Home Again - All Good Things Must Come to an End - April 7, 2021

Home Again - All Good Things Must Come to an End - April 7, 2021

We had a great trip … Bambi, even after being in storage for over a year, had no problems … (and we were delighted that we remembered how to do everything).

Coco was a delightful travel companion … riding well in the car, hiking well on the trail, behaving well in Bambi, sleeping well in her kennel … a real traveling, hiking, hanging out under our feet companion.

When Coco arrived home, she showed us that she had lost her first (that we’ve found) puppy tooth … she placed it under her pillow and the canine tooth fairy left her a much-desired liver treat.  We’re hoping that the adult replacement teeth are nowhere near as razor sharp as her puppy teeth.

We cleaned Bambi and returned him to his storage … with promises of trips to come.

We’re still happy campers!

Vista Viewpoint and Basin Trail - North Fork of Cave Creek - April 6, 2021

Vista Viewpoint and Basin Trail - North Fork of Cave Creek - April 6, 2021

Our last day of hiking, as we leave tomorrow to return to Tucson.  

We started with a short hike up to the Vista Viewpoint for Cathedral Rock.  We parked in the parking lot only to be reprimanded for scaring away a flock of wild turkeys that a couple was trying to photograph.  Birders can be a bit irritating (and rude) ...

The hike was short and the view of Cathedral Rock was sweet.  Paul got a fantastic panoramic shot of the Cave Creek Canyon ... and a sweet picture of his “girls” ...

Next up was a return to Herb Martyr Campground to head out on the Basin Trail up the north fork of Cave Creek and deeper into the Chiricahua Mountains.  The first half mile of the trail was under cover of oaks and ambled along the North Fork, crossing in a few locations, giving Coco an opportunity to play in the water, chasing leaves and twigs, cooling herself off.  

The next half mile was increasingly steep and rocky through an area that had been burned out in a past fire.  We got up high enough to start entering the pine forest, but decided to turn around as Coco was getting hot (her black coat heats up quickly) and the trail was a bit steeper and rockier than she had experienced.  So, back down the trail we went ... we met no one on the trail.

We got back to Fritz as the wind was picking up ... now it is blowing with what feels like moderate or near gale force wind on the Beaufort Scale (7).  Bambi is rocking a bit with the force of the wind and we’re glad to have time in the protection of Bambi to read and collect our thoughts.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaufort_scale

Tomorrow we are off in the morning ... back to Tucson. 

Two Tickets to Paradise - April 5, 2021

Two Tickets to Paradise - April 5, 2021

We decided to take a bit of a break in hiking to explore the dirt road that led from Portal to Paradise (FS 42B).  It was 5.5 miles to Paradise along a rough, dirt road until we arrived at a bridge that crossed Turkey Creek and turned left into the “town” of perhaps ten homes, and the George Walker House, a 100 year old home built by George and Lula Walker, now known to birders worldwide as a location for premier birding (and lodging).

We parked Fritz on the road just outside of Paradise and walked the roadway that bordered Turkey Creek for about 1.5 miles.  We never saw another vehicle and only saw one other walker ambling along the road.  Everywhere were signs for No Trespassing ... and what appeared to be utilities for homesites yet undeveloped.  I can’t quite picture development given that the only road in is dirt and can be closed during winter ... but, it may be a failure of my imagination.  Turkey Creek was mainly dry ... a few areas with water that came to the surface, but largely dry.  The canal would suggest a history of more vigorous flow, but at present, even with melting snow in the mountains, it was strikingly dry. 

We did come across signs for a Desert Tortoise Sanctuary, but no access to the sanctuary and no evident desert tortoises (most likely protected land).  

The map indicates a number of mining interests in this area just outside of the Chiricahua National Forest, but we did not take any of the mining roads to check out the mining activity.  What we could see from our dirt road were small scale operations that had long since been abandoned.  At one time, the town boasted bars, a barber shop, mercantile stores, hotels, a jail and a red-light district, but were abandoned when the mines closed.

