September 19 2020

September 19, 2020

From Farmington, NM we drove forty miles straight south through scrubland and irrigated alfalfa fields to the Bisti Wilderness Area, a large BLM area of eroded Badlands. This area has grown more popular but is not serviced by any trails. Exploration is free-form. We started at the reputed North parking area. There were no signs whatsoever. Thankfully an Internet search provided guidance. Apparently the BLM is not encouraging visitors to use this ‘entrance’. Leaving the car we passed through an unmarked fence and hiked due east toward the rising sun. We soon encountered highly eroded Badland hills and ravines. I had downloaded some GPS coordinates of some interesting structures, but the coordinates turned out to be worthless. We soon decided we needed to climb atop the hills to determine our choice of direction in this geological maze.

From the top of one hill we saw some awesome ‘wing’ structures in the distance. At the end of the dinosaur era, when sea levels were much higher, most of the interior of North America was flooded. This part of New Mexico was a marshy river delta flowing into that shallow sea. Layers of silt, mud, sand, and coal built up along with volcanic ash. Limestone was deposited atop the layers. This limestone cap is more resistant to erosion than the mud below causing the formation of exotic hoodoos.

We see different versions of this limestone cap atop other hills. In one spot the base is barely eroded so the cap resembles a tabletop or dance floor. In other places the cap is distorted to resemble a seal or manta ray statue atop a pedestal.

The hills are mostly cream-colored, but a few are black because lignite coal beds formed from the millions of years of organic deposits in this ancient swampland. While the scenery is fantastic, exploration is laborious, as we need to navigate carefully up and down these steeply eroded mounds.

After two hours we hike back to the car and drive several miles to the South Bisti entrance. This one is a little further off the highway but is well marked and filled with a dozen vehicles. The several RV’s camped here make me jealous.

From the south lot we hike two miles northeast along a broad flat wash only intermittently broken by hills. So different than the scenery just a mile or so north. I use a set of GPS coordinates from the Farmington Visitor Center brochure for the Alien Egg Hatchery. They are closer this time but lead us to an empty spot. Frustrated, I enter a third set of coordinates off an Internet screenshot I saved on my phone. This set did the trick and led us right to our goal.

The Egg Hatchery is a set of several dozen ottoman-sized round rocks lying in an open valley. These limestone concretions have some brown patches and are ‘peeling’ like an onion. These features make them indeed look like large embryos. I could easily see them as fossilized versions of the eggs in the science fiction movie, Cocoon. To Aimee they look more like tortoises.

Trees were common in this Cretaceous Period delta. We passed several spots where petrified wood has been exposed and abraded into piles of ‘wood’ shavings. We use the GPS to take us to a couple spots where rock logs are intact and being weathered out of the cliffs. I am glad this third source of GPS coordinates is working. Otherwise we could have wandered this vast open area with little to show for it.

In many areas the surface has a crust of brick-colored stones. Apparently volcanic activity ignited an underground Coal fire that burned for centuries. The intense heat fired the clay layers turning them into a brick or pottery. These fragments provide much needed color to the otherwise drab silt and ash layers.

Our last stop is a large area of low-lying limestone wings. They are numerous but since they are only a few feet high, getting an interesting photo of them is problematic. Without sky for contrast, the colors are too monochromatic.

 

Since we have no RV and the only hotel is an hour back north, we call it quits in the early afternoon. Plus it is getting hot and my legs are tiring. We make the two-mile hike back to the car and begin the long drive home. An hour south of Bisti, we reach the Interstate. In this area, I-40 West follows the southern end of the Colorado Plateau and its distinctive sheer red sandstone cliffs. Once in Arizona we cut south and follow the same route we took when we visited Pinetop in July. It is a long downhill but very scenic drive across the Salt River gorge and down the Gila/San Pedro River valley. We reach Tucson in the dark. 

I am glad we made this difficult and time-consuming stop in Bisti. Having traveled the West extensively, we wrongly thought we have seen it all. Researching this stop made me realize that the American West has no shortage of amazing locales. The ones we haven't seen are just less famous and harder to visit but not necessarily any less impressive.

