 Tuesday morning and a full parking lot at the top of Alvernon Road, including some rock climbers who would take the trail to Pontatoc Ridge and ascend the wall where the abandoned mine is located. Also there were....  …..the vans from two resorts. They too would be on the Pontatoc Ridge trail because.....  ….the trail to Mount Kimball or to Finger Rock Guard is unrelentingly steep and boulder strewn making the going difficult. This is one of the iconic destinations in the area with the narrow spire known as Finger Rock visible from all over Tucson.  After a rolling start of 1.2 miles, the trail crosses a ravine and starts steeply up. The next 1.5 miles gains almost 1500' with an average grade of 19%. Steep yes but the obstacles add immeasurably to the difficulty. Many times you pause, grab the end of a boulder and hoist yourself but throughout, great views.  I break the route up into 3 sections. The first is the end of the 1.5 mile section on which I am slogging now. Upon reaching a small plateau you leave the Finger Rock Trail which goes on to Mount Kimball, descend into a ravine and climb to that ridge to the right of Finger Rock. The 3rd section is the climb of the Guard.  There are several sections of slickrock prior to the aforementioned small plateau. Along the way I almost step on a.....  ….Yikes! A medium sized Tarantula.  Once on the plateau and before the trail has the option breaking right to the Linda Vista Saddle, I walk over and look down where I can see an unnamed trail winding up the slope toward the aforementioned ridge. I drop into.....  …..the ravine where there is a nice flow of water, hop across it and then begin a knee buckling ascent to the ridge. About .5 miles having an average grade of 31%!!!!  I reach the ridge which provides good views to the northwest that include Table Mountain. Then I turn toward......  …..the Guard. There are plenty of cairns to assist you but I suggest having a gps route anyway. This is my 4th visit and I am grateful for the cairns.  Across the way I spot the Finger Rock Trail (I know why name it that if it goes to Mount Kimball rather than Finger Rock) and the Linda Vista Saddle.  Rounding a corner I get a great view of Finger Rock. Then I turn to my left and.....  …...oh just wow. I drop my hiking pole as it will not be useful from this point forward. I carefully scale this wall and.....  ….use all my appendages to get through this mess and....  ….clamber up this and other steep and narrow obstacles before.....  ….reach the top of a small rock spire and take a look at the Finger. Except, you can really see it since it blends in so well with the rock behind it. Trust me, it's in there.  The views are.....  ….just awesome. Rain is forecast for later so I pick my way down, get off route once so check gps, get back on the route, descend to the saddle, descend to the ravine, climb out to the plateau and....  ….continue the descent as I watch the clouds roll in. Finished with 8 miles and 4000' of elevation gain. Needed a day to recover and then, on to another epic hike.
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 The hike description authored by Wade of the "Arizona Strong Hikers" group was too compelling to ignore. So, I drive 1:40 to the trailhead, as do others, including the driver of this vehicle who picked up a bolt in his tire practically as he arrived. What do you do, fix it now and miss the hike or.....  ….yeah, put it off until later. One thing about Wade's hikes, we always begin our march at the appointed time. No waiting for late arrivers and I like that. The temperature at the start of the hike is lower 40's...brrrrr. In the distance, our destination, the Goldfield Mountains.  The Salt River parallels the first 3 miles of our hike and we are greeted with a beautiful scene as mist rises from the river. The area is famous for the wild horses that populate it but unfortunately, we did not see any.  We take a couple of quick stops at the bank of the river. I've walked across it in the summer but today it would require a swim in a rapid flow of water. No thanks.  After 3 miles, we head toward a large arch and the views are amazing prior to a scramble up a fairly steep area of slickrock to.....  ….the Sunrise Arch. Very cool place with water dripping on the right side, wetting the slickrock in places.  More of our 12 member group carefully navigate the slope. Carefully will define much of what we hike today:)  Once through the other side of the cave, some of us ascend a steep slope to provide access to the top of the arch. Would I dare walk onto the arch.....  ...why yes I would but only briefly. Amazing that a Saguaro has grown so tall from what seems an inhospitable spot. It probably has 40-50 years of growth. We regather, traverse a steep slope, round a corner and.....  ….yikes, the route goes up that???? Well.....  ….yes it does! Alone, I would not have attempted this because a fall, while probably not fatal, would have resulted in serious injury. I can't guess the distance of the climb but dang, it was long and steep.  The final scramble was a wall but it had a couple of good hand holds. The rocks were loose where we stood so some of us carefully moved higher to avoid starting an avalanche. However, judging by the sounds drifting out of the canyon, some of our group were at their limits for the amount of exposure. Having long legs and arms is a huge benefit for this activity.  We regroup and eye our first peak.  For some reason, Doreen was a magnet for Jumping Chollas. The preferred quick method for removal is to pinch the offending object with two rocks and fling it from your clothing. One projectile landed on my hiking shoe but it was easily removed.  At the peak, oh wow. Just wow and in the other direction....  ….wow times 11 million. The Four Peaks Wilderness in the distance, capped by recent snow. A damn on the Salt River has formed a lake and boats could be seen riding around on it. Our pace, due to the nature of the route, all off trail bushwhacking, made me wonder how late we would miss our estimated finish time. After awhile, we got going and soon arrived at.....  …..Delicate Arch. OK, not nearly as impressive as the previous one but worth a visit as part of this wonderful loop.  We descend and soon climb again to.....  ….Fragile Arch. Kind of small as arches go. Hard to say how long before weather caused erosion takes out this one.  We were going to visit a 2nd peak but time was slipping by and there was that flat that needed changed so Wade led us off a ridge down a steep trail that had some of us sliding from the loose gravel and unsure footing. Having made it back to the plains that borders the river we navigated a warren of trails made from the wild horses. Jus then, I saw movement to my left but....  …...it wasn't a wild horse. A man on a horse was guiding this one over the same route we were taking, back to the same trailhead.  Hmmmmm, Wade described a route up this side canyon that leads to a ridge from where a peak can be visited. Sounds like that would be worth a visit the next time I decide to make the long drive across the desert. Finished with 10 miles and 1800' of climbing. The Arizona Strong Hikers group is by far the most enjoyable group of those to which I belong and while the name of the group may sound a tad pretentious, it wouldn't be a stretch if it instead was named, "Arizona Very, Very Strong Hikers".
 Well, you don't see this very often. A strong front came through Thursday night, accompanied with wind gusts of over 50mph. Couple that with daily waterings of desert trees which don't allow much root development and....  ….you get this and even......  ….this. Never seen a healthy Saguaro toppled by the wind. Also took out a Barrel Cactus. Had it fallen the other direction, it would have landed on a car.  In addition to the 5-6 mature trees down, there were.....  ….plenty of widow makers hanging overhead.  An entry was temporarily blocked too. But sports fans, a day later and.....  …..it's all back to normal with sun, blue skies and warm temperatures. An epic hike to describe soon.
 Thanksgiving dinner not until 5pm so what to do, what to do.....to Sabino Canyon to do the Blackett's Ridge fitness hike. Crowded parking lot this partly cloudy morning with thick clouds drifting among the peaks.  Sand deposited on the bridge is evidence of heavy rain the day before. I was glad to discover the water had receded so I didn't have to remove my shoes. I kept a good pace to this point and decided rather than a stroll pace, I'd see how fast I could make it to the top.  As I entered the clouds, mist began. Heavy rain was due to arrive later but I chanced what I was feeling was simply part of the lingering clouds rather than an early arrival of the front coming in from CA.  The trail became slippery, especially on the sections of slick rock. I prefer walking on this but today, it was kind of treacherous.  I reach the top and had an unusual view of Thimble Peak which is normally awash in sunshine. At times the Peak was completely obscured. I was soaked from the cocktail of mist and perspiration so did not linger very long. Later.....  …..I discovered I had set a good time but 5 minutes off my best time. I've been hiking frequently and was pleased that the soreness around my legs and feet that I would usually experience after a hike of this type, was absent. Good, the weather is perfect, other than this rare rain event, for longer hikes and I intend to do plenty of those in the next couple of months before I ramp up cycling.  So odd to look down at Sabino Canyon Road and see clouds below me. The shuttle service was closed for today and entry into the park was free.  The clouds made for such a dramatic look in the surrounding mountains.  Turning to retrace my route, I could see the sky was clearing and the forecast rain would hold off until much later in the day.  I had the ridge to myself but as I descend, a guy dressing in black can barely be seen coming up trail. The view to the northwest was fantastic.  More great views as I finish today's 6 mile hike. As forecast, rain came in and then on Friday.....  ….whoa. Several trees were downed by 50mph wind gusts. Well over 1" of rain was received in Oro Valley while much more to the south and east. More images of the storm's damage coming soon.
 I've been busy and have gotten behind in the reports. Got some great images coming in next couple of days but in the meantime, a friend and I took the new electric shuttle (very noisy) to stop #9, the final stop, in Sabino Canyon. We made the climb above the shuttle stop and looked back, awesome.  I paused to take off a layer of clothing while my friend, Amy, looks into the vast wilderness. She's a very strong hiker but still working for "the man" so limited to weekend hikes.  We are headed to Hutch's Pool, a relatively modest, 9 mile roundtrip hike. In the ravine below, we hear water roaring from runoff of recent rains and some snow melt.  Coming the other way, a woman hiking the AZT, the trail that goes from Utah to Mexico. Last couple of days she was navigating over snow and ice covered trails but now enjoying the sun and warmth.  After 3 stream crossings, we reach the sandy beach and a look up stream at the Pool. A wonderful destination. During warmer months, people flock her and dive into the water.  We follow a faint path farther upstream to the falls that feeds the pool. After a short break to refuel we.....  …..head back, finishing our 9 mile hike with a modest 900' of climbing. More to come my friends.
