 What a great weekend of rain. In Oro Valley there was light to moderate rain for much of the weekend rather than microbursts as occurred elsewhere. So, no flooding but the washes were running. For Tucson, it's the wettest start ever for a monsoon but many areas received much more rain, double digits just in the last few days.  Saturday's high of 77 was the lowest high ever recorded on this date. If the rain paused....  ....I'd get Jack the Dog out for a walk and began letting him off his leash to chase a ball in a nearby wild area. The rain has released....  ....a type of frog that releases a poison that is deadly to dogs. Then these insects that rise about 20' and then plummet to the ground. Many, many areas of these things. Well, it was good while it lasted but a sunny Monday greeted us. Meantime.......  ....Amy is enjoying time with her sister in St. Thomas.
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 I climbed Amy's outdoor fireplace to get a better look at a nearby storm. She thought to take a picture and it turned out well with the clouds backlit by lightning.  A sunny morning the following day so I got out for a short ride and encountered this guy, being pulled on a skate board by his two dogs. And then..... ....the rain arrived and in a big way. Rain gauges around the area have recorded as much as 7"+ in the last few days. Even the notoriously low Tucson airport gauge is reporting over 2" within the last 72 hours. Mean time, far south and east of here.....  ....Amy has fled to St. Thomas. This is her view from where she is staying. I was invited but following my due diligence, it didn't appear that the island had enough activities that I would enjoy. Snorkeling is fun but not sailing, beach visits, fishing and one thing that was reinforced by the recent trip to the northwest, after 2 days of inactivity of the kind I enjoy, I start crawling walls. I don't know why that is just that it really, really is a factor. So.... ....I'm caring for Jack the Dog. The first two days have been atypical of course with all the rain so our walks have lacked some distance but he is eating well and seems content as we both look forward to the reunion. Sunday, another day of rain but that's ok. Getting in a good ride on Monday and then a hike on Tuesday.
 An overnight rain and lingering clouds. A beautiful scene as I hike into the west facing side of the Catalinas. There is a large water tank below Table Mountain and I thought it may now be full so wanted to check it out.  I thought I had waited long enough for the rain to have passed through but as I climbed, I was subject to off/on light rain. Given the humidity, not much difference between rain spurts.  I reach the tank and.....  ......puzzled as there is no water other than what has gathered as a result of rain directly into the tank. Hmmmmm.  A metal pipe extends up slope and at some point, a plastic line enters it which was recently replaced after being melted from last year's fire. The plastic line extends to a ravine where runoff is collected. I followed the metal pipe until it reached a trail. I was running out of time so had to return via the trail rather than continue the inspection. I let some people know about the situation so someone will be checking.  A beautiful slick rock feature as I head down.  A tortoise senses my approach so buttons up until I pass. Finished with 4.5 miles.
 Tubbs Hill juts into Coeur d'Alene Lake and has an island feel to it as we arrive to hike the hill's circumference via the "Lake Trail". Along for the endeavor is.....  .....Jack the Dog. The trail initially stays high above the water as we looked for easy access to the shore so Jack could go for a swim.  The lake is huge and I should post its dimensions but take my word for it...HUGE.  At last we found an accessible beach where Jack enjoyed plunging into the water to fetch sticks that we threw. We ended with 2.3 miles of hiking. And with that, we decided to return to southern AZ a day early. Coeur d'Alene is a beautiful area but doesn't seem to be the cycling/hiking rich area I imagined. Hindsight being what it is, would have much preferred to linger in a couple of areas through which we drove so with that knowledge, we'll plan differently, next time. Including not staying in a hotel and eating lunch and dinner out every day. Somehow, with all the time sitting while driving, no big hikes/bike rides, eating out every day, etc... I gained only 1 pound. I think we ate healthy so that was a plus.  I've scheduled a group hike up Elephant Head but not via the traditional southern start but from a northwest start. We'll end up at the saddle to the left of the "head" and then climb the back side. Should be quite an adventure.
