We arrived home on April 5th. It is now April 14th and the high temperature has yet to get past the low temps we were having in Arizona. I have to admit that we spent the first several days complaining to anyone who would listen that we were cold and our tan was fading. Incredibly no one uttered a single word or sympathy for our very obvious pain. I believe that we have moved past this and are now focusing on our next adventure.
A few words on our trip home. Cold. Wind. Hail. Nevada was beautifully boring. Idaho was its' usual mix of mountains and farmland. We spent about 2 hours in Oregon. Washington gave us our first sighting of tall GREEN trees. This prompted the traditional playing of Brooks & Dunn's "Go West" ballad, several times. I think some tears were shed.
The highlight of our trip home was getting to visit with Lynda and Bob at their cabin on Lake Lenore. A bonus was seeing Ben, Louise and Alex who were visiting from their home in Seattle.
Then of course we were warmly and enthusiastically welcomed home by the family at Point Roberts. We were lucky to stay 2 nights at the Point before heading back to the Island on April 5th. It was great to see everyone!
What's up next? For Barry it is a trip to Sardinia with his cycling Team to race a 7 day Stage Race. You can bet that a new Blog is on the way for this adventure of a lifetime.
Dana is in full garden planning and cleanup mode. The weather is certainly affecting her activities. With improving weather, we hope, things will be in great shape in no time.
This brings to a close the Arizona 2011 Blog. Again, I hope everyone enjoyed reading of our Adventures as much as we enjoyed writing about them. Until next time........ "Drink it up. This one's for you. It's been a lovely cruise...." (....thanks Jimmy.....)
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Hockey Games, Boat Drinks, Pirates and Juicy Fruit....What a beautiful cruise this has been....
Our hotel rooms are booked for the first 2 nights of our return trip. We depart Mesa Regal on Thursday, March 31st. This means that we have only 3 full days left to enjoy the desert. I plan to ride each of those days and Dana will join me on Tuesday. Tuesday and Wednesday will be all about cleaning and packing. I think this will be my last blog entry for our stay in Mesa. I might get a chance to blog on our return trip, but maybe not. I have had a lot of fun writing about our adventure here in the desert. I've heard from lots of folks who have read the blog. It's been fun having you all along for the ride. And what ride it has been. We are going to miss everything here that the desert has to offer. The sun, the hot days, warm evenings, Mike and Darlene being only a 5 minute walk from us, the desert flora and fauna, the sun, the hot days, the bike riding, the birds, the sun, the hot days......
We packed a lot of adventure into our time here in the desert. A very special thanks to my beautiful wife Dana for agreeing to this adventure and for supporting my cycling habit, and for nursing me back to good health from my cycling "incident", and for all the great times we have shared over the last 2 months.
One last picture. This one's for you Dana.
Barry and Dana, at home on the trail... What a great adventure it has been!
We packed a lot of adventure into our time here in the desert. A very special thanks to my beautiful wife Dana for agreeing to this adventure and for supporting my cycling habit, and for nursing me back to good health from my cycling "incident", and for all the great times we have shared over the last 2 months.
One last picture. This one's for you Dana.
Barry and Dana, at home on the trail... What a great adventure it has been!
Pass Mountain Trail, and other stuff....
It's Sunday evening, our last one in Mesa for this year. Today was a flat out gorgeous day. 75F with a light breeze, not a cloud anywhere. This morning Dana and I put the bikes in the truck and drove over to Fountain Hills to ride the McDowell Mountain Road and Rio Verde Road. The section of Rio Verde Road that I wanted to ride is an arrow straight for 9 miles (15km) with a slight incline maybe about a 2% grade. I did 5 minute intervals while Dana road up by herself. By the time we got back to Fountain Hills we had covered around 60 kms which is a distance record for Dana. Way to go, Dana!
Yesterday Mike and I attended our last Phoenix Coyotes hockey game of the season. It's always great to spend time with my brother and although the game did not turn out to be barn-burner we had hoped that it would be, it was NHL hockey and we didn't have to mortgage the house for the tickets. While we were at the game, Dana and Darlene spent some quality time visiting every fabric store in the Valley of the Sun. They reported having fun and enjoying the day's adventures navigating the roads of Mesa, Gilbert and Chandler.
A couple of days ago, I believe it was Friday, Dana and I finally hiked the Pass Mountain Trail at Usery Mountain Park. This has been on our "to do" list since we first went to the Park in early February. As it turned out, we saved the best hike for our last hike in the desert this year. The trail loops 7.1 miles around Pass Mountain. There is some elevation gain but the trail is well maintained and I would categorize it as "moderate" in terms of effort/ability. We got to the trail head around mid-morning. We had planned 4 hours for the hike so we packed our lunch with us. Just past the half way point we found a flat open area beside the trail where we able to comfortably and safely sit and enjoy our lunch. I admit to being a bit nervous about perching on rocks. There are things such as reptiles and insects in the desert that I would prefer not to encounter.
I have included several pictures that we took on our hike on the Pass Mountain Trail. The views were spectacular, and as always the picture may not adequately show this. There were some plants in bloom and I got a couple of nice shots of the blooms. Enjoy.........
Pass Mountain Trail description
Dana enjoying the views from up high on Pass Mountain.
Scene from the trail. Barry and a Saguaro Cactus....
Spectacular views. If you look really close you can see the trail that lay ahead.
Blooms on an Ocotillo shrub.
Blooms on a Hedgehog Cactus.
Yesterday Mike and I attended our last Phoenix Coyotes hockey game of the season. It's always great to spend time with my brother and although the game did not turn out to be barn-burner we had hoped that it would be, it was NHL hockey and we didn't have to mortgage the house for the tickets. While we were at the game, Dana and Darlene spent some quality time visiting every fabric store in the Valley of the Sun. They reported having fun and enjoying the day's adventures navigating the roads of Mesa, Gilbert and Chandler.
A couple of days ago, I believe it was Friday, Dana and I finally hiked the Pass Mountain Trail at Usery Mountain Park. This has been on our "to do" list since we first went to the Park in early February. As it turned out, we saved the best hike for our last hike in the desert this year. The trail loops 7.1 miles around Pass Mountain. There is some elevation gain but the trail is well maintained and I would categorize it as "moderate" in terms of effort/ability. We got to the trail head around mid-morning. We had planned 4 hours for the hike so we packed our lunch with us. Just past the half way point we found a flat open area beside the trail where we able to comfortably and safely sit and enjoy our lunch. I admit to being a bit nervous about perching on rocks. There are things such as reptiles and insects in the desert that I would prefer not to encounter.
I have included several pictures that we took on our hike on the Pass Mountain Trail. The views were spectacular, and as always the picture may not adequately show this. There were some plants in bloom and I got a couple of nice shots of the blooms. Enjoy.........
Pass Mountain Trail description
Dana enjoying the views from up high on Pass Mountain.
Scene from the trail. Barry and a Saguaro Cactus....
Spectacular views. If you look really close you can see the trail that lay ahead.
Blooms on an Ocotillo shrub.
Blooms on a Hedgehog Cactus.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Road trip to Sedona and almost to the Grand Canyon....
We are on the road in north central Arizona. We left the safe confines of our gated Mesa community this morning at 6:00 a.m. We did this to beat the Phoenix rush hour traffic as we had to traverse much of the valley of the sun on our way north on Interstate 17. Our first destination this morning was the magical red rock town of Sedona. With Pine and Juniper trees as well as green shrubs and grasses glistening in the morning sun contrasting the red rock of the surrounding hills, dirt, gravel and cement sidewalks, it was truly a sight that is difficult to describe. To help I have included a couple of photos shot this morning.
