Close-ups of the Desert

Since dogs are not allowed on the trails in Saguaro National Park, Tahoe and I found a wash just outside the park and hiked down it for a few miles. I was able to enjoy the beauty of the area without technically breaking rules.

A fallen giant.

These prickly pear needles are four inches long.

Gnarly!

Honey Bee Trail

Tuscon foothills

We found a nice spot in the Coronado National Forest to set up camp.

It was cloudy and windy all day which made for a spectacular sunset.

I love Arizona rain because it doesn't just happen all of the sudden. You can see it from a distance, gradually moving toward you. It didn't rain a lot, just enough to sprinkle the ground and make the desert smell sweet.

The moon was shockingly bright. I didn't even need a light except for reading.

Thanksgiving

Isn't this the picture of manliness?

Mom enjoyed playing with her granddogs.

Chris watched the football game, and Brandy feigned interest.

When Cowboy discovered Frank's toy box, he was in heaven! He managed to find all of the bones that were hidden in the bottom.

Frankerator

As you can see, Frank was pretty excited about Thanksgiving.

When do we get to eat?

Yum, pie!

New Floor

Josh and Tahoe ripped up the old carpet; although, I think Josh did most of the work.

Then, Josh took out his hatred of the crappy tile by the door.

It is so nice to have a beautiful, new, easy-to-clean floor.

Wet Beaver Wilderness

We hiked the Bell Trail to the Weir Trail which led to this shady alcove surrounded by red rock. It would be perfect for swimming and cliff jumping in the summer.

As it is fall (sort of...Does 80 degrees count as fall?), I enjoyed the changing colors of the Arizona sycamore trees.

Broken Arrow Trail

I loved the beauty of this area. The trail passed through pinon pine forest and sandstone slickrock, and led to breathtaking views at Chicken Point.

I think Tahoe liked it too.

Interesting grasshopper.

Lost Canyon

This canyon is not part of the trail system in Sedona, so it was much less crowded than some of the other trails. It took some route finding to get to the top, but it was worth it. There were two Indain ruins in the canyon.

It was a tough climb up the steep smooth slickrock to this one. Tahoe gave two valient attempts, then chose to lie beneath a bush and wait for me to come back down.

Amazing view.

Soldier Pass Trail

This is the biggest sinkhole in Sedona. Look at that huge unbroken chunk!

The seven sacred pools are always full of water even in times of drought.

Tahoe and I climbed up to these arches.

Thunder Mountain Trail

Thunder mountain exhibits striking sedimentary lines.

I often find interesting rock formations created by hikers who are taking a break from the trail. It's a nice surprise to find free art.

This is what I made. OK, maybe not.

Arizona State Fair

Petting zoo

Do you like my new haircut!

Josh fed this beast.

The sign was wrong; he just licked my hand.

I am so glad they reminded me.

Signs

Mmmmmm...

Josh and I ate Indian fry bread and fries, and he had a corn dog.

Dish washers

Makes you want to come over to our house for dinner, right?