 There are many Sinclair gas stations in the northwest and some have these large brontosaurus models either inside or out front.  Amy's new suv can show the quality of the air inside and outside. As we left the kind of smokey Missoula area it was no surprise that the air quality was not good. As we drove west toward Coeur d'Alene we got west of a couple of wild fires and with the southwest wind, the air improved dramatically.  The region is very hilly and while I was looking forward to arriving in ID, I regretted not having an extra day or two in Missoula for additional hiking.  We arrived in ID, got our bikes out and investigated a bike path, going west to.....  ....the ID/WA state line.  Nice view from a bridge overlooking the Snake River.  We finished with 30 miles that day and the next day, we headed in the other direction through Coeur d'Alene and beyond. Generally, I dislike bike paths as they tend to be flat, boring and dangerous but this one was more rolling and had great views of the lake.  We rode the bike path until it ended at Higgins Point where a sign illustrated the variety of fish that live in the lake. Pretty impressive list! Turning around.....  ....we retraced our route, enjoying more grand views.  Although the image doesn't show it, the long expanse of beach was crowded with people enjoying the sun and above average temperature.
 We arrive in Missoula, MT for a couple of days. In the distance, the "M" for "University of Montana" on the way up to Sentinel Peak. There are many hiking options around the area but we needed to check out at 11am and the trail head was less than 2 miles so....  ....I drove through the campus to park. I know, I should have walked but and will next time now that I know how to get there through nice neighborhoods.  The climb to the "M" is rather steep, having an average grade of 20% through many switchbacks.  The sun has not yet risen above the mountain as I pause to take a pic of the slope I am ascending but finally....  ....reach the base of the "M". Great views as I turn and look.....  ....at the campus below me. I continued up and soon saw....  ....the rising sun. Kind of hazy as the wind has shifted from the southeast and is now bringing in smoke from our east.  I pass an abandoned copper mine. I've ready too many reports of bear sightings so decide not to go in and explore. ha, ha.  I continue up and reach a ridge trail that continues up to the peak but decide to descend via the ridge trail rather than continue up. OK, full disclosure, hiking alone and entering a forested area gave me pause cause I'm sure there are herds of grizzlies in there. I walk a short distance toward a valley and see....  ....the sun reflecting off the water of a river. I stand for quite awhile and take....  ....more pics from this vantage point.....  ....beautiful! Only had 2.7 miles with 1150' of climbing. Am enjoying the drive through states not previously visited but wish there was more time to do things like this. What a view!!!
 We enter Yellowstone NP. A fire of a few years ago has left many dead trees along the entrance. The park is enormous and driving through it take a looonnng time.  One of the main attractions is wild animals so several times we would see groups of people gawking and would stop. Sometimes the reward was...  ...well worth the stop but often times, at least on this trip....  ....not as people would stand at a distance to watch.....  ....a lone animal in the distance. Actually, I was underwhelmed by this park. I had planned to return the next day to hike to the bottom of the "Grand Canyon of Yellowstone" but given the heavy traffic and delays, decided against it.  We exited the park while entering the great state of Montana. We were both very comfortable with the people we met, the awesome hiking and cycling...if only it wasn't so cold here for so long, lol.  Stopping in Livingston, MT, we took a beautiful drive to Palisade Falls with Jack the dog.  The trail is paved all the way to....  ....the falls. Well worth the short walk to the base of the falls where we....  .....look down canyon.  We have stopped at many independently owned restaurants and enjoyed them all, along with the wonderful people with whom we talked.