We then decided to continue with the driving part of our day and went to Animas, New Mexico ... ostensibly to get fuel for Fritz, but actually to see what the town was.  We drove through it before realizing that was all there was ... it is the only place off of I-10 to get gasoline or diesel fuel, but it wasn’t much.  There was a high school, the Animas High School, known for holding the record for the longest number of consecutive state high school football championships in New Mexico (1984-1990) ... and that seems to be the area’s claim to fame ... and Fritz turned up his nose at the "no name" diesel and dysfunctional pump at the only location for fuel in town.  He drove on to the campground ... 

We returned home to feast ... and to watch the NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Game between Gonzaga and Baylor.  After the NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Game between University of Arizona and Stanford, this game was such a disappointment.  We had hoped that Gonzaga would win ... and expected, at the least, a good game ... Gonzaga got behind from the beginning and never caught up ... we bailed on the game and went out to see the real show ... the amazing star show that brings folks from around the world to view the heavens.

There are remote controlled telescopes, like this one, that are housed in small barns on rails and powered by solar charged batteries.  The barn moves out on the rails exposing a telescope (or two) on a concrete pad and the telescope is focused remotely and viewed from afar.  This one is managed by an astronomy group in Las Vegas.  All around here are “astronomy lots” for sale (10 acres for $14,900) and star gazing facilities that are individually or collectively owned by amateur astronomers.  Even in our RV campground, there are concrete pads for telescope stability and astronomers camping with their extensive equipment.  The RV Resort protects dark skies by asking that there not be any outdoor lights at night, that windows are covered and vehicles driving at night to only use running lights until out of the campground.  

The night skies around here are nothing short of amazing ... the skies having a dimensional quality with the brighter stars appearing in the foreground and a tapestry of shining diamonds in the background.  So much better than the basketball game ...

South Fork Trail (of Cave Creek Canyon) - April 4, 2021

South Fork Trail (of Cave Creek Canyon) - April 4, 2021

Bambi’s adventures continue ... actually, Bambi stayed at Rusty’s RV Resort ,while we took an early morning hike up the South Fork Trail (of Cave Creek Canyon).  Bambi was relieved to get us all out and on a trail ... we never felt short of space in Bambi until we had an energetic puppy and her kennel sharing space with us (along with her toys, food and water bowls, bags of food and dog treats).  

The trail was simply everything that we had been looking forward to experiencing ... cool morning temperatures, birds singing their spring hearts out, shaded by mature trees, trail softened by leaves from seasons long past, walking along the banks of the creek bed, occasionally with water, occasionally with the water going underground ... always a delight.  

We met very few people along the trail which we thought was a bit unusual given that it was Easter Sunday and a holiday weekend ... but, we did get out early ... and the few people whom we did meet were all in equally good spirits.  There is something about a good hike that brings out the best in everyone.

Wooten's groundsel

After returning back to Bambi to escape the (unusually hot) heat of the day, we feasted on cold beer and potato chips (bad diet) and surrendered to a nap, before showering to attend the big event of the day ... the NCAA Women’s Basketball Final game between the University of Arizona and Stanford University.

We arrived at Rusty’s RV Resort Clubhouse before game time ... the fellow camper fan base was arriving, setting up chairs, and getting the malted chocolate eggs, Easter cookies, and popcorn out to fuel the fans.  We were delirious with excitement, tinged with anxiety and enthusiastic (and quite vocal) in our efforts to cheer on our team.  The dynamic tension lasted to the very end, with 6.1 seconds left, our team had a chance to put the ball into the basket to win ... Aari did her best, but two inches off and Stanford won by one point.  Our number 3 seeded team almost knocked off the number 1 seeded Stanford ... alas, not to happen ... but we were all bursting with pride for our audacious group of basketball Valkyries.  Such a unique team, such a unique time in all of our lives, to witness the courage and spunk of these players and coaches led by Adia Barnes and Aari McDonald.  