 I live on the other side of the mountains that you see, upper left, in Oro Valley. Yet, I find myself driving round the mountain to the east side all the time for a variety of reasons. Thinking about acquiring a place on the east side. Anyway, I arrive at the Aqua Caliente trail head and begin a kind of steep climb.  The first mile ascends with an average of 12% and so quickly the views arrive. The trail dips and climbs, dips again and soon.....  ….well, there's more dips and climbs to come with the peak in the distance, middle right. There is an interesting ravine to the right that appears worthy of exploring.  I chose this route because of the distance (9) and elevation gain (2700') but also because it being on the east side, I'd get a good look at.....  ….Mount Lemmon and its 12" of snow but the clouds had rolled in, collected at the peaks and as I rose higher, the view became more obscure.  Having done this hike once before, I knew that a peak that loomed in the distance was actually a false summit and not the one I intended to climb. Just before I reach the false summit, the trail veers to the right and circumvents the peak.....  ….which finally comes into view. Doesn't look like much but it is steep.  The false summit and real summit are separated by a ridge that gives awesome views to the northeast and the wilderness that seems endless. I over take a couple of hikers and then advance.....  …..up the final slope. The last time I hiked the trail there was snow and ice on this portion of the trail so knowing there was a Strava segment available, I hit it hard despite being a bit fatigued,.....  …..reached the top and took shelter from the wind in front of this tree. Later....  ….dang, beat my prior time but that Jesse guy's time, unreal. I'd suspect he trail ran and didn't adjust the Strava setting to "Run" rather than "Hike" but it's too steep to run so probably legit. As expected, he's a cyclist. Cyclists make really good hikers.  Aqua Caliente Hill, which is really a mountain, sits between the Catalinas and the Rincons. In the distance, I see snow on the Rincons with a nice line of clouds drifting through.  I'm joined by 5 other hikes and have a nice conversation but soon it is time to begin the long descent. A hiking pole is a good idea as there is a lot of gravel on the steep descent.  I see the trail winding its way past the false summit and also see Catalina Highway climbing Mount Lemmon.  I was struck by this scene. Beautiful and dramatic.  I tramp lower, round a corner and see there is still a long way to go but eventually I finish this wonderful Friday hike. The next day I enjoy the Buckeyes win over Penn State and recover for another hike on Sunday but what's this? Four days of rain next week and more mountain snow???
 Rain moved in as forecast and while it was not a steady, non stop event typical of my days in the Midwest, there was enough of it for two days that everyone received at least an inch. At the 8000'+ elevation there was snow forecast. The clouds prevented me from checking but Catalina Highway was closed so.....  There were abundant rainbows as the clouds parted and the sun burst through then on Friday.....  ….sure enough, there in the distance at the top of Mount Lemmon, a reported 12" of snow. Not enough to begin skiing but yet another front is forecast to move through next week and that might get it done.  I arrive at the Aqua Caliente trail head to begin a nice climb to AC peak. Gorgeous day but with a high of only 63 degrees! There are many resorts in the area and most of them have hiking programs so it is common to see one of their vans. Too many great images to come from today's hike.
 With rain arriving late morning, I drove the mile to Catalina SP to check a route that I will likely post to one of the hiking groups. It's a simple route of 5 miles, some of it off trail. I begin walking the Sutherland Trail.  Been awhile since water flowed in this wash but maybe the next 2 days of rain will change that.  I hear rustling in the brush and see a small group of Javelinas. They have a good burst of speed and are aggressive if they sense a youngster is being threatened. I scan the area to make sure I'm not between it and a family member.  The walking is easy in this section of the park and looking to the southwest, I see the clouds are breaking and the sun emerges. Later though, we receive an 1"+ of rain during the following two days. Reaching a bench, I hang a right, cross a ravine and make another right and begin bushwhacking.  I reach the large green rock. I had an appointment to make so did not also visit the hidden falls and thus cut the distance down to 3.5 miles.  The leaves are turning as I pass through a broad wash. Beautiful and enjoyable, short hike as I prepared to hunker down for two days. Fortunately, there was plenty of opportunities to play table tennis with a gang around the mountain. Plus, it would be a good idea to give my left knee a break as the effects of falling a few days ago is still lingering.
