Headed North

It’s time for change. Familiar places, new beginnings. Our May departure crept up quickly. No matter what happens, this summer is going to be different. 

On the road with Dota.

It was time. Dota loved being our one and only, but with that came the anxiety of being alone. A new italian greyhound pup was in the works for October, but fate managed to get in the way. We received a email in April from Stephanie and Avery Mcleod of Alfheim Hounds to let us know that a little blue and white pup was available. Oh, and that she was just what we were hoping for.

Wait…should we take a 14-week-old puppy to Canada for the summer? 

Lucia

Note to self, if you are not sure, DO NOT LOOK AT THE PHOTO. Nearly impossible to do, I know. Everyone loves a puppy, especially if she is the perfect match. Who could refuse?  Not us. So, we took a 1,000 mile detour to Clearview, WA to pick up Lucia (a.k.a. Luci), the newest addition to our canine family.

Somewhere in western Idaho.

Sprague, Washington

Three 12-hour days of driving. Along the way we saw elk, antelope, a coyote, and a couple of black bears. Luci joined Dota for the final day of our journey. They were real troopers. That in itself was amazing. We arrived in Canmore by mid-afternoon, exhausted, but no worse for wear.

Almost there! East Kootenay, B.C.

It is still cold and rainy/snowy here, with the prospect of better weather in early June. When the sun did come out, Dave and I took advantage of it with a hike into town. There is still snow on the ground in some areas and ice in the river.

Bow River, with Cascade Mountain in the background.

Neighborhood elk.

We also managed to take a small hike near Barrier Lake, and drive down Spray Lake Road to check things out. A lot of the trails here do not open until mid to late June. 

Barrier Lake.

Barrier Lake, Kananaskis.

Spray Lake.

But signs of spring’s emergence are everywhere and rainfall really is a good thing. 

One week in and no complaints. Dota has tolerated Luci quite well. In fact, she has become a bit of a pup herself, much to our chagrin. But, as in the weather, the promise of better days to come is always with us.

Let the adventure begin!

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White Tank Wildflowers

Margaret is one of my favorite people. After all, we did work together for over 20 years. We have shared more up and downs than most do in a lifetime. And, it was Margaret who told Dave and I that the wildflowers were in bloom. So last Saturday, we packed some fruit and sandwiches and headed off to the White Tanks for a group wildflower hike. 

White Tank Mountain Regional Park, Mesquite Canyon trail.

At 30,000 acres, The White Tank Mountain Regional Park is enormous. It features several canyons and rises from the base to over 4,000 ft. The name White Tank comes from the depressions (or tanks) that hold water in the white granite rock—created from erosion and flash flooding. 

A winding golden pathway

The breezes that day were cool and plentiful.

As we rounded a corner, we were greeted by green hillsides covered with purple, orange and gold. Narrow pathways were lined with poppies, giving the trail a wedding-like feel.  

With the trail being six miles long, our plan was to have lunch at the midway point. Boy, were we mistaken. As we approached a trail junction, the signage indicated that we had hiked 4.5 miles and had 4.1 miles to go. Argh. Needless to say, it wasn't long thereafter that we stopped to eat. Thank goodness for chicken salad and clementines. 

Margaret on the trail to who knows where.

The land of lizards.

As we worked our way back down, it got kind of quiet. All business. Suddenly, a rather LARGE lizard scrambled across the rocks close to the trail. Our energy levels were immediately heightened, albeit for only a moment. The ample sun became glaringly obvious. We were all becoming a little toasty. 

Our once leisurely pace kicked up a notch. All eyes on the prize (jeep). Before too long, the parking area came into view and was met with smiles all around. 

Poppies. That will make them sleep…..

Overall, it was splendid outing, full of color, adventure and surprises. Worthy of the extra mile—wait—make that three of them. 

