Snow

Ten days back in Colorado, ten days skiing. I'm getting spoiled, but am leaving Sunday for Texas for some external blade repair. To those two of you wanting more photos, please click near the snow beard.





HERE!

Blue

Graves from the 19th century under machines that aren't totally figured out yet.

The sky is also blue - a change from the previous weather, which was redefining gray.

MO

Turbines in the Meth-capital of the world!

SC

Went back. Then left. Not bad.

P.Estin Hut

I will post more photos of life as a ski bum and the recent affinity for me and sunsets of Monument Valley soon. But for now...

12000'

Put your tin hat on

Quickly.

When the National Park Service begins to have a MONOPOLY! game based on their parks, I get a little nervous...

Now, everyone knows and agrees that unfettered capitalism works all the time. Sodexho already provides most of the food service in the parks, why not let the free market decide the fate of national flagships(which were, after all, mainly unable to develop or no important resource had been found prior to their establishment)? It just seems like a slippery slope to me.

Some days we wear stilts.

...for no reason at all

>9000'

First storm of the year finally hit the highest county in the country.

DE

2115'

Extreme Highline Boot Camp

Terminus

2300' starts today.

a long run

A team player. I'll miss ya.

Lady of the Mountain

So, Lady of the Mountain. The view of it from Deertrap Mountain can be seen in the previous post (top photo, right of center - before the shadow, which is the exit for Behunin and Heaps canyons).

A total elevation gain of 2670' in less than 1.5 miles, even after climbing it, it's hard to see where the trail would go. 2 Hours up, 1.7 hours down - I beat the sunset with plenty of time to go.

The hike was the first built in Zion that reached a rim, but, due to the number of rescues, was decommissioned in the late 70's, with the removal of two ladders and 2000' of cable. Thus, read that this trip may not require rope on the way up, but most likely will on the way down. Also, if you have serious concerns with exposure, it's probably best to avoid the trip entirely.

But you get treated to a great view at the top:




Also a nice alternate view of the other side of the 3 Patriarchs:












The astute observer could notice Behunin canyon, Angel's Landing, Cable Mountain, Deertrap Mountain and the East Temple in these photos.








<-And proof that I didn't go stealing these photos from some site online.

NOIZ

Back & Dangling

With Phoenix taking the WNBA Finals, it looks like there may be some turnaround of the fortunes for the professional sports teams here in the Valley of the Sun. With the Diamondbacks doing well, the nets of the foul poles needed to be changed out. How does one go about doing that?

The rumors

They're true. They let me back in, but not without a fight.

I sat for only 20min. on the bridge of no-man's land before the Customs Agents began to assert the freedom of the country upon me. After opening the back of my truck, they informed me that I would have to unload some of my gear so that they could see the whole way through the cab (very different from the last time I returned). So I pulled over and unloaded the top layer of the bed. After waiting 10 minutes, I caught the attention of another officer, that informed me that I would have to unload the rest of the truck for the dog to climb in.

Another 10 minutes waiting, sitting on the back of the truck, snapping photos and an officer informed me not nicely that I could not take photos and to delete them in front of him. I felt it wise not to discuss the legality of the issue, as I just wanted to reenter the freest of all countries in the world! Then the dog started having its search around - in the back, around the truck, in the front, in the back, in the front, in the front. All the while I was being questioned about the length of my stay down there, what I was doing, how I could afford it. I almost mentioned my allergy to drug-dog dander, but there went my head again. I was muttering for the dog to smell the spare tire - the Customs agent asked me what I said. Oh, nothing, just please do a thorough check of everything please. It seemed that the dog picked up a scent in the cab, that I can honestly say would have no relation to me whatsoever, and after carefully chosen words (the best possible after not sleeping for 24 hours), my passport and keys were returned to me. I paid the $1.25 liquor import tax and went about trying to get out of Texas. Back to enjoy the Freedom of the homeland that no living in the mountains of Mexico could ever afford. EVER. NOT POSSIBLE.

On another note, returning to the smells and sights of the Sonoran Desert has brought a smile to my face, although squatting in an empty house is a bit odd. One good thing is that you don't have to turn any lights on, because you won't run into anything.

Adjustments, reflections and the list to come...