headlamps, which made it more interesting, but more challenging for pictures.


We’ve been in quite a few caves over the years, and other than the hiking aspect, this one doesn’t rate in the top 5.  The formations are quite dusty and dirty, and not all that pretty ( admittedly, we are spoiled).

Our next stop along the way was Wilcox, AZ, the closest town to Chiricahua National Monument.  We have hiked many of the trails here, but we were again hoping for some relief from the heat by hiking at an elevation of about 7500 feet.

We chose the Sugarloaf Mountain Trail- its only about 3 miles long, and we tried to get an early start to beat the heat. There are great views wherever you go in the Chiricahuas-one of the reasons we like it so much.

After a quick picnic lunch we meandered through the town of Wilcox, thinking we would check out the museum that we somehow have never taken the time to investigate. We chatted with the woman operating it, (not pictured here) and she was warning us that she might get an urgent phone call that would require her to leave, and sure enough, the words were barely out of her mouth when her phone rang, and the “closed” sign went on the door.  Oh well, maybe next time. At least the ice cream parlor was open!

We spent 4 days with Paul’s mom, and dang it, I never took a single picture! I am great at taking scenic shots, but horrible at remembering to get the camera out when I am with other people.

Road Trip! (Phoenix-03-13-16)

In early March we packed up the trailer for a short (one month) road trip. After two days of running back and forth, moving things back into the trailer, we deemed it “packed” and ready to go.  I won’t tell you how long the list of things we “forgot to bring” is. Oh boy..

Our first stop was Phoenix, where we both had appointments at the Mayo Clinic for our annual physicals. We were Very impressed, and glad we made the switch!  I had booked several days at a park in Scottsdale, since I didn’t know how long we would need to be there.  With all our lab results in within hours, we were free to leave the following day!



We spent our few free hours exploring a museum we’d never been to before- the Musical Instrument Museum. The museum had about 7 rooms of displays with instruments and music from all over the world. 







This one contained music from different parts of Canada and the U.S.  Each display had typical instruments from the area, and a video showcasing the music of the region.  Everyone was given a set of headphones and as you approached a TV screen, the audio would automatically play.

Other rooms showcased different styles of music, such as Zydeco, country, and Marching Band.

One particular room displayed music and memorabilia from specific musicians.  Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Elvis and John Lennon were among the stars.  This is the piano that  Lennon used to compose “Imagine”.

Taylor Swift, as one of the most successful musicians in the world, warranted a “double wide” display.

The final room was the Experience Room, where you could try out musical instruments of all kinds.  I liked the banjo and the harp and Paul liked the drums.

Being done a day earlier than we expected gave us an extra day to play.  With temperatures predicted to be unseasonably cool, we elected to beeline straight for Picacho Peak, one of our favorite places to hike.

This  6-7 mile hike is challenging in a fun way, with lots of cables to use when the trail gets really steep, but it’s not a fun hike to do on a hot day.



























This is our 5th or 6th time hiking this trail.  You can hike it in a loop, starting from one of two trail heads (we have done it both ways) or you can hike up and down from the same trail head.  That’s how we did it this time, because if you hike the loop, you have to walk two miles down a road to get back to your car (unless you brought bikes).














This is what we call a “twofer” hike.  The hike itself is fun, and the destination also makes it worth the work.

After a short stay at Picacho, we made our way to Tucson.

Back among the Saguaro (10-24-13)

The last time we were in the Tucson area, we had planned to do some hiking, but instead, I broke my arm, so we didn’t make it out on any trails. 

This time around, luckily, that wasn’t an issue, so out among the cactus we went.  Our first venture was into the Coronado National “Forest”. 

We stopped at the very crowded Visitor's Center to get recommendations from the rangers, and ended up on Bear Canyon Trail to Seven Falls waterfall.

After 4 miles and 1000 ft of elevation gain, I was feeling tired.  By the time we reached the waterfall, the temperature was about 86 degrees.  Had I known there would actually be a fair amount of water (who knew?? It is a desert after all) I would have worn my swimsuit.

    .  Instead, we sat in the shade and had lunch while we watched other people (mostly kids) go for a dip in the multiple pools created by the falls.   After lunch we made our way back- a little easier since it was more downhill.










After a couple of days to recover, we headed out again- this time to Catalina State Park to hike to Romero Pools.