 Grand Junction had a lot to offer for outdoor activity and would have liked to stay but we have to keep to a schedule so we re-enter UT, then into WY, a first for us both.  Between mountain ranges, there is an abundance of vast farms mostly growing hay. Giant stacks of hay bales are everywhere.  Entering Afton, WY where elk antlers are....  also in abundance.  We're excited to see the Grand Tetons and the lead into them is beautiful but....  ....hard to exceed the first good look of the Tetons. Jack seems less than impressed.  People line up to have their pic taken in front of the park sign and with the mountains in the background.  Awesome whether forest, prairie or....  ....lake in the foreground.  As unusually hot as it has been, not much snow left on the....  ....mountains. Traffic was surprisingly light as we drove through the park and headed to.... ....Yellowstone! More to come.
 We reached Grand Junction, CO, an area well worth a followup visit. Colorado National Monument is a real treasure, among other places. I had read about a short hike known as the Monument Canyon Loop so we found the trail head and began the hike.  We did the loop, clockwise as advised by the hike reports. Unfortunately, I had neglected to confirm that dogs were allowed and a hiker let us know about roving volunteers who issue a $250 fine if you are found walking with a dog. Amy volunteered to turn around while I continued. Hindsight being what it is, Amy's knee probably would have been a problem as she counts down the days to replacement surgery.  The Monument has awesome views as I climbed toward my first look at....  ....Independence Monument. There was once a wall of rock but erosion has removed it all except for this remaining piece. The image doesn't do justice to the size of the structure.  Great views every direction.  Each July 4th, a group climbs the spire and plants a US flag on top where it remains for a week before the flag is retrieved. There is a road that follows the rim of a nearby canyon and it is filled with cyclists and vehicles who witness the event.  Knowing Amy and Jack were waiting, I ran at times back often.....  ....the scenery would cause me to stop and take a pic. Note the rock balanced, for now on the right side. Finished with 4.5 miles and 750' of climbing. On to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone NP.
 We continue our scenic drive toward ID, cutting into UT and headed to MoB.  I visited Wilson Arch previously but didn't realize you could climb into it until I saw someone in the arch so...  ....up I go, enjoying some great views before.....  ....reaching the arch. Awesome place with a broad floor on which to stand.  Even Jack the Dog made it and he too thought the views were grand.  We continued our drive, passing a variety of interesting place before arriving in....  ....Moab for lunch and a stop at Rim Cyclers where I bought a couple of shirts. Back on the road and headed to Grand Junction, CO. That is a city worthy of a return visit.
 We are taking a few days to reach Coeur d'Alene rather than driving directly to the city. We take #77 and pass miles of burn scar from a recent fire, south of Globe.  We stop at an overlook where Jack poses.  We pass through Salt River Canyon which is always a visual pleasure.  Next was driving through northeast NM which has several unusual rock formations as we made our way to Cortez, CO.
 Several days having a forecast of rain of over 40% produced enough precipitation that the....  ...entrance into Catalina State Park was showing the effects. Also....  .....most of the washes were flowing. With that, it's on to a scenic drive to Coeur d'Alene that will include a stop at Yellowstone. So with that....  ....the scenery and location of activities will change. More to come.
 It rain in several places so I rode to Catalina State Park but alas, the washes were still dry. Maybe tomorrow,  After Wednesday's hike, I decided to spend some time in the spa and while it felt good, I don't think it did much for my sore thighs. I decided to change things and ride the day after the hike and then again....  ...the following day. Short distances simply to stretch the muscles. I think it worked although the below image popped up on my FB timeline.....  ...informing me that 4 years ago I did this 100 mile/10,000' climbing event. I am so far removed from being in that shape and it really bothers me. Actually it kind of gnaws at me.  Thursday, the conditions continued to be favorable for the development of rain so as the ominous clouds approached......  ....I stood outside to watch in my just arrived new pair of hiking shoes. Things looked....  ....so promising but somehow, we received a very modest amount of rain. Up in the mountains though, a different story and more on that coming soon.