A quick Internet search made me realize the problem I encountered with the GPS coordinates. All three, while similar, were in slightly different units. Instead of standard degrees, minutes, and seconds, the problem directions were in decimal degrees. An embarrassing oversight for an engineer. I guess I needed ‘cheaters’ to see the tiny decimal point.

September 17-18, 2020

 September 17-18, 2020

We made another trip to Amarillo, TX to visit Aimee’s mom. I leveraged this trip to gain Aimee’s acquiescence to do some exploring on the drive back. Visitor services at BLM locations are usually non-existent so I decided we needed a hiking GPS. Aimee would quash future trips if we get lost and can’t find the car. After searching several stores in Amarillo, I think I found the only GPS device available in Amarillo. I spent an hour trying to decipher how to use this user-unfriendly tool.

We left Amarillo the next morning and drove west on I-40 to Albuquerque. There we veered northwest towards the Four Corners region. Just south of the Colorado border we reached the San Juan River valley and spent the night in Farmington, New Mexico.

Summer 2020

Summer 2020

In early June we went to Amarillo, TX for a long weekend to visit Aimee’s mom. We were shocked to come back home to see our beautiful mountain view on fire and obscured by smoke. While away a freak thunderstorm ignited the blaze. With high heat and no monsoons for at least a month, the fire slowly crept over much of the Santa Catalina Mountains.

We watched the fire crews battling this Bighorn Fire (named after one of the three Pusch Ridge Peaks). A converted DC-10 would drop a line of red fire retardant to prevent the spread to nearby homes. Helicopters would drop 2000 gallon buckets of water.

Every morning we would see the mountains engulfed in a thick smoke that settled overnight as the air cooled. As the atmosphere reheated, the mountains would clear for the afternoon. At night the mountains would be lit with strings of smoldering fires. The fire burned for over a month until the first monsoon hit and contained the blaze.

Two months later we are still seeing the effects of the fire that consumed 120,000 acres. The monsoons are now carrying ash down the mountain with every storm. Our dry sand washes are filling with debris and turning black. Aimee and I are anxiously awaiting cooler temperatures this Fall when we can return up mountain and explore the damage to our favorite trails.

July 29, 2020

July 29, 2020

Aimee and I are enjoying the cooler weather and our re-exploration of the West. But we are tired of living out of hotels. Besides the packing and unpacking, the restaurant food is mediocre, and our backs are hurting from sitting on the bed too much. We miss our motorhome. So we checked out this morning intending to head home. To get around the Grand Canyon blocking our way, we skirt it to the West this time. Our very scenic journey takes us over the Markagunt Plateau with its Quaking Aspen forest at the peak. I was surprised to see large areas of basalt lava flows. I thought we left that behind in Arizona. We descend down Cedar Canyon getting a view of Zion National Park in the distance. Past the town of Cedar City, we follow a farm valley until we reach the Mountain Meadows Massacre Site.

This National Historic Landmark has four Memorials to this horrific event. In 1857 a well-stocked wagon train of 140 Arkansas pioneers heading to California stopped in this meadow to graze their cattle. A Mormon militia disguised as Indians attacked the pioneers but were rebuffed. The Mormons then feinted rescue and convinced the group to disarm and follow them to safety. Instead on September 11 they ambushed them a mile away killing all except for the very youngest. Distressingly the majority were women and children. There is no consensus on the reason. Perhaps they wanted the extensive supplies of gold and cattle, or perhaps it was war frenzy related to Federal troops arriving in Utah. The Mormons attempted to cover-up the event and only recently have come to terms with the massacre. There was a trial twenty years after. The only man executed was John Lee, who is famous for fleeing to Arizona and running Lee’s Ferry at the head of the Grand Canyon.

The first two sites are Memorials where first the Men and Boys were killed and later the Women and Children. The third is the Overlook Memorial created by descendants of the victims. The last site is a LDS reconstructed rock cairn atop the burial site.  The wagon train encampment site is just a short hike away. I was spooked by a flock of turkeys on my walk up to the cairn. Aimee and I were both surprised to see a number of tourists visiting this remote site. My interest in this little known event was piqued by the Jon Voight movie September Dawn, a fictionalized account of the incident.