 It's a short story. Not on the bike, not on a hike but while sitting on a couch, watching Ohio State basketball I was bitten by a rather large dog. Bad enough but while standing at a sink watching water flow over the mangled thumb and blood gushing, I passed out and fell to a tile floor...funny, right? I injured my left knee and had a problem walking for a couple of days but a few bike rides reoriented the knee and so here I am at the Finger Rock trailhead for my first post injury hike. The prominent rock in the distance is Finger Rock Guard and to its left is Finger Rock. The route takes one to the Guard rather than the Finger. Climbing the Finger requires rope and a lack of fear of exposure.  However, my goal for today is Pontatoc Ridge which is accessed via the Pontatoc Canyon Trail. Off I go on a probably too steep and too rocky hike, all things considered.  The Canyon trail meanders up the canyon cast by the shadow. It's kind of boring while the Ridge trail breaks to the right at some point and is signed so you can't miss it.  I have reached the trail junction, made the right turn and follow the trail as it goes counterclockwise from the north side of the ridge around to the south side. Plenty of spots to walk to a rim on slick rock and look at the magnificent views.  The trail climbs and eventually cuts back to the south side and in the distance, you can see an old mine which is actually where the trail leads. I have no idea why long ago, someone thought that was a good place to dig into the mountain. Yes, the trail does not take you to the ridge but to the mine opening. I have been there once and not all that interesting a location.  I will gain 2300' on my way up so the Guard, Finger and to its left, Prominent Point (not yet made it to the Point) come much closer.  Within, gosh I don't know, maybe 300 yards of the mine opening, there is an unsigned but fairly obvious trail going up hill to the right. Take this to make the top of Pontatoc Ridge. Fabulous destination but be aware, the trail is very steep having an average grade of 35% for the .45 distance and lots of loose rock. Take a hiking pole.  Gaining on the ridge top. Beautiful, isn't it? Another note, several places have no obvious trail so watch for the cairns, which are not plentiful but enough. There is some route finding required in the maze of boulders that you will encounter.  Far below I can see the Canyon trail. As I said, it goes maybe 3+ miles and dead ends with no visual reward for the effort. Yes, you can bushwhack from there across to I think Ventana Canyon or over to the Finger Rock trail but it appears there is a healthy crop of shin daggers on the slopes above.  Hey! Almost there and when I arrive.....  …..grand views of the Catalinas and of course, the end of the ridge.  The sun is coming in and out of some clouds so the colors change as I look to the.....  ….northwest and see Rosemont Saddle and to its right, Rosemont Peak. Beyond that is Pima Canyon. My knee has performed like a champ so I am relieved. Of course descending places different stresses but I was good with that challenge too. Anyway, I begin the descent.  A lot of neat rock formations are navigated and as I previously said, pay attention to the cairns. There's actually a prominent cairn in the above image, just to the right of the vertical rock. I also got off the route once, as others have done when I followed a left breaking path that began meandering down the left side of the ridge. Instead,.....  ….the route stays high on the ridge. My route takes me through.....  ….a healthy grove of Jumping Cholla. Ended the day with 5+ miles and a fairly healthy knee again. Today was mostly sunny with a high in the low 80's but big change coming our way with 3 days of rain!
 A never before visited trail head on Broadway, east side of Tucson. I had recently read about "Pink Hill" and a dam that seemed worth a visit and I am always up for seeing a new part of the area. This hike starts in the Cactus Forest Complex of Saguaro East National Park. Be warned, this area is a maze of trails with confusing signage.  Now there's a fine example of a Jumping Cholla cactus.  The flat with slight rolling terrain is at the base of the western side of the Rincons. Wait...those are the Catalinas.....  ….ok, here are the Rincons as I look east with a rising sun slightly above.  The trail is one of the few around here that is very runnable so I do so off and on to quicken the pace. I arrive at Pink Hill and am perplexed that it was ever designated as a hill. I'd like to show you amazing far off vistas but the view didn't differ much from standing anywhere else in the area.  I find my way, while passing through numerous trail junctions to this little wash with some standing water.  I cross the wash and in the distance I can see what appears to be a trail rising from left to right toward what is likely Garwood Dam. Garwood was a rancher who constructed a dam in the 1920's and so eventually, I round a curve in the trail and....  ….sure enough, there it is! It is located in Wild Horse Canyon. Upon arriving at the dam, I encounter 3 park rangers who are out spraying the invasive Buffelgrass.  Impressive. The area above the dam has filled with silt so little volume to hold water now. The trail leads me on the only real ascent where I drop into the canyon for a quick visit. Looking up and down canyon at the many slick rock areas, it would be a good place for exploring some other time. I retrace my steps and reach....  ….the typical signage. There are dozens of trails and without a map, you are screwed for a first time visitor. During my return, I run into two separate couples who have maps but are lost. I help as best I can and tell them I don't want to read about them in the newspaper tomorrow. In each case, I advise them to go back to the trail head from where they started and not attempt to complete a loop which will have many intersections to navigate.  I became lost. It happened at a point where 3 trails merged and each had a sign with multiple and seemingly contradictory diections. Fortunately, I whipped out my gps navigation devise (cell phone with Strava mapping). While the trails are not named on my app, I can interpret the dotted lines and figure out whether to go right, left or straight. I eventually get it figured out and soon.....  ….reach a point where I can see the southwest tip of the Catalinas, pick out other land marks and know I am headed in the right direction. Finished with 9 very flat miles with only 650' of elevation gain and no mountain top views:(