  It was even hotter this time, and the trail, although a little bit shorter at 7 miles, had a total of 1600 ft of elevation gain.  It was a little more interesting, with a little climbing, and some great views.

At the end of the trail (well, not actually the end- it keeps going) we were rewarded with the Pools.  At first we thought it was just the little pool within a creek, and we took off our boots to cool off for a bit.  Our packs were heavy with all the water we need to carry and it felt good to get them off for a bit!

We soon discovered that if we kept walking just a little further, there are more pools- several of them are deep enough to swim in.  We didn’t, but several people clearly made the trek out there with the intent to swim.

After a week in the lap of luxury, we moved on towards Phoenix, but we stopped at Picacho Peak to hike one of our favorite trails. Every time we pass by this way, we try to hike this one.

  This time around we did it differently.   We went up Hunter Trail ( the more difficult and steep trail) to the peak, and back down Sunset Trail, which is a little easier.  There’s lots of rock climbing involved, and sometimes you have to wait for someone to come down, before you can go up.

There are many places where the cliff is quite steep, but usually there’s a fence or railing to help out. I do better when I don’t look down.

We were delayed on our way up by an accident.  A young guy had been rock climbing off trail and fell about 20 feet. Several paramedics came up the trail to help him, so we waited around to see if they would need help carrying him down the mountain to the helicopter. Once we knew they were all set, we moved on.

Sometimes you have to go down, to go up.  We don’t like it when that happens, but there isn’t much choice!

In many places there are cables to hold onto while you climb, which sure makes it a lot easier going up and down!

Once we got to the peak, the view was awesome, as usual!

After lunch, we started the trek back down. By now, the temperature was in the mid 80s- pretty hot for hiking in the desert.  Luckily there were a few clouds in the sky to keep us from baking.

The trip down can sometimes be trickier than the trip up.  Especially for me, because it’s easier to not look down when you are going up!

 
Also,somehow on the trip down, it’s easier to see the precariousness of the trail!

We didn’t have any problems though, and 8.4 miles after we left, we arrived back at the campground. 








{rant on} A note about this trail:  It’s not for novice hikers, and there is a big sign at the trailhead that says that.  It also says to stay on the trail, wear good hiking boots, and bring at least 3 quarts of water per person.  It states that the trail is not suitable for dogs, or for children under 10.  We saw two dogs on the trail- I’m not sure how they even made it up there.  We also saw a man with 4 kids, all under 12 years old or so, and the ONLY one who had any water was the adult.  He had one bottle of water and NO food for the 5 of them.  It amazes me when I see people hiking in the desert with no food or water {rant off}. 

Picacho Peak State Park, AZ ---anatomy of a hike---.



the peak from a distance



  We started the hike, which is 6.5 miles long, at around 11 am in the morning. We were planning on starting earlier, but the temperature didn't hit 50 until 11:00, so we waited.


The trail starts off gently

 


 
 

The first of the cable climbs

working our way to the top



the trail highlighted

 


 

the last few feet to the top

 


  



sometimes going down is more difficult than going up!

 









         When we got close to the bottom, Paul decided he wanted to find and explore the copper mine tunnels that he could see in the distance.  I went part way, but elected to sit and relax and wait for him when the going got tough.  He found 3 mining caves and was quite happy that his explorations were fruitful. 

     We finished the hike at about 5 pm and headed home to eat the Chili that we made yesterday.  We were both  pretty tired, but I love this hike.  Its physically challenging and very rewarding.

Tomorrow we head to Yuma.











Picacho Peak State Park, AZ

Paul and I decided to "go for the gusto" and hike to the top of Picacho Peak today, instead of doing a smaller hike today, and then tackling the peak tomorrow.  It probably wasn't the best idea, since neither of us has done anything physical in almost two months.  We started out early, at about 10 am, and the weather was gorgeous- low 70s. As I was walking behind Paul,  my thoughts wandered, and I started thinking about my "rules" for hiking.  First thing is, never make the backpack so heavy that Paul will need a break from carrying it. Plus, I usually let Paul lead for two reasons- he is more experienced, but also, when I get really tired, I just follow exactly where his feet went, no thinking involved.  My first rule and most important one, is to always take a picture of  the map at the beginning of the trail, if there is one. The only place we actually bought trail maps was Big Bend because we were doing a ton of hiking there.  The books are usually $12, so it isn't usually worth it, but if I take a picture of the trail, I can refer to it, and not have to carry anything!                                                      

Today was a strenuous 5 mile hike, with a 2 mile walk back to the truck, since we went up the Sunset Trail and down Hunter trail (elevation 3375 ft/1685 ft gain). I was really excited about this hike because its the first time I have done a hike that required cables. The first 2 miles were fairly easy, but the last mile was more like rock climbing, with lots of cables and very steep drop offs. We really had a blast, but were completely exhausted afterwards.