Unlike most California-bound settlers, these pioneers were following the Old Spanish Trail to the Los Angeles area. We decided to follow this arduous route and now National Historic Trail. Travelling south we pass more basalt and cinder-cone volcanoes. Just before St George, UT, we pass the red cliffs of Snow Canyon State Park. There we pick up Interstate-15 towards Las Vegas. This route dips into NW Arizona for 27 miles, most of which is inside the steep-sided Virgin River Canyon.

In Vegas we make a brief detour to visit Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument. This new park site is the preservation of the Ice Age fossils found in this dry wash area north of Vegas. As of now there is no infrastructure except for a couple of signs. I thought about hiking out to look for a fossil bone but I don't see any promising Badland-type geology. Plus it is 115 with no shade!!

Instead of following the Spanish Trail across the Mojave Desert, we cut south across the Colorado River at Black Canyon and make the long drive back home through the hottest sections of Arizona with the A/C on full blast. The one bright spot is Covid-induced unemployment has eliminated rush hour in Phoenix. We fly through the city in the mostly empty HOV lane. We arrive back in Tucson in time to have dinner before relaxing in our own bed. Unpacking can wait till tomorrow.

July 28, 2020

July 28, 2020

Today we are going to do one of the longer hikes at Bryce National Park. We left it till the end to make sure we are acclimated to the low oxygen of 8500 ft elevation. We parked at Sunset Point and quickly found the Fairyland Trail. This trail descends and circles the base of Boat Mesa. Most of the first section of the trail is rather open and looks like the Painted Desert with a few Ponderosa Pines thrown in for accent. Since this is a longer, more strenuous hike we have the trail virtually to ourselves. We make a small detour to photograph the geologic feature called Tower Bridge.

After circling to the north side of Boat Mesa we traverse Fairyland Canyon. It is beautiful and contains lots of Hoodoos. We are so glad we didn’t leave Bryce without doing this hike, even though we now pass several hikers that began the trail in the opposite direction.

We climb out of the Canyon at Fairyland Point. Unfortunately the hike is not finished. We still have 2.5 miles of Rim Trail to return to our car. It is up and down and at this point seems like the longest two miles ever. We survive because the view is great and the afternoon clouds rolled in.

On the way back to our motel, we make a short detour to follow the course of the Tropic Ditch canal that early Mormon settlers dug to water the Tropic Valley. I was surprised to find a Park Storyboard outside our motel room relating its history. The ditch there was dry. I learned that a pipeline has replaced the section under the commercial zone. Just east of town we find the pipe exit with an old farmer adjusting the sluice gate. He makes it clear he doesn’t want to be seen doing it. Water in the West is a contentious issue and he might have been diverting water for his benefit.

July 27, 2020

July 27, 2020

We were up early and into Bryce Canyon National Park again. Like yesterday we saw deer along the road. This time a buck and a doe.

From Sunrise Point we made our way down the Queen’s Garden Trail. This time we had to share the experience with lots of fellow hikers. Perhaps because this trail is shorter and easier. It is still a nice hike with great scenery. We return to the top on one leg of the Navajo Trail that ascends through Wall Street. An apt name for this section that climbs between two large walls of sentinel Hoodoos.

Unlike our previous National Park experiences, we have not attended any Ranger talks. No problem; a fellow hiker came to our rescue. Out of the blue, on the trail a guy asked if we knew the types of trees growing. I blurted out Ponderosa Pine without even looking. But only one was a pine, the other a fir. He proceeded to tell us that the bark of the Ponderosa Pine smells like Butterscotch. He is right!

The other difference from our prior park visits is the use of face masks. Most people are wearing them in crowded spaces of restaurants and lobbies. But what is surprising to us is the large number of hikers, especially younger ones, wearing masks on these wilderness trails. It is the Great Outdoors; the definition of social distance. I just don't get it!

We took a break back in our room to read the paper and check emails. Afterwards we visited a second park entrance named Mossy Cave. This trail follows a large creek upstream to a waterfall. The cool water is being enjoyed by all the younger park visitors. It turns out this water feature is artificially enhanced. This is normally a seasonal wash like in Tucson. But early Mormon settlers dug a canal (Tropic Ditch)  to deliver water to the arid Tropic Valley using this natural conduit. We finished up by hiking to Mossy Cave, a natural moss-covered spring.