After a hearty (second) breakfast at Jose's Cafe we headed into the heart of red rock country. Our first stop was a Scenic Pullout just before we entered the town of Sedona. Aside from getting a couple of great shots of Dana, we spotted a Western Bluebird, 2 Kestrel Hawks and a Red Tail Hawk. Was this an omen of good birding to follow? Come along with us.....
Our next stop was Red Rock State Park, 5 miles west of Sedona. This park is an Environmental Education Centre. I believe it caters to school and other groups wanting to learn more about the environment in this area of the State. We went on a 2 hour hike through their Riparian area and in the surrounding hills. While we did not see many birds this day but what we did see was absolutely fantastic. Our big score today was the sighting of a Common Black Hawk. This was confirmed by a notice in the park visitors centre that indicated that the Common Black Hawk, which is not so common, makes its home in the area. In fact, there is some effort to support the hawk and to increase their numbers. What a beauty this hawk is. We also spotted a pair of Western Bluebirds, a Black Phoebe, a Juniper Tit-mouse, Yellow Rumped Warblers, Ruby Crowned Kinglets and another Red Tail Hawk.
After a picnic lunch at the Park we headed north into the Oak Creek Canyon. About 10 miles north of Sedona we stopped to hike the West Fork Trail. It is about a 3 1/2 mile hike from the trail head to the end of the trail. This day we had time for only about 2 miles in, then out. The elevation was a factor. The trail head is at about 5,000 feet elevation. Had we gone to the end of the trail we would have ended up at around the 7,000 ft mark. The West Fork trail winds it's way up Oak Creek. We had to traverse the creek 9 times on the way in and 7 times on the way out. Because of the elevation we actually hiked in and out of snow patches throughout the hike. Now for the hiking quiz of the day. Why did we have to cross the creek 9 times on the way in, and only 7 times on the way out? Answer:
A) The water in the creek was higher on the way in and lower on the way out?
B) It was Dana's fault.
C) The intrepid leader, Barry, took a wrong turn and went "off" resulting in 2 additional crossings.
Post your answer in the comments section. Prizes will be awarded for the correct answer.
Tonight we are safely tucked into our motel room in Flagstaff. Yet another, "but at least it is clean" roadside motel. We enjoyed a good meal at an Outback Steak House within walking distance from our Motel.
Day 2 - Our plan to travel to the Grand Canyon was interrupted by snow. We got up to the white stuff this morning. We checked the weather forecast and found that the weather forecast for the Canyon was not what we had expected. After some discussion we decided to put the trip on hold until...next year.
Enjoy the pictures. Don't forget to enlarge the photos for some awesone scenic shots.
Two beauties....Dana and one of the red rock mountains of Sedona....
....more Sedona scenery..... Wow!
Double Wow....!!!!!!
Photo shot from high above the Red Rock State Park.
Oak Creek Canyon that runs north from Sedona.
West fork trail, Oak Creek Canyon. At this point on the trail we found snow at around 5,500 ft elevation.
Barry negotiating one of the 9, or 7 crossings on the West Fork trail
Picture shot on the West Fork trail. Awesome canyon.....
The scene outside our motel on the morning we had planned to visit the Grand Canyon.
After a hearty (second) breakfast at Jose's Cafe we headed into the heart of red rock country. Our first stop was a Scenic Pullout just before we entered the town of Sedona. Aside from getting a couple of great shots of Dana, we spotted a Western Bluebird, 2 Kestrel Hawks and a Red Tail Hawk. Was this an omen of good birding to follow? Come along with us.....
Our next stop was Red Rock State Park, 5 miles west of Sedona. This park is an Environmental Education Centre. I believe it caters to school and other groups wanting to learn more about the environment in this area of the State. We went on a 2 hour hike through their Riparian area and in the surrounding hills. While we did not see many birds this day but what we did see was absolutely fantastic. Our big score today was the sighting of a Common Black Hawk. This was confirmed by a notice in the park visitors centre that indicated that the Common Black Hawk, which is not so common, makes its home in the area. In fact, there is some effort to support the hawk and to increase their numbers. What a beauty this hawk is. We also spotted a pair of Western Bluebirds, a Black Phoebe, a Juniper Tit-mouse, Yellow Rumped Warblers, Ruby Crowned Kinglets and another Red Tail Hawk.
After a picnic lunch at the Park we headed north into the Oak Creek Canyon. About 10 miles north of Sedona we stopped to hike the West Fork Trail. It is about a 3 1/2 mile hike from the trail head to the end of the trail. This day we had time for only about 2 miles in, then out. The elevation was a factor. The trail head is at about 5,000 feet elevation. Had we gone to the end of the trail we would have ended up at around the 7,000 ft mark. The West Fork trail winds it's way up Oak Creek. We had to traverse the creek 9 times on the way in and 7 times on the way out. Because of the elevation we actually hiked in and out of snow patches throughout the hike. Now for the hiking quiz of the day. Why did we have to cross the creek 9 times on the way in, and only 7 times on the way out? Answer:
A) The water in the creek was higher on the way in and lower on the way out?
B) It was Dana's fault.
C) The intrepid leader, Barry, took a wrong turn and went "off" resulting in 2 additional crossings.
Post your answer in the comments section. Prizes will be awarded for the correct answer.
Tonight we are safely tucked into our motel room in Flagstaff. Yet another, "but at least it is clean" roadside motel. We enjoyed a good meal at an Outback Steak House within walking distance from our Motel.
Day 2 - Our plan to travel to the Grand Canyon was interrupted by snow. We got up to the white stuff this morning. We checked the weather forecast and found that the weather forecast for the Canyon was not what we had expected. After some discussion we decided to put the trip on hold until...next year.
Enjoy the pictures. Don't forget to enlarge the photos for some awesone scenic shots.
Two beauties....Dana and one of the red rock mountains of Sedona....
....more Sedona scenery..... Wow!
Double Wow....!!!!!!
Photo shot from high above the Red Rock State Park.
Oak Creek Canyon that runs north from Sedona.
West fork trail, Oak Creek Canyon. At this point on the trail we found snow at around 5,500 ft elevation.
Barry negotiating one of the 9, or 7 crossings on the West Fork trail
Picture shot on the West Fork trail. Awesome canyon.....
The scene outside our motel on the morning we had planned to visit the Grand Canyon.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Desert Botanical Gardens-Phoenix, Az
Incredibly we are down to single digit days before we head north to our Summer home with the thousands of other Canadian "Snow Geese". As time is counting down we have put together a short list of "must do or see" before we depart the desert. Today we headed to the Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden. This world famous Garden is adjacent to another Phoenix landmark, the Phoenix Zoo. I hate zoos. Ok, maybe that is too strong...... Nope. I hate zoos. I think Dana shares my view that the animals in captivity are better off left in the wild. The ones that are held captive in cages or small pens are, in my opinion better off dead. They are always very sad creatures and it breaks my heart to see them treated so poorly. But I digress.....
Back to the Botanical Garden. Frankly I did not see a single unhappy plant today. In fact, the caretakers of the Botanical Garden appear to work very hard to ensure that every single cacti and/or plant is very well cared for. While not a fan of staged and organized "gardens", I will admit that this is a very beautiful place. One downside is that it is very busy and in my view was crowded, which detracted some from the surroundings. Perhaps it is that we have been wandering in the wild desert for 2 months and the contrast was startling.