Once we trudged back to the truck, we went to see if we could find nearby groceries. We didn't, but we did find a Dairy Queen, so life is good.

Back at the campsite we sat outside with a nice fire and a nice drink and watched the sunset. We cooked hamburgers and ate them outside by the fire before heading in for the night.

Picacho Peak State Park, AZ

I think I have discovered a trend.  It seems like whenever I mention in a blog that we will probably do something in the next day or so, it never happens.   I think from now on I will stop trying to tell the future. We were planning on putting the inflatable together and taking it out onto the bay, but yeah, we never did. Instead, we got lazy for a couple of days in San Diego- the weather was nice and warm, and we decided to just hang out at the beach and at the pool for a couple of days.  We did take one day and go to the local flea market-Kobey Swap Meet.  Its absolutely huge...after walking around for hours, we ended up skipping over some of it because we were getting tired.  We ate lunch there, which was a mistake, since the food was AWFUL. Jess got new boots and a new jacket out of the deal so I think overall she was happy.  I bought her "Silence of the Lambs" and told her she had to watch it (but not with me!).  She called today from school to tell me she watched it already and was properly horrified.

We had already decided to spend our last couple of days in California at Paul's brother's house, in the OC, outside of LA.  Jess and I had hair appointments for Tuesday, and her flight was leaving Thursday at 6:45 am.  I was very anxious to get my hair cut since its been 4 months and its driving me nuts, and it had been even longer for Jess.  We didn't know it would be a marathon day for her though!  She decided to try to go back to blonde, or at least as close as she could get after dyeing her hair black.  She ended up at the salon for about 6 hours because the stylist had to work her in between other customers. 

I don't have a great picture of the new color yet, but it is definately lighter than it was! Paul picked me up so I didn't have to wait around for her to be finished.  We just went back to get her after dinner.

Part of Jess's plan for our "LA portion of the trip" as she called it, was to go see a taping of one of her favorite shows- Chelsea Lately, so she went ahead and got us tickets.  But on the drive up from San Diego she got an email that changed our plans completely.  Before she came to CA, she had applied for several internships in the LA area., and she let them know that she would be in the area for Christmas and available for an interview.  She is majoring in Creative Writing (just changed from Journalism), and would love to write for a magazine or work in publishing. The email was from a woman at one of the  places she had applied for an internship and the woman was available to meet with her at exactly the time the show was being taped.  So instead of going to LA for the show, we drove to Santa Monica for the interview.  She did get the internship, and it looks really interesting, but she will continue to look to see what other options she can find. 

Jess left on Thursday to go back to school, and we went straight from the airport back to the trailer in San Diego.  We spent part of the day acting as go-between for her and her boyfriend.  He was supposed to fly from Milwaukee to Indiana and they were planning on sharing a limo to get back to campus.  Unfortunately his flight was canceled due to weather, so he had to go to plan B.  Naturally, she was already in the air, so we helped them communicate all day.  He managed to get a flight from Chicago, that was actually only delayed two hours, so they were still able to share the ride and made it back to school ok.

This morning we got up and got on the road as quickly as we could.  We are headed back to El Paso, but we are taking a couple of days along the way to do some hiking. We drove 375 miles today because we wanted to make it all the way to Picacho Peak State Park in AZ.  This is our first "repeat" campground!  We stayed here on the way to Phoenix, but had no time to do hiking, so we will remedy that tomorrow  (oops, there I go predicting again.)

We'll stay with Paul's mom again for the next month or so, depending on the situation.  His dad has not improved.  He is breathing on his own, but still nonresponsive.  He has been moved again to a longer term hospital. 

In the meantime, we are taking advantage of having a place to stay by making an appointment to get the trailer fixed.  The sidewall is still flexing, causing the caulking seal to break continually, plus he has a short list of things he wants them to look at.  Usually he just fixes stuff himself, but since we are bringing it in anyway, they may as well check it all out.