 I organized a group hike to Shovel Saddle, high up in the Santa Ritas. Hiking friend, Lorna, suggested that since we would be in close proximity to 88 Mac peak, we should extend the hike by about a mile and hit that too.  During the hour+ drive to Madera Canyon, I passed Elephant Head, gleaming from the rising sun. In a couple of hours we would have a very different view of this remarkable feature.  Our group of 5, shove off on the Super Trail, soon get on the Pipeline Trail, drop into Fern Canyon and ascend it, hang a left at an unnamed trail junction and.....  ....reach Roger's Rock. At 1.7 miles from the parking lot, this alone is a worthwhile destination but we had much farther and much higher to go. We ascend the 24% average grade of Roger's Ridge to Four Springs Trail, make a right and....  ...enjoy the rolling nature of the trail. Several places we cross rock falls and occasionally the foliage would open and we had....  ....great views of Mount Wrightson. Our destination was at 8850' while Wrightson is 9200' so almost as high.  The Four Springs Trail to Shovel Saddle is about a mile with an average grade of 15% so not a flat trail, just not as steep as what we had already climbed or what was coming. The saddle is a beautiful area with exceptional views of....  .....Elephant Head, lower right in the above image. Hard to believe the climb to the top is up that left side.  We turned our attention to the next leg of our hike. Less than a mile away, so close but look at the elevation difference!!!! I had not previously visited this location so was glad Lorna knew where to leave the saddle as pine needles had covered the social trail.  Emerging from the ponderosa's we climb the .4 mile to an unnamed saddle. It's a beautiful, grassy area but with an average grade of almost 30%, a real toughie. We had incredible....  ....views to distract us. Mount Hopkins in the distance with the Whipple Observatory on top. Throughout, I was keeping an eye on area clouds and weather radar. We are finally having an active monsoon season with 70% chance of rain forecast for today. Storms frequently form on the mountains, rather suddenly, and then slosh over into the valleys.  Now at the saddle, we look to the peak although what we see is a false summit, the actual lying beyond, unseen.  Kind of rugged and an enjoyable, route finding challenge as we pick our way to the peak.  My very fit and hardy hiking friends on final approach.  Clouds are thickening as we view Wrightson. I'm not concerned about getting wet as I had a towel and change of clothes in my car. However, I am concerned about bolts of lightning so again checked radar. Still nothing in the immediate vicinity, showing rain.  Marc took us to the northwest side of the peak to look down on McCleary Peak.  In the distance, the Catalina Mountains.  There was an unknown peak between us and Wrightson. I'm unaware if there is a social trail to that peak but probably. A hike for another day.  We begin our descent, grudgingly because the 360 views at the top are amazing.  We reach the first saddle and begin the....  ....steep descent to Shovel Saddle. Reaching it I look....  ....to 88 Mac, hard to believe we were up there just a few minutes ago. We continue our descent and upon reaching Roger's Rock we hear....  ....rumbles of thunder. Just like that, it was now raining at the highest peaks. Within about a mile of the trail head, it began to rain lightly but we arrived, dry. On the drive out, it began to pour. We finished with 8.5 miles and 3700' of climbing. A hard and very worthy hike with a good group.
 Sorry gang. After the hike to Josephine Peak, my legs were fatigued and kind of beat up. I went for a very short, 10 mile bike ride and the area around my knees was not so good. Waited a day then did a 20 mile ride, not so good, then a 30 mile ride, still not all that well. Signed up for the "Ski Island Tour" a metric century ride out of Sierra Vista so that will give me motivation to put in greater distances. Meantime, have a really good hike on Wednesday and if the monsoon doesn't wash it out, I'll post the report soon thereafter.