I think the saying, "a picture tells the story" is appropriate in this case. I have included 9 photos from our walk through the Botanical Garden. Let's see, is that 9 stories, or 9 chapters of 1 story? Oh well, enjoy the tour.
Tomorrow we head out on a road trip to Sedona and the Grand Canyon. How Grand it will be!
Chihuly Glass Exhibit in the Garden
Chihuly Glass Tower "Cactus" in the Garden
One of the "non-plant" inhabitants. A Tree Lizard catching some afternoon rays...
Demonstration Native American Indian vegetable garden.
garden includes.....Fava Beans just like Dana grows in her garden in Victoria.
A display on "Ethnobotany" This one is for you Carly....
And for Mike, a Cactus Wren......
Flower on a Pricly Pear Cactus
Flower on a Strawberry Hedgehog Cactus
Back to the Botanical Garden. Frankly I did not see a single unhappy plant today. In fact, the caretakers of the Botanical Garden appear to work very hard to ensure that every single cacti and/or plant is very well cared for. While not a fan of staged and organized "gardens", I will admit that this is a very beautiful place. One downside is that it is very busy and in my view was crowded, which detracted some from the surroundings. Perhaps it is that we have been wandering in the wild desert for 2 months and the contrast was startling.
I think the saying, "a picture tells the story" is appropriate in this case. I have included 9 photos from our walk through the Botanical Garden. Let's see, is that 9 stories, or 9 chapters of 1 story? Oh well, enjoy the tour.
Tomorrow we head out on a road trip to Sedona and the Grand Canyon. How Grand it will be!
Chihuly Glass Exhibit in the Garden
Chihuly Glass Tower "Cactus" in the Garden
One of the "non-plant" inhabitants. A Tree Lizard catching some afternoon rays...
Demonstration Native American Indian vegetable garden.
garden includes.....Fava Beans just like Dana grows in her garden in Victoria.
A display on "Ethnobotany" This one is for you Carly....
And for Mike, a Cactus Wren......
Flower on a Pricly Pear Cactus
Flower on a Strawberry Hedgehog Cactus
Friday, March 18, 2011
March Madness is upon us....
The NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament started yesterday. My final 4 picks are Ohio State, Duke, Pittsburgh and Kansas. My underdog favorites are the University of Washington Huskies, Gonzaga State Bulldogs, the Arizona Wildcats and the University of North Carolina Tar Heels. 66 teams started the tournament. There were 16 games yesterday, 16 today, 8 tomorrow and 8 on Sunday. What a great time of year for basketball fans. By the way, so far I have not watched a single full game on TV. I stay in touch with the scores by the way of the Internet (ESPN).
This week has been another busy week. It included bird watching, feathered and aluminum. Both varieties of bird watching resulted in unique finds. On the feathered front, on a trip to Usery Park with Mike, Darlene, Glen and Heather (Darlene’s sister and hubby who are visiting this week from the “wet” coast of British Columbia) we spotted a pair of Kestrels perched in a Palo Verde tree. While we knew they could be found in the area it was the first time we spotted this species. To find a pair was special. We also saw a Western Whiptail lizard and of all things a Mule Deer. Fun to see a deer in the desert. I thought I might have heard Dana mumble something like...."where my gun. The wretched beast...."
We checked a couple of new parks this week. On Monday we visited Veteran’s Oasis Park in Chandler. This park has been open for about 2 years. It seems to be modeled on the Gilbert Water Ranch. These parks include settling ponds for waste water. Waste water is pumped into the holding ponds where it seeps through layers of sand and rock eventually re-entering the aquifer. The added benefit is that it creates wetland and riparian habitat as well as habitat for mammals and reptiles. It’s pretty cool. On Friday we visited another of these water parks. This one is called the Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area. It is practically in downtown Phoenix and is also fairly new.
At the Rio Salado we came across a biologist who is studying Monarch butterflies. Apparently this small area is a unique desert migration destination for Monarch butterflies. Today she was counting butterfly eggs on desert milkweed. Fascinating stuff. We also saw a hummingbird nest (picture included). Although there were few birds present today we did spot a pair of juvenile Ring Neck ducks and our first Common Moorehen (not a duck but a Rail). Actually with its red and yellow bill it did not look “common”.
Dana and I got in several bike rides this week. Dana is finding the 50 km rides to actually be fun. Last time out she said she felt pretty good when she finished. Actually she said “I must be getting better because I didn’t collapse when I finished the ride”. I think she “rocks”....
So, what about those aluminum birds? It seems you can’t come to the desert without visiting an aircraft museum. On Wednesday afternoon Mike, Glen and I visited the Commemorative Air Force museum which is housed at Falcon Field Airport which is only 3 kms away. Mike has a fascination with World War II aircraft. His enthusiasm to see new and familiar aircraft and to hear the stories of the CFA hosts/guides got Glen and I into the spirit as soon as we entered the museum. I should point out that this day we were very fortunate to see 3 aircraft that our Dad flew in WWII; the B17 - Dad was a member of a crew who ferried a B17 over the North Atlantic to England; DC3 Cargo plane which Dad flew many hours over North Africa; Cessna AT-8, UC-78 Bobcat (Bamboo Bomber), or "Witchta Wobler" which was used by the RCAF to upgrade pilots from single to twin engine aircraft. Dad also flew the DH82 Tiger Moth, which served the RCAF as a trainer, but was not on display. Yes, it was very special indeed. Oh, did I mention that the B17 actually made a flight that day? We got to stand beside the B17 as it was readied for take-off and then watch it taxi out and lift-off. Very, very cool. Picture included below.
Oh, one more new experience for Barry this week. On Tuesday morning Barry joined a couple of the neighbors and went out to a small orange grove and picked oranges. Came home with about 50lbs or fresh oranges. They have been shared around the neighborhood for many to enjoy.
I can’t conclude this post without a comment about the weather. It’s hot and dry. The temperature hit 92F yesterday and 91F today. The evenings are still cool although it is not cooling off as much as it did last week. We have yet to turn on the air conditioner in our trailer although many of the neighbors have their units going most days and into the evening. A cooling trend is expected for the weekend, high 70’s, low 80’s.....brrrrr......
Enjoy the pictures. Don’t forget to click or double click on the picture to enlarge it....
Mike, getting his kicks at the Commemorative Air Force museum (B17 ready for take-off in background)
Hummingbird nest at Rio Salado Park.
Barry at one of the duck ponds at the Rio Salado Park.
This week has been another busy week. It included bird watching, feathered and aluminum. Both varieties of bird watching resulted in unique finds. On the feathered front, on a trip to Usery Park with Mike, Darlene, Glen and Heather (Darlene’s sister and hubby who are visiting this week from the “wet” coast of British Columbia) we spotted a pair of Kestrels perched in a Palo Verde tree. While we knew they could be found in the area it was the first time we spotted this species. To find a pair was special. We also saw a Western Whiptail lizard and of all things a Mule Deer. Fun to see a deer in the desert. I thought I might have heard Dana mumble something like...."where my gun. The wretched beast...."