 Pusch Peak, at the southwest corner of the Catalina Mountains and part of the 57,000 acre Pusch Ridge Wilderness. That this is in my back yard and able to hike or look at it each day is a privilege. It doesn't look like a difficult hike but damn, it is!  The first mile is straight forward and part of the Linda Vista trail system. Not too much dodging of boulders, just an average grade of 16% but then.....  ….yeah, ugh. While yes, this is a walk in the park, it is a very difficult climb with times you'll use all appendages to advance higher and higher. The other mile (it's just over 2 total miles!) to the peak has an average grade of over 30%.  The route stays above a drainage before crossing it but just prior to that, a trail comes in from the right that many have mistakenly taken to.....  ….the prominent point which is a good mid hike destination. However, I continue onward, catch a few people and soon.....  ….leave them behind as they stop to admire the views.  A sign I am nearing the top, the first of 3-4 "dorsal fin" type features that cling to a ridge. Just then, I hear the rumble of thunder.....  ….it's well to the northwest and nothing but mostly blue skies to the southeast so I am good to go. After 2 short/long miles and 2600' of climbing.....  ….I make it! From the parking lot, I arrive in 1:22, a bit off my best time of 1:09 but still a good effort.  The peak to the right is Pusch with the Cleaver, Bighorn and Table Peaks. From where I stand it is....  ….such a different vantage point. Each of the aforementioned peaks is in this image but you'd have a hard time noticing.  I take a long look to the north where I can see the Catalinas petering out around the town of Oracle.  I begin the descent which always take me longer than the climb. I look back one last time and then....  ,,,,enjoy the wonderful view to the southwest with the prominent features of the ridge in the foreground. One of the "fins" looks climbable so I decide to come back and explore.  I notice a couple of damns that someone erected to catch water and provide for the 4 legged types that walk this wilderness.  Almost back to the car and one last look back.
 The fabulous fall weather continues, with sun, temps in the low 80s, slight wind, blue sky.... A friend had never hiked to the top of Blacketts Ridge so I was glad to show the way. Most consider this the "hardest short hike in Tucson" except it's not (a new hike report coming to demonstrate) but still a really good workout.  After a flat to rolling start of roughly a mile, we head up the Phoneline trail where a small group stands in the shade at the point where Blackett's Trail goes to the right while Phoneline continues straight. The next 2 miles is kind of brutal with an average grade of 16%.  My hiking buddy, Amy, has persevered with a great attitude throughout and she nears the completion and then.....  ….made it! Three miles to the top, the latter 2 having a gain of 1700'. In the distance is Thimble Peak.  We are soon joined by others who have made the trek as I look to the west.  The hiking poles come out for the descent as it can be sketchy in places. It's counterintuitive but going down hill takes longer than going up. When we reach the bridge at the bottom of the descent....  ….there are a couple of pools of water and a snake is feasting on the minnows who find their environment shrinking by the hour. Finished with 6 miles and a fun time.
 A shirt drive from home is the Tortolita Mountains with a nice variety of trails, none of which is a knee buckler, just modest climbing and plenty of it. There is a staff of paid employees who keep the trails maintained. Most trails start from the Wild Burrow parking lot and pass through this broad wash.  A short walk brings you to this station which has all the typical warnings about heat and deadly critters. From this point I can continue on the Wild Burrow, opt for the Lower Javelina or for today, begin....  ….climbing the Alamo Spring Trail. Odd formation that gives the appearance each stone was placed by hand to form a wall. Once I ascend to the initial peak, what follows is a lot of up and down climbing through.....  ….fairly thick vegetation typical of the Sonoran Desert.  As this is just west of Oro Valley and on the eastern edge of Marana, there are good views of Kitt Peak and the Quinlan Mountains.  I reach a spur trail and decide to take it back down to the wash but before doing so, this gives a good view of looking to the northeast and what lays out there in the way of hiking. The benefit of hiking here is the rigorous pace you can choose to set rather than monster climbing. The most difficult climbs are in the 600-900' variety.  No matter the time of year, some plant always seems to be flowering and the recent rain has no doubt contributed. Finished with 5.6 miles and 1200' of climbing. Fun day on a beautiful day with highs in the low 80's.