 Our small group of 6 gathered at the Old Baldy trail head and shoved off at 7am as planned. At 5400', the air was pleasantly cool as we began the 2.4 mile ascent to....  .....Josephine Saddle. One of us, at about .5 mile, had begun not feeling well so turned around. Even though the return was obvious, we all felt better when she texted hiking companion Marc to confirm she had made it.  Although the average grade of the climb to Josephine Saddle via Old Baldy trail is only 12.7%, it always seems steeper and I was glad to get off it and onto the mellower Super Trail. The trail winds counter clockwise around Mount Wrightson with frequent glimpses of....  ....great views although they are muted by area fires.  We pass beneath this interesting rock formation with Mount Hopkins in the background. Every time I see that mountain I can't help but think of my little adventure of 2 years ago. Getting lost, finding the remains of a hiker, finding my way out and helping with the recovery effort of the long dead hiker tends to be something one never forgets.  We reach Riley Saddle and get a good look at Josephine Peak along with the formidable brush that stands between us and the peak. Hiking up the ridge facing us is possible but I've read it's sketchy with some class 3 scrambling and exposure. Instead we have to hike clockwise to a far ridge and then head up.  There is not an official trail through the thicket but an area hiker did go in and make some improvements on a social trail. Despite that, it is easy to lose the trail so eventually we just....  .....headed for the aforementioned ridge. Bill and I took turns leading the gang as I look back to see two of our group emerge into a small clearing. Mount Wrightson is in the background. Bill, who has summited Wrightson 257 times, later stated today's hike is harder than the Wrightson hike. With that experience, I'll take his word for it, lol.  It was kind of tiring to hike around Josephine Peak so midway we took a short break. Sitting on the log, you get an idea of how steep is the peak's side. The surface is very loose so often I had to "post hole" my left foot into the ground to gain enough support to take a step forward.  We close on the ridge where I find a large cairn, probably indicating this is where we start up. Sure enough, more cairns were found as we ascend a steep slope. Looking back....  ....there are great views! A fire swept through here a few years ago and there is plenty of evidence of it including.....  .....what appeared to be a grassy field but instead is thousands of young ponderosa pines. At last....  ....we reach the peak. We looked for a summit register but alas, we suspect a certain over zealous park ranger has removed it because it wouldn't fit with the wilderness experience.  Even with the smoke, the views are still awesome.  Josephine Peak offers little shade and is kind of nondescript but again, the views and getting a....  ....different perspective on Mount Wrightson is neat. Soon, we put our packs back on and begin our return.  A few hedgehog cactus are blooming which is a surprise given how dry is the region. We reached our cars having hiked 10.3 miles and gaining 3400'. Tough hike for sure. With breaks and waits it took a hair over 6 hours to complete.
 I got out for a short ride then Saturday, showed up at 6am for the Sabino Cycles shop ride with 16 others. Record breaking heat has settled in for the past 6 days and today was no different with a high of 114. Our group got in 35 miles with a 17.8 average, not all that fast for a group but not terrible.  I had a window replaced and after the installation...wow, what a difference. I should have had them all replaced. It was a good crew who worked hard. On Friday, my 2 daughters, son-in-law, Amy and grandson drove to Elgin for.....  ....wine tasting. Well worth the drive. Included in the entertainment was.....  ....fish food so Anthony fed the fish while we enjoyed a tasting. On we went to another....  ....winery and then.....  ....another. Yes, we had a designated driver. We even stopped at a.....  ....distillery. That too was enjoyable. Alas, the kids had to go, including.....  .....Anthony. He and I have always really hit it off. Probably because I act about his age, lol. Will miss that adorable 5 year old a lot. OK, tomorrow is the first time hike to Josephine Peak. A tad apprehensive as normal prior to a big hike. Will post a report very soon.
 Another day of record breaking heat so another day having a hike start of 5:30am. The Sabino Canyon parking lot, normally over flowing is barely 1/4 full. Beginning the hike with me to Blackett's ridge is a daughter, son-in-law and....  ....5 year old, Anthony. He and my daughter hung with us for the first half mile and then we were on our own.  The sun rises above the mountains to the east and.....  ....casts light on the highest peaks in the front range of the Catalinas. As we climb....  ....the views are spectacular!  So far, we are hiking in the shade but the sun line is moving steadily toward us.  The shadows add some context to the irregular ridge lines. After about 3 miles and a couple of regroups we.....  ....made it.  Awesome views into Sabino Canyon and beyond.  A lone hiker on the right, looking into the abyss with Thimble Peak in the distance, right side. Good hike with 1800' of elevation gain. Have a big hike coming this Monday, as long as a new fire doesn't deter us.
