March 16 Getting Higher

"On the outside,
You’re free to roam
On the outside
We found it home
On the outside
There’s more to see
On the outside
We choose to be"

- 'The Outsiders' by NeedToBreathe

There are times that we all look for a little guidance, help or a sign. Some of my best days are when I have no plan and just go, getting somewhat lost actually. Sometimes a little sign to point you in the right direction can be very helpful, like these rock cairns. The trails across desert sand or along solid rock can disappear real fast, so I am grateful for these little rock cairns that show you the way. This picture was taken on the Allens Bend Trail along Oak Creek. I began my day with this short hike along Oak Creek just to stretch my legs. I am driving up to the Grand Canyon and plan to stop along the way at several places depending on time. This little hike was full of surprises, Oak Creek was flowing strong with snow melt from the mountains, the rising sun lit the Oak Creek Canyon perfectly and I stumbled across a small waterfall in Casner Canyon along the way.

I continued my drive north through Oak Creek Canyon which was as beautiful as it is described in every guide book.. I began to see more snow on the mountain tops as I continued my slow elevation climb on this trip. I started out at 1100ft in Phoenix, was at 4400ft in Sedona, passed a 6000ft sign driving out of Oak Creek Canyon and will end up over 7000ft at the south rim of the Grand Canyon. I am a sucker for scenic turnouts...

...so it took longer than expected to make it to the West Fork Trail at the north end of the canyon. The entrance to this side canyon was incredible. I was really looking forward to this 6 mile hike. Unfortunately the small stream that must be crossed by hopping across on the rocks was flowing well above those rocks. I was going to attempt the crossing barefoot, but was advised against it by some German hikers who had the same idea. I guess the water was extremely cold and the rocky bed was very slick. I played in the snow for a bit, really just throwing snowballs in anger at the 200 foot high canyon wall across the stream. 

Now I have some extra time, so I decide to drive up to Sunset Crater Volcano and Wupatki National Monuments. Somehow, I get lost in Flagstaff and find the original Route 66 through town. It was like the Stephen King book, "Christine". As I drove Route 66 , the years were turning back to the 1950's. What a great stretch of road, the old mom & pop motels, roadside diners like the Grand Canyon Diner, oddball tourist trap stores & museums. Once again, I loved getting lost. I even drove by the Amtrak station which I had been to several times as a kid taking the train to California. At Sunset Crater Volcano, I hiked up the lava & snow covered Lenox Crater Trail.

Stopped at the Bonito Lava Flow to watch a group of kids try to hike across it.

 Then I hiked along the Lava Flow Trail but parts were closed due to the snow.

That is the Sunset Crater Volcano in the background. Sometime around the year 1064, this volcano blew one billion tons of  'extruded material' over an 800 square mile area. That created a 300 foot deep crater on top of the volcano.

Onward to the ruins of Wupatki National Monument in the high desert of the Colorado Plateau.

The first stop is the Wukoki Pueblo. "The original grandeur of Wukoki is evident today. There were three stories in what seems to be a tower. A total of six or seven rooms may have been home to two or three families. An open area adjacent to the tower was a plaza used for daily activities, pottery making, basket weaving and other chores. The plaza was enclosed by a semicircular parapet wall" - taken from NPS website.

After a quick stop at the visitor center, I toured the Wupatki Pueblo which was undergoing some stabilization construction. "People gathered here during the 1100s, gradually building this 100-room pueblo with a community room and ballcourt. By 1182, perhaps 85 to 100 people lived at Wupatki Pueblo, the largest building for at least fifty miles. Within a day's walk, a population of several thousand surrounded Wupatki" - taken from NPS website.

Go ahead, call me a geek. I am proud to admit that I love seeing historical sites like these. I am especially amazed that no one knows for sure what caused these people to leave this area. The architecture and farming abilities of the Sinagua Indians have to be admired. Below is the Citadel Pueblo, you are allowed to walk into these ruins.

My last stop at Wupatki was the box canyon dwellings of the Lomaki Pueblo.

After an extremely depressing drive through part of the Navajo Nation, I arrived at the east entrance of the Grand Canyon National Park. I stopped at the Desert View overlook. Finally my first look at the Grand Canyon. Yes, it is amazing to actually see it. Over the next couple of days, I'm sure I heard that repeated in many different languages. There really is nothing else like it in the world.

I also stopped at Grandview Point because I had planned on hiking into the canyon on Grandview Trail. The park ranger told me I would definitely need crampons due to the snow and ice on the very steep trail. After looking down the trail, my brain told me, "No fucking way we are hiking down that trail, fat boy!". Now I am hoping to hike the Bright Angel Trail, but not feeling very confident. Oh well that is for tomorrow, tonight I need dinner and some sleep.

March 15 The Red Rocks of Sedona

"There was a dream and one day I could see it

Like a bird in a cage I broke in and demanded that somebody free it

And there was a kid with a head full of doubt

So I'll scream til I die and the last of those bad thoughts are finally out"

- 'Head Full Of Doubt/Road Full Of Promise' by The Avett Brothers

I began my day by arriving at Red Rock State Park forty minutes before it officially opens. Luckily, the ranger was just getting to work and was kind enough to let me into the park. He warned me that Oak Creek had taken out two bridges and the only way across was at Kingfisher Bridge. So I altered my hiking plans and began on the Bunkhouse Trail. I ran into a few deer about 50 feet onto the trail.