July 26, 2020

July 26, 2020

Aimee got me up bright and early so we could hit breakfast at the opening. With our bellies full, we entered Bryce Canyon National Park. We drove very slowly because wildlife is common early in the morning. We were not disappointed, seeing a doe and two fawns cross the road in front of us. At Bryce Point we hiked down into the canyon to access the Peekaboo Loop Trail that winds around the thousands of sculpted hoodoos.

By descending below the rim, we leave the crowds behind and have the park almost all to ourselves. Hiking down, the Hoodoos also change from a line of faraway toy soldiers into up-close massive sentinels. Magical! The colors are amazing with deep green pines set amongst the white and orange geology. Around every corner is a great view. We hike it slowly to make it last. We do the 5.5 miles in about three hours.

Back at the top, we slowly drive to the end of the 18-mile dead-end road. There we do the one-mile Bristlecone Trail through the pine forest. We return to our motel room but not before stopping at most of the overlooks along the way.

July 25, 2020

July 25, 2020

From Flagstaff, AZ we drove north through Arizona crossing the Colorado River at Page. We soon entered Utah. Approaching Kanab, we got the bright idea that we might snag one of the ten walk-in permits for hiking “The Wave”. We are thinking with all the international travelers banned, our odds are very good. Unfortunately we forget we are dealing with the government. The office is closed, and the staff doesn't answer the phones.

So we continue north to Bryce Canyon National Park. The scenery along the whole drive is dramatic. After checking into our motel, we enter the park. A few months ago, I passed a milestone. I am now eligible for a Lifetime Senior National Park Pass. I am happy to finally be saving the annual fee, but I have to endure lots of ageist comments from Aimee and the Park Ranger.

In the park, we intend to drive to the road’s end and do a hike, but rain cancels that plan. Instead we go to the nearest viewpoints and walk around with our raincoats. The scenery is still astounding despite this being our third visit.

July 24, 2020

July 24, 2020

This morning we set out to explore Flagstaff. We started at the Flagstaff Monument. The city is named after the first settlers who arrived on July 4, 1876 and hoisted a flag atop a Ponderosa Pine log to honor the first Centennial of our nation’s founding. The name stuck.

We next drove north of town. Flagstaff is a small city inside a vast Ponderosa Pine forest. It sits at the base of two mountains. The tallest, Humphreys Peak, at 12,600 feet, is the highest point in Arizona. We drove up the mountain topping out at the ski resort of Snowbowl at 9200 feet. From here we get a good view of the many Cinder Cone volcanoes that litter the area. Even Humphreys Peak is an old volcano. Fortunately it has been 1000 years since the last volcano erupted.

We start up the Humphrey Summit Trail but don’t make it too far. The forecasted rain is looking imminent and may catch us halfway. Instead we do the Aspen Nature Loop Trail. This trail goes through a large Quaking Aspen forest. Beautiful! And no rain!

Back down in Flagstaff we have a late lunch and then head out to do another Elden Mountain hike. The clouds are darkening so instead we head back to the hotel. Just in time. It starts to pour shortly after arriving.

July 23, 2020

July 23, 2020

I wanted to try out golf in Flagstaff but a friend reminded me that Sedona is just thirty miles south. Sedona is one of our favorite locations in the country, so I jump at making a tee time there. We take our time driving on down Route 89. This beautiful scenic drive follows Oak Creek Canyon down from the Colorado Plateau. The eroded edge of this escarpment makes for astounding scenery. In the town of Sedona, the rocks turn a beautiful shade of red. Aimee has often commented that this area should have been a national park. Instead it is crowded with homes and businesses and tourists.

We continue south to Oakcreek Country Club where we check-in and have a nice lunch on the restaurant deck. After hitting a few balls on the range, we are off in our two-some following two singles. We wait on every hole but I don't mind. It gives us time to enjoy the scenery and take lots of photos.

The course is lush and in great condition. Every hole is not surrounded by red rocks, but enough of them are that we think we could get used to playing here. While neither of us had any blow-up holes, we found it hard to score well because we only packed half our golf clubs. We did this to make room for luggage in the trunk. Finished we make the drive back to Flagstaff stopping at the many scenic turnouts.