 I have lost count of the quantity of cold (but dry) fronts that have moved through the area, each dropping the temperature and bringing winds in which I'd rather not ride. Of course, while driving to hiking trails I see plenty of cyclists but since I have hiking as a back-up, that's what I do. So....  ….to the Tucson Mountains I go to ascend to Wasson Peak, the high point in the mountain range. The granite stone work always (my 2nd visit) amazes me.  The initial climb, all of it with the granite steps, is .9 miles having an average grade of 13%. That is misleading because the area between steps is flat but the step up, yikes. Upon reaching a saddle, I look east and the peaks I see hide Wasson Peak. Still a long way to go, almost 6 miles in total.  What follows is some rolling to slight ascending with grand views to the north where I spot Panther and Sombrero Peaks. Going to organize a group hike to Panther soon.  Ascending additional slopes and some meandering around other peaks, I eventually spot, in the distance, a little known alternative to the main trail to Wasson coming out of King Canyon. The King Canyon trail condition is really rough compared to the one I see and of course the trail on which I am walking.  I emerge between the two protrusions on the left and merge with the King Canyon trail for the short distance remaining to Wasson. I put in a good effort and gain the peak 1:33 but later saw that effort is 10 minutes behind my best time. This always produces the, "Well, see there, age has finally caught up with you". But then I see I set the 1:23 time just 6 months ago, the strong east wind was always in my face, etc... I can rationalize pretty much anything given the scantest of evidence:) Oh! Look in the distance and note a dust storm has formed out around I-10.  Another look at the alternative trail to King Canyon of which few people know. The King Canyon trail is on slopes facing away from me.  The views.....  ….are awesome but I am surprised to be the only person at the peak. Typically the place is loaded but maybe the high wind forecast has deterred some from the ascent.  As I began my descent I noticed a couple somewhat below the peak, looking at the Catalina Mountains. I rounded a corner and.....  …..wow, a nonvenomous snake!!! I have heard that high winds do something to the ability of rattlesnakes to detect vibration and so they stay under ground. Not wishing to put that theory to the test, I am always watchful.  I exit King Canyon trail, left at the aforementioned place and see the serpentine trail ahead of me.  An odd growth of shin daggers. At least I think that is what this is as the plant has the scary points. I have always encountered them at higher elevation like this but growing as a field not a clump like this. I just have to become better at identifying native plants.  I descend the stairs toward the end of the trail and again marvel and the workmanship. Finished with 11.4 miles and 2400' of climbing. A good workout!
 This is a very enjoyable and fun hike. I've done it once before but clockwise so today I wanted to do it in the counter clockwise direction so I'd climb the mountain and subsequent ridgeline from the back side. Brown Mountain is hardly imposing but the several ups and downs beyond what you see makes for a challenging hike.  An unusual sight, 3 barrel cactus and all producing fruit. Not sure when the fruit is eatable. I usually see the cactus growing as a single.  Above is my route so the first half is a nice, rolling hike.  I'm not an expert but I suspect the future is dim for this saguaro. Can't help but wonder how it became like this.  On the left side of the trail I see this hump shaped cluster of debris. There is an obvious entry/exit path and I wonder what has made a home here. Clearly much of the mound has been created by dragging pieces of cactus, leaves, branches....maybe a Gila Monster? No, I don't stick my hand or pole in and poke around to find out.  The first half of the hike ends at a picnic area and close by is the Desert Museum. A must see for any visitors to the area. I take a short break and then head up.....  ….where I top out at one peak and can see the trail before me which circumvents a higher peak. Upon reaching that....  ….it's a walk along the balance of the ridge and down to the desert floor. Finished with 5.8 miles and 900' of climbing. Just a fun time to be outdoors, warm temperatures and brilliant sun. The odd weather year continues with several approaching cold fronts that are dry but will bring wind and cooler temps that will keep me off the bike and on the hike.
 So I'm off. Activated the Strava app and going for a new personal best time on the hike to Romero Pools. While the first mile is flatish, once you hit the slopes, it's a tough hike to the pools.  I arrive at the pools which are full of stagnant water but still a beautiful setting. I hiked as fast as I could, checked the Strava app and.....NOOOOOOO! I had forgotten to push the start button. That just sucks to put in that effort and discover that. Oh well, some time under 60 minutes. I started the app for the return and took my time to.....  ….take many pics.  The wilderness frames civilization in the distance.  A squirrel allows me to approach within arm's reach as it feeds on leaves and later....  …..a desert tortoise! I finish the hike, jump in the car and upon reaching home about a mile away, discover I had forgotten to stop Strava. Oh well, tomorrow is another day.