I decided to make a loop out of several trails in the park. So I hiked up the Apache Fire Trail across the Coyote Ridge Trail down the Eagle's Nest Trail and back along the Kisva Trail. The 300 foot climb up to Eagle's Nest was a good way to get my fat ass ready for higher climbs later in the day.

Looks like the ranger was telling me the truth about the bridges.

This area has a long history of mining though I'm not sure how this relic was used. It looks like a wheel of some kind.

This house belonged to the president of TWA. He had it built for his wife as a vacation home.

The view from atop of Eagle's Nest Trail. I sat here for awhile and ate my breakfast. The views across the park were incredible. What a great way to start my day.

I took this picture from the Sedona Airport which sits on a tabletop mesa above the town.

 I passed this car in the parking lot at Montezuma's Castle National Monument. It made me laugh. Then it made me think about all the cool people I have met over the years while hiking. I hope I can still get out here when I'm in my 70's.

I didn't run into the newlyweds while viewing the cliff dwelling there but I did run into a family that had a teenage daughter that made me wonder about kids today. She was complaining about how boring it was to have to live here. She wondered what they did all day long. Her dad tried to explain that they had to grow or hunt their own food and find a water source. Mom added there were no stores back then. The daughter says "my hero is the guy that invented stores." The parents desperately trying to get the conversation back on track asked why do you think the Sinagua people left suddenly? The future pole dancing stripper had no answer. So I stopped taking pictures and whispered to her, "maybe they left to find a store". 

It was back to hiking after lunch. This time the Courthouse Butte Loop around Bell Rock (above) and the aforementioned Courthouse Butte (below).

 

 

Just for the record, these hikes represent a bit of a challenge for me. I thoroughly enjoy my time on the trails while also searching out things to photograph. I spent a lot of time deciding which hikes I should do on this trip. Then hoped I would be able to actually do these hikes. This was a 4.5 mile hike, relatively flat but very rocky in some sections. I was feeling real good about my hiking ability when I came across two ladies easily in their 60's or older. I stopped to talk to them for a moment and they crushed me by saying, "we hike this trail everyday. It's our daily walk." I just waddled down the trail feeling a little less proud of myself.

 

The scenery along this trail was incredible. All joking aside, I felt great while hiking this trail. As you can see, it was a perfect day.

The trails here are just a little better for mountain biking than the Cook County Forest Preserve trails that I ride back home. Someday I'll get good enough to ride here or I'll die trying.

"riding high amongst the waves

i can feel like i

have a soul that has been saved"

- 'Amongst The Waves' by Pearl Jam

I stopped by the Chapel Of The Holy Cross on my way to hike in Fay Canyon. Believe me when I say, I had a more intense religious experience in Fay Canyon than I did at this church. I planned on hiking in Boynton Canyon until last night. While eating dinner at the bar in the Heartland Café, I met a local search and rescue volunteer named John. He was eating at the bar because his wife was the bartender. He saw my hiking guides and we began talking about hikes in the area. He told me to hike Fay Canyon all the way to the end of the trail. Then climb up the rocks about 100 feet and hike along the side canyon about half a mile. He said it would be worth it. He was right. I like to hike for several reasons. One is to take photographs. Two is for the exercise. Three is to escape from the rest of the world and four is the simple fact that I love being outside enjoying nature's beauty. Fay Canyon provided all those for me. When I got up into the side canyon, I was all alone. I sat there for at least an hour, relaxing, admiring, enjoying the complete silence and a beautiful sunset over the mountains. While lying on the smooth rock of the canyon staring up at the blue sky, I watched the hawks and the ravens floating across the canyon. I was mesmerized, I felt like I was floating with them. I love that sensation. Eventually, I forced myself to leave. The hike out with the sun setting was a perfect way to end my day.

This is the beginning of the trail, I took this on my way out. Most of the pictures were taken deep in the canyon and in the side canyon on the left.

March 14 Unwind - to release from tension

"There's nothing that the road cannot heal" - 'Moab' by Conor Oberst

Sometimes you just need to unwind. Life can get you wound very tight. Especially if you are like me, wound pretty tight as a starting point. Sometimes getting away from your everyday life is the only way to unwind. That is how I ended up at Agua Fria National Monument today. After enjoying one of my favorite bands, Flogging Molly, last night at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago. I flew out to Phoenix, rented a car and began my road trip. The first stop was Agua Fria. Truth be told, there really isn't much here. Just what I needed. Solitude. I walked about a mile through the high desert passing barberry, cacti and mesquite trees. I hiked the Badger Springs Wash Trail for about a mile while watching the sun set over the mountains. I sat in the sandy wash, listening to the birds and enjoying being nowhere. Then I had to quickly hike back to the car because as much as I loved the peacefulness of the desert. It was getting dark and the desert is a scary place to be alone after dark. So I never made it to the Agua Fria River, but that was okay because I could feel the tension slipping away. Next stop Sedona.

The trail followed the wash down into the canyon past this trailhead sign.

I hiked along this creek that flowed through the wash down to the river. This short hike had everything I needed to relax...flowing water...setting sun...and a place to sit down and enjoy it all.

Feb 10 Fresh Snow

The dogs just love all the snow we've been getting lately. They stayed out for hours today. I took a few shots of them enjoying the fresh snow. Oslo & Roxy were play fighting while Fluffy was just chillin' on the snow.

 Roxy checking to see if I have a treat for her

 

The battle of the backyard begins

As usual Oslo runs away and Roxy tries to catch him

 

another of his fight tactics is to jump on the picnic table where Roxy can't get him, now you know why we call him The Fanook

eventually a cease fire is agreed upon usually after Roxy gets tired from chasing Oslo