'Indian' Cave Hike

 

The cousins arrived Sunday night and on Monday morning we went on our first hike. One thing I love about our place in Arizona is that we do not need to drive anywhere to go on a decent hike.  We got the desert all around and even some foothills to explore and there are no nearby houses. Walk out the door and there you are!

On our first hike we went to an old favorite - the 'Indian' Cave.  I believe on my first visit to the ranch way back in 1977 on our very first hike my father took me and my brother to the 'Indian' Cave.  It was badly looted back in the day - I gather they found whole pots - but you can still find bits of prehistoric ceramics, and the occasional stone tool.  It's a pretty cool place and on the ceiling you can still see the soot stain from the campfires. I have my cousins and kids trained to leave all the artifacts we find where we found them.  No more looting!

Patrick

A piece of pottery

Arizona Arrival

 

The kids and I arrived in Arizona a couple of days before the cousins joined us and had the place to ourselves. Of course we immediately went swimming in the pool! So amazing to have a pool to swim in and 70 degree sunshine.  Completely different from Kodiak in November.

It was quiet with no cousins around and we did a lot of reading on the front porch.  We also stocked up on food at Safeway.  On our first night we had fancy steaks cooked on the wood grill.  It is the same grill I've been using for over 20 years, and I love that I can make coals with just the dead wood I collect out in the desert.

It was pretty much 'quiet time' and Stuey kept asking, 'when are Jack and Sam going to arrive?' We picked and ate some oranges off of a tree.  Quality quiet time before everybody else got there.

Patrick

Snow and Alpineglow

I'm so happy that we have deep snow on the ground at sea level.  Yesterday for the first time this season I went XC skiing under the cottonwood trees in the Upper Buskin area.  This area is a sort of hole with tall mountains all around, and at this time of year it is always in shadow.  But you can see the sun shine on the mountain tops all around.  The cottonwood trees have all these ungainly 'fairytale' shapes - I always think of them as 'Arthur Rackham trees' - and they look very dramatic silhouetted against the bright pink alpineglow on the mountains on high. 

This is my favorite place to cross country ski, and I feel lucky to be skiing here in November!

Patrick

This one is of the actual sun in Abercrombie

Return to Snow!

 

We got back from Arizona late Sunday evening and there was no snow.  The driveway at my house was mud with frozen tire tracks.  But soon after we got home it started to snow, and I woke up to 6 inches of new snow.  It continued to snow into the afternoon and we ended up with more than a foot at my house and a bit less at the golf course.  This is the perfect way to return home from a vacation!

After it stopped snowing I took the dogs to the golf course.  Because of Red I did not want to go on a super long ski.  And it was a little deep going for her.  But she had plenty of energy and chased Bodi all over.  At the house they played for hours in the backyard rolling around in the snow. 

No more desert, no more cacti - it's snowtime!

Patrick

Arizona Vacation 2022

 

Wow, the last time I posted was almost 2 weeks ago.  That was just before our family trip to Arizona for Thanksgiving.  A couple of days before we left it got warm and started to rain, and I gather it has been warm and wet until just a few days ago.  We got back late last night and I just woke up to half a foot of new snow.  Talk about perfect timing!

On this trip, just like last year, we met up with my sister and her family on a ranch near Wickenburg (click here for first post from last year's vacation). Total relaxation and no wifi (hence no blog posts).  So lots of reading, watching sunsets, hanging out by the pool, hikes, and, best of all, great family meals.  We even did some gold panning and found gold. 

In the next few days I'll post more on various aspects of the trip - so stay tuned!

Patrick

On the way up Vulture Peak

Exploring near the house

Peeple's Valley view on the way to Prescott

Exploring with Aunt Polly and Uncle John

Sunset view from the deck

Reading on the front deck

Oranges on the tree by the house - a little tart but GOOD!

We panned for gold and actually found some

Panning for gold

Of course LOTs, And Lots of pool time!

On top of Red Peak - first time I climbed it since 1982!