We checked a couple of new parks this week. On Monday we visited Veteran’s Oasis Park in Chandler. This park has been open for about 2 years. It seems to be modeled on the Gilbert Water Ranch. These parks include settling ponds for waste water. Waste water is pumped into the holding ponds where it seeps through layers of sand and rock eventually re-entering the aquifer. The added benefit is that it creates wetland and riparian habitat as well as habitat for mammals and reptiles. It’s pretty cool. On Friday we visited another of these water parks. This one is called the Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area. It is practically in downtown Phoenix and is also fairly new.
At the Rio Salado we came across a biologist who is studying Monarch butterflies. Apparently this small area is a unique desert migration destination for Monarch butterflies. Today she was counting butterfly eggs on desert milkweed. Fascinating stuff. We also saw a hummingbird nest (picture included). Although there were few birds present today we did spot a pair of juvenile Ring Neck ducks and our first Common Moorehen (not a duck but a Rail). Actually with its red and yellow bill it did not look “common”.
Dana and I got in several bike rides this week. Dana is finding the 50 km rides to actually be fun. Last time out she said she felt pretty good when she finished. Actually she said “I must be getting better because I didn’t collapse when I finished the ride”. I think she “rocks”....
So, what about those aluminum birds? It seems you can’t come to the desert without visiting an aircraft museum. On Wednesday afternoon Mike, Glen and I visited the Commemorative Air Force museum which is housed at Falcon Field Airport which is only 3 kms away. Mike has a fascination with World War II aircraft. His enthusiasm to see new and familiar aircraft and to hear the stories of the CFA hosts/guides got Glen and I into the spirit as soon as we entered the museum. I should point out that this day we were very fortunate to see 3 aircraft that our Dad flew in WWII; the B17 - Dad was a member of a crew who ferried a B17 over the North Atlantic to England; DC3 Cargo plane which Dad flew many hours over North Africa; Cessna AT-8, UC-78 Bobcat (Bamboo Bomber), or "Witchta Wobler" which was used by the RCAF to upgrade pilots from single to twin engine aircraft. Dad also flew the DH82 Tiger Moth, which served the RCAF as a trainer, but was not on display. Yes, it was very special indeed. Oh, did I mention that the B17 actually made a flight that day? We got to stand beside the B17 as it was readied for take-off and then watch it taxi out and lift-off. Very, very cool. Picture included below.
Oh, one more new experience for Barry this week. On Tuesday morning Barry joined a couple of the neighbors and went out to a small orange grove and picked oranges. Came home with about 50lbs or fresh oranges. They have been shared around the neighborhood for many to enjoy.
I can’t conclude this post without a comment about the weather. It’s hot and dry. The temperature hit 92F yesterday and 91F today. The evenings are still cool although it is not cooling off as much as it did last week. We have yet to turn on the air conditioner in our trailer although many of the neighbors have their units going most days and into the evening. A cooling trend is expected for the weekend, high 70’s, low 80’s.....brrrrr......
Enjoy the pictures. Don’t forget to click or double click on the picture to enlarge it....
Mike, getting his kicks at the Commemorative Air Force museum (B17 ready for take-off in background)
Hummingbird nest at Rio Salado Park.
Barry at one of the duck ponds at the Rio Salado Park.
Monday, March 14, 2011
March 14th - Time to take stock of the week that was......
Holy smokes! Or as my dear friend Nat would say, “Pheufff”!!!!! (english translation - Phew!) It is time for a recap of the past week. I need to do this because this week has already begun and things are cookin’ in the desert.
Let’s start with the “Highlight of the week”. Dana had a birthday! On March 13, 1868, the impeachment trial of President Andrew Johnson began in the United States Senate. And, on March 13, 2011 Dana had a birthday. We celebrated with that all American food, Bacon! Yes Madelyn, Bacon and French Toast for breakfast. Also, real Canadian maple syrup. The rest of the day included bird watching, with new Nikon binoculars. (reports are that they are fabulous!). In the evening, after some badly needed pool time, Mike and Darlene joined us for dinner at El Charro mexican restaurant in downtown Mesa. It was an excellent meal. We adjourned to Mike and Darlene’s for tea and birthday ice cream sandwiches for dessert.
Okay, let’s talk cycling. Last week saw Barry put in 7 hours in the saddle. This was down from the 10 hours from the previous week but the 7 hours were “quality” hours. Hill repeats and intervals. This past week also saw Dana put in her longest ride, 50 kms.
Let’s talk about the weather. This past week has been outstanding. Average daytime high, 80F. A few days in the mid 80s. What is great about this time of year is that it cools down in the late evening. The morning low temp is between 52 and 55F. Sleeping is not a problem. What is a challenge is getting in a decent ride in the morning before the temperature goes above 80F. Not a bad problem to have.
This past week we visited South Mountain Park. This is the largest municipal park in the U.S.A. It covers 46,000 acres. One feature that is interesting is the road that climbs 10km from the entrance to the peak. (I can’t wait to cycle this hill....). The day we were there we hiked one of the trails, about 4 miles, and were able to see the entire Valley of the Sun.
On Wednesday afternoon we took in a guided Desert Wildflower walk at Usery Mountain park. The park Ranger was very knowledgeable about desert flowers and we learned a lot about the beauty of the desert.
On Friday Dana and Darlene took in the Arizona Quilt Show in downtown Mesa. 400 quilts, more than 30 vendors. (Dana provided this info. I have no idea what this means.......).
Throughout the week we stayed in touch with our Canadian roots by watching the Brier on TV. Hat’s off to Jeff Stoughton for his inspiring win over the Glen Howard rink from Ontario. All the best to Jeff and the boys at the World’s to be played in Regina in early April.
These were some of the highlights from the past week. Pheuff! What a week it was. In deferrance to our family and friends back home, I have left out mentioning the many hours of pool time and tanning. It just seems wrong to go on, and on, and on about how much sunshine and hot sun we are enjoying...... oops... Enjoy the pictures!
View if the Valley of the Sun from the historic 1930's CCC building at Dobbins Lookout on South Mountain.
Dobbins Lookout at South Mountain Park.
Madelyn, this one's for you. The All American Birthday Breakfast.
One of the 400 quilts on display at the Arizona Quilt Show in Mesa.
Let’s start with the “Highlight of the week”. Dana had a birthday! On March 13, 1868, the impeachment trial of President Andrew Johnson began in the United States Senate. And, on March 13, 2011 Dana had a birthday. We celebrated with that all American food, Bacon! Yes Madelyn, Bacon and French Toast for breakfast. Also, real Canadian maple syrup. The rest of the day included bird watching, with new Nikon binoculars. (reports are that they are fabulous!). In the evening, after some badly needed pool time, Mike and Darlene joined us for dinner at El Charro mexican restaurant in downtown Mesa. It was an excellent meal. We adjourned to Mike and Darlene’s for tea and birthday ice cream sandwiches for dessert.
Okay, let’s talk cycling. Last week saw Barry put in 7 hours in the saddle. This was down from the 10 hours from the previous week but the 7 hours were “quality” hours. Hill repeats and intervals. This past week also saw Dana put in her longest ride, 50 kms.
Let’s talk about the weather. This past week has been outstanding. Average daytime high, 80F. A few days in the mid 80s. What is great about this time of year is that it cools down in the late evening. The morning low temp is between 52 and 55F. Sleeping is not a problem. What is a challenge is getting in a decent ride in the morning before the temperature goes above 80F. Not a bad problem to have.
This past week we visited South Mountain Park. This is the largest municipal park in the U.S.A. It covers 46,000 acres. One feature that is interesting is the road that climbs 10km from the entrance to the peak. (I can’t wait to cycle this hill....). The day we were there we hiked one of the trails, about 4 miles, and were able to see the entire Valley of the Sun.
