The Blister Report...

I am happy to report after a 2 and 1/2 hours of hiking in Sycamore Canyon today, my blister is intact, not bothered and pain free (there are 2 more new ones...but hey, it was worth it!)

Go team New Skin!

(and my hips now hurt from all this hiking around, but that too, is aside the point)

I picked Rich up early (not at the 5Am time as we originally discussed, but, to be fair...we've both been active and are a little tired) We decided to take the Honey of a Car today and give the Nissan a rest, and head down to Sycamore.

So, we went all the way out on this crazy dirt road, where I was silently, yet totally flipping out because I could not for the life of me, remember exactly where Sycamore Canyon was, and it all looked so danged familiar. Which resulted in a lot of the car conversation going something like this:

R: "Does this look familiar Sadira?"

S: "oh...um...sure? Uh yeah...I think there was a hill and then some trees...OH...and a road..."

(It's been years since I've been there, and got some last minute directions on the fly, as I am a complete people pleaser...and I want them to have a good time...and I confess that I sometimes feel a little responsible if that doesn't happen, specially if something is my suggestion)

Coupled with this insatiable need to try to impress people...

(which is hard to do as your flying along like a total hillbilly tour-guide on a bunch of back roads...while simultaneously looking covertly out of the corner of your eye at the person next to you...all the while sinking lower and lower in your seat, which is...not a safe bet on this particular road, all while trying not to hyperventilate)

I've been talking about Sycamore Canyon for so long, and how pretty it is and when Rich finally decided he wanted to go with me...I was like, Oh Carp. But, in a good way (is there one?) and as we were traversing these crazy AZ back roads (some of which had rather large washes going straight through them...I was starting to get a wee bit nervous for my car, although it did stellar!) I was silently thinking,

"what have I done? I have no idea where I'm going, and if/when we get there will he even like it?"

Well...after about a bazillion miles...we did indeed make it there, and on the exact road I thought...washed out and all. And went on quite a hike. The day was beautiful...nice and cool at the start, and we were shaded most of the way...plus there was tons of water!

(it's like AZ's rainforest...snicker)

Water rushing everywhere, in little waterfalls...and pools
(although, we didn't make it to the swimming hole this time)

...And the moon peeking out among the trees

(that were growing up through the rock formations)



















And the beautiful moths that were hanging out on the yellow flower bushes...

just begging for their pictures to be taken...

...Photo hogs!

...And here's a little photo of Rich. I know, finally...one that isn't in a dark silhouette

(for those of you who thought he was only a shadow)

He is a bit perplexed, as we were trying to go on a different trail towards the end. It had a little wooden sign with an arrow pointing towards somewhere...

but led to a huge pile of rocks...

Where we stumbled across an abandoned pair of boots.

Leaving us to ask the question....


is this the new way to mark a trail?

(cause' we could have used a few pairs of boots back on that road there...)