 Not an atypical scene in the fall while driving around east, central Ohio. I spent a few days continuing to work in my mini forest and then....  …..a front came through and dropped the high daytime highs into the mid 50's. I spent one more day in the woods with a nice fire going, burning stumps I had left over from my chainsaw use and then.....  …...drove west. I arrived in Hatch, NM the Chile world capital and then on the final day of driving, something odd occurred....  ….Nearing the AZ border I noticed around 100 people standing north of I-10 in a field, all staring to the west. Weird like a scene out of a sci-fi movie. I leaned forward in my seat to see if there was something in the sky but no. Then a few cars had pulled off the interstate so I too pulled over. A couple was standing nearby and I asked what was happening. The world's largest, restored steam engine had just crossed the border and was 2-3 minutes out and sure enough!!! Known as "Big Boy" it was making a tour of the southwest and many people have been following it or seeing where they can station themselves for the rare sighting.  And then, back to the beautiful mountains and AZ sun and warm temperatures.
 After Thursday's ride, I met a few long time cycling friends in Dublin on Friday evening. Prior to that, I spent the day in my woods. 20+ years ago this was a field before I planted 500 trees, mostly red oaks. I have an emotional attachment to the land and enjoy cutting dead trees, splitting and stacking the wood to be burned by others in the winter.  Vegetation grows rapidly during the summer so it is also fun to clear the paths and burn the brush. Stella is alerted to the sound of something scurrying in the brush. On Saturday, I made a couple of visits to.....  ….the Denison University Bio Reserve. On these acres are many miles of trails through mature stands of various trees. At the edge of a field, a few years ago......  ….over 70 (I was sickened by it and counted them several times) very mature trees, some over 200 years old, were cut down to make room for a solar farm. Had a fracking platform gone in the college students would have staked themselves to the trees but for a solar farm, just trees, no big deal.  The invasion of the Emerald Ash Borer, originally arrived from China in wooden pallets, has moved east and in its wake, practically every ash tree has died. Plenty of evidence of what once was but fortunately.....  ….the woods are full of other species like wonderful, old Beech and some of the....  …..largest red oaks I have seen.  There are also sections of pines and so the variety of the place is amazing.  It's easy to put in a 6 mile hike without repeating any trails while the hills will quicken your heart rate. It was odd to hike or better yet, trail run, without having to look for rattlesnakes. Granville, OH, check it out.
 The sun lights the sky behind my beloved Catalina mountains. It is 6am and I have jettisoned reason so I have flexibility. I am driving to Ohio, all 29 hours of it, with my bike, taking it to Rick Miller so he can fix what two Tucson bike shops could not.  An interesting rock formation as I head east on I-10.  Farther east, lot of standing water indicates this area, famous for spawning dust storms, won't be active for awhile.  A rain cloud in the distance but it avoided me as I enter....  …..NM and take a pic of this neat view and also of.....  ….a large Roadrunner statue. I'm cutting it close but I arrive.....  ….in Ohio on Thursday late afternoon to jump in for the final Cycling Club evening group ride. Only 27 come out, down from the 70-90 cyclists during the peak of the season. Central Ohio has a very strong cycling community. Hundreds and hundreds of lonely country roads that stitch together small communities and farms. The route variety is awesome with steep, punchy hills to the northeast, east and southeast, flat land to the west. If only the weather wasn't so awful but there is the trade-off.  The race for a better bike is constant among all of us and Scott Billman has an especially nice one.  So too does Chris I, who had a variety of custom decals made for his.  Cycling buddy Larry P in the foreground with John and Jon next to him. Only two groups head out, a Rivet/A mix and then....  …..an A/B mix. My fitness being less than ideal since I am coming out of my "off season" I hoped to hang on and did, finishing the 28 miles with a 19.9 average. Always amazed at how much a difference group riding has on the cycling average. A combination of drafting and motivation to stay in the group. Andrew Clayton on the left, counting down the days until he heads south to FL for the winter. There is another trade-off, great winter weather, a much closer drive but the roads are, for me, flat and boring. I decided to ship my spare road bike to Ohio where I friend will store it so I can fly rather than drive. Will never make that drive again, honest.
 I drove rather than flew to Ohio for a visit to check on family, friends and property. Each time I drive I swear I will never do it again yet here I go again. Taking my road bike with me so the guy who build it could do what two shops in Tucson failed to do (he did it!). The diagnosis really makes you wonder how lacking in skill are the mechanics at the shops. Anyway, left the sun and warmth of AZ for.....  ….the sun and warmth of Ohio until a front came through and left clouds and cold. More to come.