On Wednesday afternoon we took in a guided Desert Wildflower walk at Usery Mountain park. The park Ranger was very knowledgeable about desert flowers and we learned a lot about the beauty of the desert.
On Friday Dana and Darlene took in the Arizona Quilt Show in downtown Mesa. 400 quilts, more than 30 vendors. (Dana provided this info. I have no idea what this means.......).
Throughout the week we stayed in touch with our Canadian roots by watching the Brier on TV. Hat’s off to Jeff Stoughton for his inspiring win over the Glen Howard rink from Ontario. All the best to Jeff and the boys at the World’s to be played in Regina in early April.
These were some of the highlights from the past week. Pheuff! What a week it was. In deferrance to our family and friends back home, I have left out mentioning the many hours of pool time and tanning. It just seems wrong to go on, and on, and on about how much sunshine and hot sun we are enjoying...... oops... Enjoy the pictures!
View if the Valley of the Sun from the historic 1930's CCC building at Dobbins Lookout on South Mountain.
Dobbins Lookout at South Mountain Park.
Madelyn, this one's for you. The All American Birthday Breakfast.
One of the 400 quilts on display at the Arizona Quilt Show in Mesa.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
March 8 - Sports Double Header
If you are from the west coast you will know that you are blessed with that unique ability to “double” in many sports at any time of year. For example, Ski in the morning; Golf in the afternoon. That’s an easy one and you can do that in many locations. Another one might be, Cycle in the morning; Surf in the afternoon. I like that one. So, I want to introduce a “Sport Double” in the Valley of the Sun: Baseball in the afternoon; Hockey in the evening.
On March 8, my brother Mike and I attended a Seattle Mariners vs SF Giants baseball game, the M’s won 2-1, then attended the Vancouver Canucks vs Phoenix Coyotes game in the evening, Canucks won 4-3 in overtime. If you are a sports fan from the great Pacific Northwest you will truly appreciate how fantastic this was.
The Seattle Mariners play their Cactus League games in a sweet little ballpark in Peoria. The ballpark has a capacity of around 6,000 fans. This day the park was mostly filled as the competition was the World Champion San Francisco Giants. Granted this is spring training and neither team fielded many of their starters from last season. However, under clear skies and temperatures hovering around 75F, both teams put on a spirited effort in a fast paced game. I have included a couple of pictures to try and get you in the game, so to speak.
After the ball game we made the short drive to Jobing.com arena in Glendale for the hockey game. For anyone, and I guess that is most of you reading this blog entry, who has not been to a hockey game in Phoenix (Glendale), you are in for a treat. Jobing.com arena and the surrounding entertainment district is fantastic. I wrote about this last year but it bears repeating. This entertainment district and area is unlike anything anywhere else. Nothing, not the Staple’s Centre in L.A., Roger’s Centre in Vancouver or the Bell Centre in Montreal, compares to this district and arena. Too bad hockey is not supported in Glendale/Phoenix. If the Canucks are playing, 50-60% of the fans are from the Canucks Nation, resplendent in Canucks jerseys some going back several editions. If the Detroit Red Wings are playing, same thing. This is somewhat unfortunate as the Phoenix Coyotes are a very good team. Also, even with all the Canuck fans in attendance the area was only filled to about 75% capacity. If Nashville is in town I would be surprised if they draw anymore than 5,000 fans to the game.
The long and the short of it all is that we enjoyed both games. The 2010-11 edition of the Vancouver Canucks could be one of the best teams to ever play for Vancouver. Of course, as Dana says every year about this time, “they will only break your heart”. Maybe, but I have a feeling that this is our year to go all the way! Okay, I’ve said that before. like almost every year. As for the Seattle Mariners, well, I think some of their players are hoping for “one more good year in the sun”, which is a quote from one of my favorite sports movies, Major League. Let’s hope no one tries to relocate this team to Florida. Ha!
Let's play ball........
On March 8, my brother Mike and I attended a Seattle Mariners vs SF Giants baseball game, the M’s won 2-1, then attended the Vancouver Canucks vs Phoenix Coyotes game in the evening, Canucks won 4-3 in overtime. If you are a sports fan from the great Pacific Northwest you will truly appreciate how fantastic this was.
The Seattle Mariners play their Cactus League games in a sweet little ballpark in Peoria. The ballpark has a capacity of around 6,000 fans. This day the park was mostly filled as the competition was the World Champion San Francisco Giants. Granted this is spring training and neither team fielded many of their starters from last season. However, under clear skies and temperatures hovering around 75F, both teams put on a spirited effort in a fast paced game. I have included a couple of pictures to try and get you in the game, so to speak.
After the ball game we made the short drive to Jobing.com arena in Glendale for the hockey game. For anyone, and I guess that is most of you reading this blog entry, who has not been to a hockey game in Phoenix (Glendale), you are in for a treat. Jobing.com arena and the surrounding entertainment district is fantastic. I wrote about this last year but it bears repeating. This entertainment district and area is unlike anything anywhere else. Nothing, not the Staple’s Centre in L.A., Roger’s Centre in Vancouver or the Bell Centre in Montreal, compares to this district and arena. Too bad hockey is not supported in Glendale/Phoenix. If the Canucks are playing, 50-60% of the fans are from the Canucks Nation, resplendent in Canucks jerseys some going back several editions. If the Detroit Red Wings are playing, same thing. This is somewhat unfortunate as the Phoenix Coyotes are a very good team. Also, even with all the Canuck fans in attendance the area was only filled to about 75% capacity. If Nashville is in town I would be surprised if they draw anymore than 5,000 fans to the game.
The long and the short of it all is that we enjoyed both games. The 2010-11 edition of the Vancouver Canucks could be one of the best teams to ever play for Vancouver. Of course, as Dana says every year about this time, “they will only break your heart”. Maybe, but I have a feeling that this is our year to go all the way! Okay, I’ve said that before. like almost every year. As for the Seattle Mariners, well, I think some of their players are hoping for “one more good year in the sun”, which is a quote from one of my favorite sports movies, Major League. Let’s hope no one tries to relocate this team to Florida. Ha!
Let's play ball........
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Road trip, and other “fun” stuff...
I say other “fun” stuff because some, many, okay, most people think I’m crazy. Today I rod 100km on my bike. 3 hours, 20 minutes, 30kmph average. You be the judge. However, let me back up a couple of days and tell you about our road trip to Roosevelt dam.
Friday morning we headed out the door around 8:30. Destination: Roosevelt Lake, and Dam. From Mesa we headed out Main Street, which turns into Apache Trail then Hwy 88. The first point of interest is Tortilla Flats. This is nothing more than a wide spot on the road. Western style facade on the row of buildings beckons tourists to stop, eat, shop, leave. We didn’t stop and continued beyond Tortilla Flats to what is commonly called “end of pavement”. This is of course where the pavement ends. Duh!
26 miles of gravel road lay between us and Roosevelt Lake. We took a few photos of the road and scenery. Frankly, this area is stunning and well worth the pounding your vehicle and kidneys take to travel the road, beyond “end of pavement”. In places the road is barely 2 lanes wide. Hairpin corners, steep drop-offs, wash-board gravel, dust, dust and more dust.