And, we the lost the bet with our friends, Bruce and Karen, in Palo Alto, supporting Stanford … they put up a bushel of Dungeness crabs against our offer of Sonoran Mexican dinner … we all jointly decided that the bet will be repaid when we can get together and celebrate a great competition in person (and, there is always next year ...)!

But, when can never lose with a sunset like this …

Cave Creek Nature Trail - April 3, 2021

Cave Creek Nature Trail - 3 April, 2021

The weather is heating up! We decided to do the Cave Creek Nature Trail to keep Coco (and ourselves) in the relative shade of the oaks and sycamores lining Cave Creek.  Before we left, Annie’s friend, Mike, who was leaving today, stopped by to say farewell and to give us a bottle of champagne meant for happy hour to celebrate belatedly Paul’s 75th birthday.

We drove to one of the starting points for the Cave Creek Nature Trail at the Silver Peak Trailhead and inadvertently got on to the Silver Peak Trail, not the Cave Creek Nature Trail.  We traveled up a relatively steep and rocky trail until we got to a turn off to a viewing scope that we thought might be the Nature Trail.  

Silver Peak

Paul and Coco posed for a shot of at the viewing scope.   Then we proceeded along what might have been game trail until we decided that we had gone awry and returned back to the original starting point … good call Paul!

 

Paul and his Pup

That led us down the Cave Creek Nature Trail toward the Sunny Flat Campground and the trail was a delight ... under the shade of trees, along the banks of Cave Creek.  

The creek is mainly dry, some above ground flow, but mostly dry, although one can see by the width of the channel and the size of the boulders that it can hold quite a bit of water under the right circumstances.  We had a lovely hike and found Sunny Flat Campground to be quite a desirable location with well-designed campsites ... (note to self to remember Sunny Flat Campground for a future trip).  

 

Along the way, we found an abandoned shed formerly used for explosives …

Back to Bambi for a mid-day siesta …before heading to visit Annie for Happy Hour at her B & B, a cabin on the Hideout Ranch ... complete with a herd of 10 Nigerian dwarf goats, horses, a mule, a slew of rabbits, and a ranch owner trying to keep her ranch afloat after her husband died and left her with what had been a dude ranch ... Annie and Nala were her only guests.  The ground was covered with volcanic rocks from a volcanic explosion in the Peloncillos Mountains and with cottontails who were enjoying the shade underneath the cabins.  

We celebrated Paul’s birthday belatedly with champagne and appetizers, shared stories, watched rabbits, allowed Nala and Coco to hang together while we talked.

Headed back to Bambi in time for the UCLA vs. Gonzaga March Madness game ... unfortunately Gonzaga won, UCLA lost ... PAC 12 Men’s Basketball teams are now out of contention.  We’re all looking forward to the Women’s Final Game tomorrow between University of Arizona and Sanford.  

Bambi has become quite a fan of PAC 12 Basketball!

Ash Spring Trail - April 2, 2021

Portal, Arizona - Ash Spring Trail - April 2, 2021

Coco’s first hike!  We met up with our friend, Annie, her dog, Nala, and her friend, Mike, in Portal for a hike in the Cave Creek area of the Chiricahua National Forest.  We drove to Herb Martyr Campground and Parking Lot and hiked to Ash Spring from the lower parking area along the Basin Trail.  Ash Spring is a natural spring that has two man-made pools created to provide protection for the Chiricahua leopard frog as a part of conservation efforts. 

Coco was eager to follow in Nala’s foot steps and Nala was wonderfully patient in her efforts to mentor this overly enthusiastic puppy.  At one point we crossed Cima Creek and Nala showed her how to lay down in a flowing creek to cool down ... and Coco decided to play in Cima Creek chasing sycamore leaves and floating twigs.  