July 22, 2020

July 22, 2020

From Pinetop, AZ we packed up and drove 2.5 hours northwest to Flagstaff. Our accommodation is right next to Coconino National Forest. After checking-in, we geared up and hiked Fatman's Loop Trail. I immediately decided I like hiking here better than Pinetop. The terrain is so much more interesting with lots of vertical elevation change. We see lots of ancient weathered Alligator Junipers that look like they are out of the Lord of the Rings.

We initially did the loop counter-clockwise but got lost with the many trail options and poor signage. We returned to the trail-head and found hiking it clockwise much easier. The loop climbs the foothill of Elden Mountain giving us great views of the region.

That evening we met a golfing friend from Tucson for drinks at his Golf Club.

July 21, 2020

July 21, 2020

Today we explored the area to our east by driving to the little village of Greer tucked in the pine forest at the end of a road. In Greer the west and east forks of the Little Colorado River join. The river is tiny and can be jumped across. It is a far cry from the large teal-colored river that empties into the Colorado at the start of the Grand Canyon.

As we are donning our hiking gear, we watch a Hatchery employee dip out several net loads of Rainbow Trout to stock the stream. Over the next couple hours I think they are all caught by the many waiting anglers.

For the next two hours we hike south along the West Fork of the Little Colorado. It is a pretty hike with lots of wildflowers along the bank. They are mobbed with hungry bees and butterflies.

Afterwards we drive into the nearby town of Eagar in the valley to the east. We have lunch at a Sonic Drive-in diner for the first time. It is perfect for this era of social distancing. We both have the Hatch Chile Cheeseburgers. This seems to be the new trendy meal of the Southwest. Roasted chile peppers from Hatch, NM add a great flavor to food. Aimee used a bunch a neighbor brought back to make a delicious Chile con Carne meal. We drove back to Pinetop in the rain. The temperature dropped to a wonderful 51F!

July 20, 2020

July 20, 2020

Today we chilled out in our room reading the newspaper. After a late breakfast we went to the Pinetop Lakes Golf course where we walked the 18 holes of this par 63 course. The holes weave through the neighborhood tucked inside tall stands of Ponderosa Pine. The course was crowded and our playing partners told us the real estate market is hot because this year everybody is vacationing local.

July 19, 2020

July 19, 2020

This morning we again got out and got some much needed exercise. We hiked the very nice, but too-short Rim Trail along a section of the Mogollon Rim. This is the forested cliff that separates the high Colorado Plateau from the lowlands of southern Arizona. The cliff edge is red rock like so much of the exposed sections of the plateau. The trail has lots of interpretative signs so we learn a little about the Alligator Juniper and the Manzanita groundcover. We also learn that we are hiking within the largest contiguous stand of Ponderosa Pine in the world.

We then drove to the Porter Mountain area and did a section of the Panorama trail. This nice hike through the Ponderosa Pine forest weaves around the many cinder cones that litter this area. We get nice views from the side of one hill. When we make it back to the car, our shoes and socks are thick with red dust. That is the downside of hiking in geologic areas, lots of fine volcanic dust.

In the afternoon we check out some more real estate options before getting Thai for dinner.

July 18, 2020

July 18, 2020

Since we are on vacation with nothing pressing and no house responsibilities, we slept in a bit. After coffee we drove to the nearby Big Springs Nature Area and did a 3 mile hike on Hitching Post loop trail. While this low-density pine forest is mostly uninteresting, it sure beats our umpteenth walk in the neighborhood.

We made a brief stop at a Craft show before getting a Subway lunch. We spent the rest of the day checking out the greater White Mountains golf and real estate scene to determine if we would want to summer here in the future. The heavy crowds make us think half of Arizona is here escaping the heat.

July 17, 2020

July 17, 2020

This has been the longest period of home-bound time for us in many years. I am starting to go stir-crazy especially since the summer heat of Tucson is in full swing and the monsoon humidity is on the rise. I can’t do any more home projects and finally I convinced Aimee we need a Covidcation.