Roosevelt dam is quite the sight. The dam was originally the tallest “masonry” dam in the world. The road to the dam site was build using Apache Indians, hence the name of the road, Apache Trail. Finished in 1909, the dam provided power to the Valley of Sun. Recently the dam was raised 77 feet and encased in concrete.
Did I mention cycling? Barry is well into training for the Giro in Sardinia. Dana is back on her bike. Thursday we rode in the morning. Interval training for Barry. Saturday was more of the same. Then today, well the 100k thing.... Dana went to church, I think to pray that Barry comes back safe.
Looking ahead to the week the weather continues to be fantastic. I see Victoria had “some” sun this weekend. This pleases us as we get no end of grief about our sunshine. Speaking of sunshine, yes, this week looks to be another stunner. 82F by Thursday. Enough said about that. On Tuesday Barry gets to see 2 of the Pacific Northwest’s best professional sports offerings. Seattle Mariners and Vancouver Canucks, on the same day. No they are not playing each other.....
Oh, we are staying connected with our Canadian roots. We are watching the Brier, curling for those who are not in the know. Oh Canada! What fun.
Dana and Barry cycling on the Bush Hwy Thursday morning, in the warm sun!
Lizards found on the side of the Roosevelt Lake Visitors (Welcome) Centre
Road? to Roosevelt Lake and Dam
Roosevelt Dam
Friday morning we headed out the door around 8:30. Destination: Roosevelt Lake, and Dam. From Mesa we headed out Main Street, which turns into Apache Trail then Hwy 88. The first point of interest is Tortilla Flats. This is nothing more than a wide spot on the road. Western style facade on the row of buildings beckons tourists to stop, eat, shop, leave. We didn’t stop and continued beyond Tortilla Flats to what is commonly called “end of pavement”. This is of course where the pavement ends. Duh!
26 miles of gravel road lay between us and Roosevelt Lake. We took a few photos of the road and scenery. Frankly, this area is stunning and well worth the pounding your vehicle and kidneys take to travel the road, beyond “end of pavement”. In places the road is barely 2 lanes wide. Hairpin corners, steep drop-offs, wash-board gravel, dust, dust and more dust.
Roosevelt dam is quite the sight. The dam was originally the tallest “masonry” dam in the world. The road to the dam site was build using Apache Indians, hence the name of the road, Apache Trail. Finished in 1909, the dam provided power to the Valley of Sun. Recently the dam was raised 77 feet and encased in concrete.
Did I mention cycling? Barry is well into training for the Giro in Sardinia. Dana is back on her bike. Thursday we rode in the morning. Interval training for Barry. Saturday was more of the same. Then today, well the 100k thing.... Dana went to church, I think to pray that Barry comes back safe.
Looking ahead to the week the weather continues to be fantastic. I see Victoria had “some” sun this weekend. This pleases us as we get no end of grief about our sunshine. Speaking of sunshine, yes, this week looks to be another stunner. 82F by Thursday. Enough said about that. On Tuesday Barry gets to see 2 of the Pacific Northwest’s best professional sports offerings. Seattle Mariners and Vancouver Canucks, on the same day. No they are not playing each other.....
Oh, we are staying connected with our Canadian roots. We are watching the Brier, curling for those who are not in the know. Oh Canada! What fun.
Dana and Barry cycling on the Bush Hwy Thursday morning, in the warm sun!
Lizards found on the side of the Roosevelt Lake Visitors (Welcome) Centre
Road? to Roosevelt Lake and Dam
Roosevelt Dam
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Cactus League ball players, and other interesting creatures....
We attended our first Major league Baseball Cactus League game yesterday. Mike and Darlene, and their good friends Wayne and Lois also attended. Coincidently, it was the inaugural game at the new multi-million dollar baseball complex called Salt River Field at Talking Stick (First Nations land). This ballpark is the springtime home to both the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies. The game yesterday featured the D-Backs and our own Seattle Mariners.
The game was okay, I mean it is spring training, but Seattle fans might well be in for another long, long season. Regardless, it was fun to sit in the stands behind 3rd base and cheer on our Mariners. Interestingly there was no shortage of M fans on the park. Aside from the Mariner t-shirts and caps the Seattle fans were easy to spot. They were the people with untanned skin.....
A couple of days ago, Monday I think, we explored a park on the Salt River. It was mid-afternoon when we visited the park so there was not a lot of bird activity. Regardless, it was a nice location and we had a nice walk on one of the trails along the Salt River. We did spot an interesting lizard. I captured it on film. I cropped the picture using the Apple iPhoto program and have included it in the blog. We believe the little guy, or gal, is a Spiny Tree Lizard, very common around here.
Tuesday was "get back on the bike day" for Barry. We did the Usery Mountain Pass Loop. Well, Dana did it once and I did it twice. I logged 2:40 on the bike, around 70km. Most of the ride was into a stiff wind so I was pretty cooked by the time I got home. Also, the temperature reached 84 F at one point. Dana rode the furthest she has ridden in quite awhile. "Epic" was how she described the ride.
Today Dana and I went for another ride on Usery Pass. My training plan called for 2 sessions of 3 x 3 minute hard intervals. While I was doing my repeats on the Usery Pass hill Dana cycled up the hill to the Usery Mtn Park visitors centre. Once inside the building she was greeted by a park attendant. Dana initially thought the gal was wearing a large "clunky" necklace of some kind. Turned out to be a black and bright green King Snake. Apparently the snake was raised in the centre and was very used to the staff. Yikes!
This afternoon Dana, Mike, Darlene and I went for a birding hike at Usery Mtn Park, which is bar-none our favorite park. We saw lots of wildlife including birds, rabbits (including the large Black Tailed Jack Rabbit) coyote, Road Runner, Spiny Tree Lizard and our favorite Western Screech Owl. Pretty good for a short 2 hour hike in the desert. The hike was followed by beer and cocktails at Mike and Darlene's then we returned home for dinner and an early bedtime. What will tomorrow bring...??
Enjoy the photos.
Salt River Field - D-Backs vs Seattle Mariners
Spiny Tree Lizard (unless anyone has a better guess?)
Birding in Usery Mountain Park
Western Screech Owl - Can't get enough of this owl.
Desert Shadow Art
The game was okay, I mean it is spring training, but Seattle fans might well be in for another long, long season. Regardless, it was fun to sit in the stands behind 3rd base and cheer on our Mariners. Interestingly there was no shortage of M fans on the park. Aside from the Mariner t-shirts and caps the Seattle fans were easy to spot. They were the people with untanned skin.....
A couple of days ago, Monday I think, we explored a park on the Salt River. It was mid-afternoon when we visited the park so there was not a lot of bird activity. Regardless, it was a nice location and we had a nice walk on one of the trails along the Salt River. We did spot an interesting lizard. I captured it on film. I cropped the picture using the Apple iPhoto program and have included it in the blog. We believe the little guy, or gal, is a Spiny Tree Lizard, very common around here.
Tuesday was "get back on the bike day" for Barry. We did the Usery Mountain Pass Loop. Well, Dana did it once and I did it twice. I logged 2:40 on the bike, around 70km. Most of the ride was into a stiff wind so I was pretty cooked by the time I got home. Also, the temperature reached 84 F at one point. Dana rode the furthest she has ridden in quite awhile. "Epic" was how she described the ride.