 

Ash Spring was 1.25 miles into the trail ... we got a picture of her successfully making it to Ash Spring, then returned the same way we came rather than making a longer loop trail via the Greenhouse Trail ... we were banking on success.

Every good hike deserves a reward ... We went to the Portal Store and Grill for a cold beer and hamburger to celebrate our achievement ... tasty burger, cold beer ... friendly waiter (Victor) ... outdoor patio seating with the dogs ... and entertaining conversations punctuated by various birds coming to the feeders surrounding the patio.

Back to Bambi, a short nap, then to Rusty’s RV Resort Clubhouse to watch the Final Four match-up between University of Arizona (3) and University of Connecticut (1) with various other fans of University of Arizona’s women’s basketball team.  The women all knew each other and were camping together but graciously wrapped us into the group, provided the popcorn and M & Ms to fortify the fans.  We were delirious with excitement as the U of A led for the entire game ... the closest that the University of Connecticut got was within 5 points ... we won by 10 points, 69 to 59.  It was incredibly exciting ... and so normalizing ... a group of strangers, all together, no masks, indoors, enthusiastically cheering on our team (they all had been vaccinated and were 2 weeks beyond last shot).  Can’t wait for the game on Sunday ... against Stanford ... all PAC-12 final!  Go west!  Go Cats!

Hard to fall asleep ... amazing stars out again ... both astrophysical stars and high energy basketball stars!

Rusty’s RV Resort - Chiricahua Mountains - April 1, 2021

On the Road Again - Rusty’s RV Resort - Chiricahua Mountains - 1 April 2021

Bambi’s first outing in over a year.  Coco’s first outing ever.  What a way to begin emerging from the time of Covid-19 ... and, no, it isn’t an April Fool’s joke ... we are actually out traveling again.

We finished packing up Bambi and Fritz and left home about an hour later than we had planned (my fault ... As usual, I tried to do too much before leaving).  We hit the road at 10:30 a.m.   

The route is fairly straightforward ... I-10 to New Mexico Exit 5 and head south on NM-80 to Rusty’s RV Resort about 6 miles north of the town of Rodeo and about 12 miles out of the Arizona town of Portal, entry point into the eastern side of the Chiricahua National Forest.  

Rusty’s RV Resort is an eclectic blend of campers seeking birds, campers seeking hikes, campers seeking dark skies.  When checking in, we were asked if we were seeking birds or stars.  I replied “a bit of both” ... and was asked did we bring telescopes or binoculars ... I replied “binoculars” ... she then pronounced us as “birders” (and warned us to maintain “dark skies ... no outside lights at night, keep windows covered) ...

We took Coco for a walk around the property and found a resident black swan ... two resident goats ... then to the exotic bird and animal enclosures ... several exotic birds are enclosed in sizable cages.  We understand that they are rescue birds, but definitely not indigenous to the area.  Several campsites have significant telescopes stationed on concrete pads awaiting the night skies.   

Coco also had her first dog park experience with another puppy her age and an older dog, both small ... it had her running for safety from the more exuberant (if possible) puppy, but she did not freak out.  She has some challenges with always having to be on the leash when not at the dog park ... doing her business on the leash ... and seems a bit disoriented (eating and drinking is off), but she’s finding safety in her kennel (glad that we brought it).  

Our friend, Annie, and her dog, Nala, are at a cabin nearby ... we’ll try to get together tomorrow for a hike with them.

Nighttime brought on a dinner of lobster ravioli with a chopped salad ... then an incredible night show of stars layered on top of stars ... Sirius never looked so bright.  It was as if the larger, more visible constellation stars and planets were the night sky foreground and millions of pinpoints of light were the background for a deeply textured night sky.

Wind has been a factor ... it was exceptionally windy leaving Tucson and the wind continued through our first day and night at Rusty’s ... it died off for a while in the evening and picked up again as the early morning was arriving.  

The important thing is that we’re traveling again ... we’re all “happy campers”!