Cooler weather is our goal. Nearby Mt Lemmon is out of the question because of the long series of forest fires in the Santa Catalina Mountains. So we make the beautiful drive northeast toward the White Mountains. Our only stop was the overlook of the Salt River Canyon. It looks so much like the Grand Canyon. It is a slow drive down the steep canyon walls, across the bridge, and back up. As we climbed atop the Colorado plateau, through the Apache Reservation, we got a few raindrops.

After three hours we reached the Pinetop-Lakeside area. We are in a Pine forest at almost 7000 foot elevation with the temperature in the low 70’s. Ahh, Heaven. Checked into our cabin, we had a beer on the doorstep and reveled in the fresh air and pine scent.

For our al fresco dinner we walked across the street and had happy hour margaritas followed by a delicious Seafood Enchilada. It is funny how we can slip so easily back into travelling mode.

February 18-19, 2020

February 18-19, 2020

We haven't travelled in a while so I am getting itchy. Aimee loves to go birding so I thought checking out the Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area would make for a good adventure. With a hotel reservation in hand, we drove the ninety minutes southeast to Tombstone. It is one of the few locations with accommodations in southeast Arizona. Checking in, we were surprised to find the hotel completely booked for the next few days. We only made the reservation this morning!  Heading into the town for dinner, we found it full of restaurant patrons. Who would have thought Tombstone was such an overnight tourist haven.

We were up early the next day for the thirty minute drive east to Whitewater Draw. This seasonal wetland plays host for tens of thousands of Sandhill Cranes looking, like us, to escape winter. Our two previous visits were busts because of poor timing.

As we approach the site, it looks like we misjudged again. We see that the cranes have already left their overnight roosts and are blackening the sky. Apparently they leave shortly after dawn for breakfast eating grain in local farmers fields. We sit along a dirt road watching the cranes soar overhead as they move from one field to another. The incessant honking of the cranes is interrupted with loud cannon booms probably from farmers looking to discourage feeding on their crops.

After an hour we head into the Draw. We walk around the mostly empty wetland. This marsh lake is a low spot that accumulates winter rains. It has a handful of ducks and a flock of snow geese in the distance. We also spot an owl roosting in the rafters of a pole barn. Disappointingly the area site has more two-legged visitors than wildlife. The parking lot is filled with RVers who spent the night. They probably were here in time for the morning flyoff.

Near the finish of our circular walk around one shoreline section we were pleasantly surprised to run into a large flock of Yellow Headed Blackbirds. A new species for us. They seem to be feeding on the marsh reeds and noisily communicating with one another. Their heads are a vivid yellow. Even better is the occasional flyover of a Harrier Hawk that causes the flock to suddenly swarm making for interesting photo opportunities.

Tired of the blackbirds, we sit in the car and wait for a couple hours. I read that the Cranes usually return to rest before afternoon feeding. Eventually we start to see a few Cranes returning so we walk back to the lakefront. The opposite shore is closed for roosting. We see a large number now in the distance. It is disappointing that they are so far away. Against my norm, we are patient and see more flocks return. The cranes slowly get pushed to the shore nearest our viewing platform. It takes another ninety minutes but eventually returning Cranes fill up the area closest to us. Sandhill Cranes are big birds standing 3-5 feet tall on long skinny legs. Their wingspans are even larger. The Cranes are also very noisy with an almost constant trilling to each other.

In the mid-afternoon we make the long drive back to Tucson stopping only for dinner at our favorite Mexican seafood restaurant. Aimee and I both were pleased with this mini-adventure.

November 23, 2019

November 23, 2019

It is the Thanksgiving season, the time to be grateful for family and friends. We did a driving trip to Amarillo to visit Aimee’s relatives and a flight to St Louis to visit mine. The Midwest trip conveniently coincided with a wedding that brought my whole family together. The reception was held at a downtown hotel ballroom with windows overlooking the old Courthouse and the Gateway Arch. I think of the Arch as America’s Modern Wonder of the World.

I haven’t flown into St Louis in many, many years. I was astounded to see how barren and depopulated vast sections of the city have become. A hundred years ago, it was the fourth largest city in the USA; it could easily fall below 300,000 in population next year. This is a shame considering its outstanding cultural assets. Unfortunately the citizenry of so many cities look at corporations as nuisances, or piggy banks to be raided, instead of the source of their livelihood and wealth.