Today Dana and I went for another ride on Usery Pass. My training plan called for 2 sessions of 3 x 3 minute hard intervals. While I was doing my repeats on the Usery Pass hill Dana cycled up the hill to the Usery Mtn Park visitors centre. Once inside the building she was greeted by a park attendant. Dana initially thought the gal was wearing a large "clunky" necklace of some kind. Turned out to be a black and bright green King Snake. Apparently the snake was raised in the centre and was very used to the staff. Yikes!
This afternoon Dana, Mike, Darlene and I went for a birding hike at Usery Mtn Park, which is bar-none our favorite park. We saw lots of wildlife including birds, rabbits (including the large Black Tailed Jack Rabbit) coyote, Road Runner, Spiny Tree Lizard and our favorite Western Screech Owl. Pretty good for a short 2 hour hike in the desert. The hike was followed by beer and cocktails at Mike and Darlene's then we returned home for dinner and an early bedtime. What will tomorrow bring...??
Enjoy the photos.
Salt River Field - D-Backs vs Seattle Mariners
Spiny Tree Lizard (unless anyone has a better guess?)
Birding in Usery Mountain Park
Western Screech Owl - Can't get enough of this owl.
Desert Shadow Art
Saturday, February 26, 2011
February coming to a close
I'm sitting at the kitchen table having my second cup of Starbucks Verona (french press) coffee. Dana is making muffins and Bob Dylan is on the radio "knocking on heaven's door" (he wrote all the really great songs of the 60's). We woke to clouds this morning. Very different from most mornings. This morning I will join Mike for a visit to Hohokam Park where the Chicago Cubs are holding an open practice day.
It's been another busy week here in the desert. Dana and I explored 2 new parks. Earlier this week we travelled 50 miles east to the Boyce-Thompson Arboretum. Yesterday we traveled south to the San Tan Mountain Regional Park. I won't try to compare the two as these parks were very different. Boyce-Thompson is a small State Park. It has designated garden areas displaying desert plants. Trails are groomed and well maintained for the many visitors. While not exactly "commercial", it is heavily used and thus lacks the feeling of wild, raw desert that we prefer. We did spot our first Cardinal this year and a Red Naped Sapsucker which made the visit memorable. We also came across a large group of mature adult humans decked out in nearly identical outdoor gear all carrying expensive cameras and/or binoculars. We slid past them as quietly as possible as to not to startle the herd. We later learned that is was a group from the Tucson Audubon Society on a bird watching hike.
San Tan Mountain Regional Park is a Maricopa County park. This is a very large mountainous park. While there we hiked parts of the Gold Mine and San Tan trails. At one point on the Gold Mine Trail we were up high enough to see much of the valley of the sun, from the towers of down town Phoenix to the city of Apache Junction at the base of the Superstition mountain range. It was hot and sunny this day and we were glad to have extra water with us for the hike.
On Thursday morning Dana and Darlene returned to Usery Park for a guided bird walk. They not only came home with many bird stories but with information about other flora and fauna of the desert. It sounds like the guide, Sandy, know her stuff and is happy to share her knowledge. Over the next few weeks we will put all this knowledge to good use.
As February comes to a close in the valley of the sun, the young at heart of all ages turn their attention to Major League Baseball Cactus League play. On Saturday Mike, Wayne and I headed to Hohokam Park, home of the Chicago Cubs. First of all, I am not a Cubs fan, but regardless I am a baseball fan and any opportunity to take in a free practice day was not something I could pass up. We spent about 2 hours watching pitchers practice coming off the mound to field a bunt, BP, double play and running drills. There was one player that I wanted to see and that was Ryan Dempster, the pride of Sechelt, B.C. Ryan was tagged to start the Spring League home opener against the Oakland A's.
Saturday night we attended the annual B.C. - Alberta night (dinner and entertainment) at Mesa Regal. Over 400 in attendance.
Sunday's discovery - While hiking in Usery Park we spotted a Western Screech Owl who had made a home in a hole high up in a tall Saguaro cactus. We feel very fortunate to have spotted this little bird.
March here we come. By the by, we have received a suggestion to tone down our enthusiasm of the desert and the warm sunny days. This while Victorians are freezing their little faces off. Forget it! Stay warm my friends.
Oooops. How did this photo get in here? Val Vista Drive, Mesa
Naomi - this one is for you. Ryan Dempster #46
What a hoot! A Western Screech Owl...not to be confused with Screetch(sp) from NFLD. (Click on photo to enlarge)
It's been another busy week here in the desert. Dana and I explored 2 new parks. Earlier this week we travelled 50 miles east to the Boyce-Thompson Arboretum. Yesterday we traveled south to the San Tan Mountain Regional Park. I won't try to compare the two as these parks were very different. Boyce-Thompson is a small State Park. It has designated garden areas displaying desert plants. Trails are groomed and well maintained for the many visitors. While not exactly "commercial", it is heavily used and thus lacks the feeling of wild, raw desert that we prefer. We did spot our first Cardinal this year and a Red Naped Sapsucker which made the visit memorable. We also came across a large group of mature adult humans decked out in nearly identical outdoor gear all carrying expensive cameras and/or binoculars. We slid past them as quietly as possible as to not to startle the herd. We later learned that is was a group from the Tucson Audubon Society on a bird watching hike.
San Tan Mountain Regional Park is a Maricopa County park. This is a very large mountainous park. While there we hiked parts of the Gold Mine and San Tan trails. At one point on the Gold Mine Trail we were up high enough to see much of the valley of the sun, from the towers of down town Phoenix to the city of Apache Junction at the base of the Superstition mountain range. It was hot and sunny this day and we were glad to have extra water with us for the hike.
On Thursday morning Dana and Darlene returned to Usery Park for a guided bird walk. They not only came home with many bird stories but with information about other flora and fauna of the desert. It sounds like the guide, Sandy, know her stuff and is happy to share her knowledge. Over the next few weeks we will put all this knowledge to good use.
As February comes to a close in the valley of the sun, the young at heart of all ages turn their attention to Major League Baseball Cactus League play. On Saturday Mike, Wayne and I headed to Hohokam Park, home of the Chicago Cubs. First of all, I am not a Cubs fan, but regardless I am a baseball fan and any opportunity to take in a free practice day was not something I could pass up. We spent about 2 hours watching pitchers practice coming off the mound to field a bunt, BP, double play and running drills. There was one player that I wanted to see and that was Ryan Dempster, the pride of Sechelt, B.C. Ryan was tagged to start the Spring League home opener against the Oakland A's.
Saturday night we attended the annual B.C. - Alberta night (dinner and entertainment) at Mesa Regal. Over 400 in attendance.
Sunday's discovery - While hiking in Usery Park we spotted a Western Screech Owl who had made a home in a hole high up in a tall Saguaro cactus. We feel very fortunate to have spotted this little bird.
March here we come. By the by, we have received a suggestion to tone down our enthusiasm of the desert and the warm sunny days. This while Victorians are freezing their little faces off. Forget it! Stay warm my friends.
Oooops. How did this photo get in here? Val Vista Drive, Mesa
Naomi - this one is for you. Ryan Dempster #46
What a hoot! A Western Screech Owl...not to be confused with Screetch(sp) from NFLD. (Click on photo to enlarge)
Friday, February 25, 2011
Jack Knox, eat your heart out!