 The day after the Sky Island ride, I joined a group of hikers at the Douglas Springs trail head on the far east side of Tucson, part of Saguaro East National Park. The pace was promoted as being medium slow so I knew what to expect and that would be ok after the previous day's ride.  Early on our 3.5 mile hike to the falls, we passed this saguaro in bloom.  We began rising above the valley. Since Tucson is surrounded by 4 major mountain ranges and a number of smaller, I'd be hard pressed to think of a hike that does not require an ascent.  The Ocotillo have gained their green petals and it won't be long before red flowers adorn the ends of these whip like canes.  OK, so the pace got to me after awhile and I took off, arriving at the falls where there were only two other hikers. Prior to the start of the hike dozens of people had entered the trail system and I assumed most had this as their destination but nope.  The flow of water was small but still a pretty spot. I climbed above the falls via a faint trail on the left side and above.....  ….there were some flowers in bloom as I....  ….sat in the shade, ate, drank and watched for a sign of my hiking companions. They soon arrived and rested at the foot of the falls. I explored some more....  ...found some more flowers, climbed down and rejoined the group  After a short break, we began the return.....  …...passing this barrel cactus, among many others, also blooming. The fall in AZ is spectacular.
 Although Sierra Vista is only about a 90 minute drive from Oro Valley, the 7am start kind of required me to stay at a hotel. The sun has just risen as participants gather in the parking lot of the host hotel.  A much smaller turnout then what I witnessed for the Wilcox Flyer about a month ago. This is the 4th annual event and should grow because they have a good route, which is a loop rather than the out/back in Wilcox. Approximately 200 cyclists came out.  Check this out! The mayor of Sierra Vista (guy wearing the tie) made a few comments to the group. Also check out the ghastly orange T-shirt. That is what we received in our bag of goodies when I checked in on Friday.  And we're off. We start on a bike path which was too narrow to safely improve one's position so I missed the front group. Emerging from the path and then navigating a neighborhood with too many speed bumps, I get in with a group of 9 which included a cycling friend from Oro Valley, Tricia. I almost got dropped on the first, modest climb of the day as the road headed toward a mountain but just before spitting the bit, I saw we were to make a turn away from the mountain which I correctly interpreted as the end of the climb. I......  ….recovered on the descent, barely survived another climb and then we experienced a glorious, 8 mile descent...yeehaw! Arriving at a bridge spanning the San Pedro River, I knew the gig was up and work would begin anew. The road rolled for a bit and then we began a 14 mile climb. I was going well until I wasn't and at mile 31, with a 21mph average, I had to drop anchor from the 4 who remained from the original group.  The road finally stopped rising, dropped a little, rolled through a roundabout with plenty of volunteers to direct me onto the main road through Bisbee which has a large copper mine at its entrance. Thus began a really hard climb of about 5 miles. I was lulled into a false sense of relief when I reached an exit and descended, assuming the climbing was finished but noooooo!!! The steepest was to come as the final mile via Old Divide Road averaged 7%.  I wonder if the copper color or the month of October was the inspiration for the shirt giveaway?  I reach the top of the climb and pause at a refueling station. Nice views into the valley and the town of Bisbee. Having upped my cycling miles for the month to over 600, my legs were in much better shape than what I had for the Wilcox ride. That I had stayed in the group for as long as I did shocked me but of course, leaving the group the average speed plummeted. But....  ….my position relative to my peers wasn't bad. I enjoyed a long descent prior to teaming up with another straggler for the final few miles, finishing with 62 miles, 3000' of climb and a 17.7 average speed. Well, back to hiking.
 Whoa, too many activities backed up and I have gotten behind. Plus headed to the land of the Buckeyes, a week later than planned. Got to make this a quick report and hope the images satisfy as I need to drop more reports in short order.  What is up with that little smudge in the upper right corner. Beautiful morning for the fitness hike to the top of Blackett's Ridge. From the parking lot, anything under an hour is a good time. My fastest is 51 minutes.  The water is flowing from the recent rains as I cross the bridge and take the Phoneline Trail until it breaks left and then I pick up the very steep BR trail.  The first mile is flat to rolling but once that aforementioned bridge is crossed, the next 2 miles has an average grade of 16% but seems much steeper.  Flowers blooming......  …...in many places.  Nearing the top.....  ….yippee! What a great workout. Make it in 57:09. How did I ever get 51:06, which is 5th all time on Strava?  The trail abruptly ends with a good view of Thimble Peak.  Good views all around including looking.....  ….into Sabino Canyon as I sit and rest.  A better look of Sabino Canyon where I can see the new, electric shuttle buses taking lots of people to the end of the road. As I said, much more to come.
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