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Sunday Drive

Dota is skeptical…

This winter has been unseasonably chilly. For a while there, we were at least 20° below normal. Whine. Seriously, in comparison to the rest of the country, we’re doing just fine. So on one of those clear, cold Sundays in mid-February, Dave, Dota and I bundled up and took a drive past Carefree to the Seven Springs recreation area in Tonto National Forest. This site and nearby campground was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1934. The higher elevation (3,500ft.), shade and flowing water make it a popular respite during summer months. The area is also known for some of the most abundant winter birding in Maricopa County. Unfortunately, it is also known for flash floods and wash outs during the rainy season.

Passing through the Bartlett wash area, before the pavement ends.

Around the bend.

Getting there was almost as fun as the hike itself. Forest Road 24 turned to gravel about 9 miles in and became quite narrow, featuring plenty of blind curves and steep cliffs. The perfect location for a car commercial. We were in nowhere land—one could get lost around here and never be found. Along the way, sportsmen could be seen taking aim at some makeshift targets. The Wild West.

Off the road to nowhere.

We piled out of the Jeep into a fairly empty parking area. There were numerous trails to take from this location, but our plan was to take a leisurely hike down by the creek (CaveCreek #4). 

A beautiful creekside path

Lush and green. Cave creek is home to sycamores, cottonwoods and willows. Prickly pear and Juniper covered the hillside. We also saw little cactus“condos” growing out of the rock trailside.

Cactus condos.

Cave Creek.

We followed the well-maintained trail until it kind of ended. A lengthy discussion of how to cross the creek ensued. We entertained thoughts of moving logs, repositioning rocks, as well as adding to existing rock piles—with no intention of even trying it out. Semantics. Getting wet that day was not part of the plan.

The amazing view from the PRIVATE road.

Raccoon tracks.

With that in mind, we turned and took a detour to the road above. There, we spotted numerous  javelina and raccoon tracks. It wasn’t until we got to a locked gate that we realized we were on private property. Whoops.

By the time we headed home, it was pretty darn cold outside. Dave said it felt like it was going to snow. Little did we know…

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A Happy Tail

Puccini and Dota, exploring, last summer in Canmore, AB

When Puccini passed away last December at the ripe old age of 16, Dota became our one and only pet. She’s a spunky gal, known for hunting squirrels up in Canmore, as well as chasing lizards down here in Phoenix. And, she LOVES to ride in the Jeep—wait, make that any motor vehicle. Happily, Dota’s sense of adventure and love of trails are back to full strength, thanks to numerous hikes of late.

Last weekend, we took her to one of our favorite spots off of Tatum Boulevard. The lot has only a few spaces and is usually full, but one can usually find parking on one of the side streets nearby. The trail is popular with mountain bikers as well as hikers, and is a great starting point to link to other trails within Phoenix Mountain Preserve.

Not far from the trailhead

It was one of those rare cloudy overcast days. Nice. Not too hot, no glaring sun. The beginning of the trail resembled a desert botanical garden, full of Paloverde and all kinds of cactus. It felt like we were walking though a neighbor’s backyard desert landscape - which, by the way, we kind of were. A short section of the trail passes through a wash between residences.

Headed towards the ridge.

Once we got to the top of the initial ridge - Dave and Dota and I took a detour, on a lightly travelled trail that went up a small mountain off to the south. We wove our way to the top, stopping to look at emerging wildflowers, trails and the city below.

Purple wildflowers covering the mountainside.

Just the beginning…..

View of Phoenix Mountain Preserve.

Little Dota, mountain dog.

By the time we reached the Jeep, we could tell Dota was satisfied. Not a peep out of her on the short ride home. A long nap ensued. For a little dog of nine years, it’s nice for her to know that not every ride in the car means VETERINARIAN.

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Space and Time

Lost in space. That best describes how one feels in Monument Valley. It took us less than two hours to travel from Canyon de Chelley’s deep canyons to Monument Valley’s buttes and spires. John Wayne country, indeed. From memories of Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote, to The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, we felt as though we were entering a giant movie set. Amazing.