I read Jack’s Victoria Times Colonist column this morning and, knowing Jack is an avid cyclist, I'm not making this up, I couldn’t help feeling a bit smug sitting here in the warm, sunny desert. Snow in Victoria this late is February is nearly a “pandemic”. I have been receiving emails from my cycling friends in Victoria telling me to “Stay where you are!” Friends are sending us pictures from Victoria, not of winter blossoms on trees or daffodils blooming in front yards but of backyards and decks covered in many inches of snow. Tales of heroic treks on snow covered roads to get to stores and Starbucks for essential supplies are being recorded to be re-told to younger generations who will no doubt shake their heads recalling other stories told to them by grandparents walking miles to 1 room schools in driving snow storms with only light moccasins on their frost bitten feet. Yes, Victorians are suffering today, not from the weather but not being able to call their friends in Ontario and New Brunswick to brag about having to mow the lawn in late February. And here we sit in Arizona. Today I rode my bike trainer for 90 minutes and then spent some quality time in the hot-tub and lying poolside to dry off in the warm afternoon sun working on my tan. My thoughts and prayers are with my friends in Victoria. Cowboy-up! Soon it will be warm temperatures and you can get back to whatever normal life is on Vancouver Island.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
February 19 & 20 - Rain! Beautiful Rain!
Dana and I are settling into life in Arizona. I’ll address my “injury status” up front. All the swelling is gone. Although I am still wearing a sling to support my shoulder, I have no pain in my shoulder provided I do not lift anything other than a cup of coffee, a glass of wine or a bottle of beer. Life could be worse. I will wear the sling for 3 more days then toss it aside in favor of some light stretching. We’ll see how it goes.
Dana and I have been out hiking in the desert several days this week. On Thursday we explored a 5 km trail in the McDowell Mountain Park. The park is part of the Maricopa County park system, one of the largest county park systems in the U.S.A. McDowell Park covers about 21,000 acres, most of which was burned by wildfires in 1995. Fortunately the north loop trail was untouched and offers a good representation of the Sonoran Desert, although it appears to be under stress due to the lack of rain. We identified many desert plants, some birds and a few lizards. No snakes although we were told that Diamondback rattle snakes were present.
On Friday we visited the Saguaro Lake Park which is located off highway 202, the Bush Hwy. It is a large lake frequented mainly by boaters and fisherman. The lake was created by a damn on the Salt River. The Salt River provides an excellent habitat for birds. While we did not explore the riparian areas we did bookmark the area for future exploring. The same day we enjoyed a short hike in the Usery Mountain Park, another one of the Maricopa County parks. The Usery Park desert appears very healthy and has an abundance of birds and small animals. It was encouraging to see given the lack of rain in this part of Arizona.
Speaking of rain...... Given the scarlet sunrise this morning (see picture below) we knew we were in for a change in the weather. They have been predicting rain for a few days but none materialized. Today, Saturday, 1/2 inch of the stuff fell in the afternoon. Boy do they need the rainfall here! Dana and I are very excited to see what affect the rain will have on the desert, the flora and fauna. From what we hear, the effects can be glorious. We will start checking things out at first light tomorrow morning (Sunday) at the Gilbert Riparian Preserve. Warm sunny days are due to return on Monday and we will do more exploring then.
Inspite of my temporary physical limitations we are staying active. Hiking of course, but we also regulars in the fitness facility here at Mesa Regal. Dana runs on the treadmill and works out with weight equipment while I spin (boring....) on one of the stationary bikes. Yesterday we worked out for about 1 hour. As it was pouring rain for most of the afternoon, it was a great way to pass the day and get a reasonably good workout. Does "hot-tubbing" count as activity?
Social wise we have been getting out and about. Yesterday we attended the big French Toast breakfast which is a fundraiser for the softball teams here at the park. Speaking of ball, Spring MLB Cactus League starts in less than 10 days. We are in a great location to take in several major league teams home parks. The closest park is Hohocum, home of the Chicago Cubs. More on that later. (PS: Roy, your suite at Mesa Regal is still not booked but don't wait too long.....)
As a footnote to the walk this morning in the Gilbert Water Park, we saw 2 new bird species that we had not seen before. They were the Inca Dove, just a little guy and a Ruddy Duck. The Ruddy Duck has a cobalt blue bill. They were stylin....
Here are a few pictures from this week. If your computer permits, click on he photo and it will enlarge it so you can get a better appreciation of the subject. Enjoy!
View of Superstition Mountains from Usery Mtn Park
Amazing "chain fruit" on Cholla cactus.
Nest in Cactus at McDowell Mountain Park
Water on street outside our Park Model in Mesa Regal RV
Red sky in morning, sailor take warning (view from our deck Sat. Feb 19)
Dana and I have been out hiking in the desert several days this week. On Thursday we explored a 5 km trail in the McDowell Mountain Park. The park is part of the Maricopa County park system, one of the largest county park systems in the U.S.A. McDowell Park covers about 21,000 acres, most of which was burned by wildfires in 1995. Fortunately the north loop trail was untouched and offers a good representation of the Sonoran Desert, although it appears to be under stress due to the lack of rain. We identified many desert plants, some birds and a few lizards. No snakes although we were told that Diamondback rattle snakes were present.
On Friday we visited the Saguaro Lake Park which is located off highway 202, the Bush Hwy. It is a large lake frequented mainly by boaters and fisherman. The lake was created by a damn on the Salt River. The Salt River provides an excellent habitat for birds. While we did not explore the riparian areas we did bookmark the area for future exploring. The same day we enjoyed a short hike in the Usery Mountain Park, another one of the Maricopa County parks. The Usery Park desert appears very healthy and has an abundance of birds and small animals. It was encouraging to see given the lack of rain in this part of Arizona.
Speaking of rain...... Given the scarlet sunrise this morning (see picture below) we knew we were in for a change in the weather. They have been predicting rain for a few days but none materialized. Today, Saturday, 1/2 inch of the stuff fell in the afternoon. Boy do they need the rainfall here! Dana and I are very excited to see what affect the rain will have on the desert, the flora and fauna. From what we hear, the effects can be glorious. We will start checking things out at first light tomorrow morning (Sunday) at the Gilbert Riparian Preserve. Warm sunny days are due to return on Monday and we will do more exploring then.
Inspite of my temporary physical limitations we are staying active. Hiking of course, but we also regulars in the fitness facility here at Mesa Regal. Dana runs on the treadmill and works out with weight equipment while I spin (boring....) on one of the stationary bikes. Yesterday we worked out for about 1 hour. As it was pouring rain for most of the afternoon, it was a great way to pass the day and get a reasonably good workout. Does "hot-tubbing" count as activity?
Social wise we have been getting out and about. Yesterday we attended the big French Toast breakfast which is a fundraiser for the softball teams here at the park. Speaking of ball, Spring MLB Cactus League starts in less than 10 days. We are in a great location to take in several major league teams home parks. The closest park is Hohocum, home of the Chicago Cubs. More on that later. (PS: Roy, your suite at Mesa Regal is still not booked but don't wait too long.....)
As a footnote to the walk this morning in the Gilbert Water Park, we saw 2 new bird species that we had not seen before. They were the Inca Dove, just a little guy and a Ruddy Duck. The Ruddy Duck has a cobalt blue bill. They were stylin....
Here are a few pictures from this week. If your computer permits, click on he photo and it will enlarge it so you can get a better appreciation of the subject. Enjoy!
View of Superstition Mountains from Usery Mtn Park
Amazing "chain fruit" on Cholla cactus.
Nest in Cactus at McDowell Mountain Park
Water on street outside our Park Model in Mesa Regal RV
Red sky in morning, sailor take warning (view from our deck Sat. Feb 19)
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