 Family has arrived and what a week in which to arrive! A daughter and son-in-law wanted to hike so I decided to try Pusch Peak. Hindsight being what it is, that was not such a good idea. On a prior visit I had escorted them up Picacho Peak but this is an entirely different animal.  An early start is required so from the Linda Vista trail head we began, at 5:30am. The climb would almost entirely be in the shade so that was good. But....  ....if you've done the hike, you know how steep it is once you leave the Linda Vista trail for the unnamed trail to the peak. That portion of the hike has an average grade of 30% so I was not surprised when my daughter, who lives in South Miami Beach, needed to take a break or two.  We arrived at the "wall" and.....  ....climbed it but I evaluated my hiking companions and decided rather than head for the peak, we'd.....  ....make Breakfast Point our destination.  The sun began to clear Pusch Ridge and what a sight it was.  Breakfast Point was still in the shade but not for....  ....long.  After enjoying a break, we headed back, finishing with 2.9 miles and 1400' of climbing.
 If you find yourself on the east side of Tucson, plan a visit to the Aqua Client Park. It's an otherworldly setting.....  .....lots of birders walking around and the sound of frogs is fairly constant, at least in the morning.  Nice walking paths too.  Being on the east side gave me ample views of Blackett's Ridge and Thimble Peak. I only rode about 18 miles this day and then.....  ....the next day parked at the base of Mount Lemmon. Two women rode by on Elliptical bikes and I thought for sure they would turn right but nope. They kept going up the mountain until mile post 7. I think that's quite an accomplishment on one of those platforms.  This was a Sunday and I was surprised at how many cyclists were heading up, easily 100, As I rode up, I was passed by several dozen trucks having mountain bikes in their beds. Whole lotta cycling going on that mountain. Alas, I spit the bit at only mile 7 but I rode so infrequently the last 4 weeks it will take some additional rides to regain some cycling fitness. I got in a 45 mile ride the next day.  Amy and I celebrated our 20th month anniversary at the El Conquistador on Oracle Road which had great views of Pusch Ridge as the sun set.
 I realize 99.5% of you visit this site for the images from awesome places. Yet, for any long time followers of this blog, I have always maintained I have kept this going because some day, I'll be in an assisted living place and I may enjoy looking at these reports. That you find some enjoyment from the reports is awesome. Amy and I were invited to a friend's house....  ....to a dinner party. It was a lot of fun to sit on their patio, talk, eat and drink. Mean time....  ....I'm ramping up my cycling. I rode with the ZONA cycling club but they have only 12-15 members. Sabino Cycles has restarted their weekend rides but the first ride is only 27 miles so forget that. Cyclefit is the most promising group but the organizer is vacationing so haven't had the opportunity. I got in a 45 mile ride that included the retirement community of Saddlebrook, above the town of Catalina. One of my favorite views is found there.. Pretty sure I am riding up Mount Lemmon for the first time this year, tomorrow.
 Amy and I drove up the paved side of Mount Lemmon, the south facing side. Usual fantastic scenery. I wanted to check out a trail head and make sure an upcoming hike was doable given some trail restrictions that are still in place (fallout from the fire of last summer).  The images don't do justice to what we witness. Plenty of evidence of the fire but also...  ....plenty of evidence of a normal scene with plenty of ponderosa pines. Then, since neither of us had ever driven the back side of the mountain, we.....  ....drove the 29 miles to the town of Oracle. It's a dirt road of course, and pretty bumpy in places but at this time, I think a car could make it. We passed 3-4 jeeps/trucks on the way down. The going is kinda of slow of course but the scenery...  ....was great. We both were glad to hit the pavement and then continue on to Oro Valley.
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