Artist’s Point

Monument Valley is really not a valley. It is a flat, that’s interrupted by towering formations formed though the endless erosion by water, wind and ice. Did I just mention wind? The day we visited, was really windy, with gusts clocking in at 30-40 mph. 

The best way to see the area is to drive the 17-mile dirt road that loops around Rain God Mesa. A four-wheel drive is recommended, but Steve took the challenge (and won) with his SUV. There were no crowds or lines. Just wind. My understanding is that this road gets quite backed-up in the spring (a sea of cars) and that flash floods can occur from June-August. We really got lucky with our weather, as the offseason is often unpredictable.

A glimpse of Valley Road.

While pelted by sand, we captured the Three Sisters monument

The color and light was in Monument Valley is something to behold. Strong winds kicked up a lot of sand, creating a painterly effect on many of the photos we took. No enhancements needed. We stopped along the many pull-outs to take photos and marveled at the vast beauty of the Navajo nation.

John Ford’s Point

Stagecoach, 1939

John Ford’s Point is a well-known and aptly named. He used this particular location in many of his films. Post adventure, Dave and I watched Stagecoach, where Ford used the iconic vista at the beginning and the end of the film. To us, there was a bit of an issue with that decision. The stagecoach was making the journey from Tanto, Arizona to Lordsburg, New Mexico. Seems like they didn’t make much progress. Just saying…

Late afternoon view from Lee Cly Trail

Click, click, click. The sunrise view from everyone’s balcony.

The drive took up most of the afternoon. Our evening was spent dining on more frybread at The View motel. We awoke to a spectacular sunrise, courtesy of our room’s balcony. What a view! The steady click of cameras made it abundantly clear that we were not alone in this endeavor.

Early morning view from Wild Cat Trail.

Before departing, Julie suggested a quick hike along the Wild Cat Trail that ambles towards Mitten Butte. It was chilly, but also crisp, clear and blessedly still. The sand along the trail was pristine, and untouched, like the beach of an ocean, just washed by the tide.

The sands of time.

By 3pm, we were back in Phoenix. All of us felt strangely disoriented, as if we had been gone for much longer than two days. In hindsight, I’m thinking that our adventure was a great form of time travel, simplified.

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Time and Space

A time machine. That’s what it was. Imagine driving for four hours and finding yourself in world of canyons and mesas. Looking down one day and up the next. And, by the end of the two-day adventure feeling like you have been gone a very, very long time. 

Peering down into the one of several canyons

We left early on a Friday with our good friends Steve and Julie, and arrived in Flagstaff shortly after sunrise. It was a crisp and clear November day, the kind tourists dream about. After driving for what seemed forever through desolate reservation land, we reached our first destination. Just past the town of Chinle, is Canyon de Chelley, an Arizona National monument and part of the Navajo Nation. The land’s rich history spans close to 5,000 years, from the early Anasazi dwellers to the Navajo families that still live there today.

Steve, Julie and Judy taking in the sights.

Navajo farm deep in the canyon.

Ahhh, the benefits of visiting off-season. No crowds. Plus, we got lucky with the weather. That afternoon was spent peering into giant crevasses at ancient ruins, tidy farms, and geological wonders. Deep canyons cut by streams from the headwaters of the Chuska River.

Antelope House Ruins

Hiking White House Ruin trail provided us with a chance to look up and experience how it must have felt to live within the steep canyon walls.

White House trail, Canyon de Chelley.

White House Ruins, Canyon de Chelley

Pictograph, White House Ruins.

That evening, we stayed at Thunderbird Lodge—the only accommodation located within the park’s boundaries. It’s cafeteria is located in the trading post’s original building. We dined on posole, chile verde, and Navajo burgers. That’s where Julie and I discovered how much we really, really liked fry bread. Satiated, we turned in, looking forward to the next day’s adventure in John Wayne (or Buster Scruggs) country.

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