To the Top and Beyond and Beyond and Beyond

Sunrise sunset or 12 miles the hard way. We (Gary and I) stepped onto the trail at 7:00 AM and were done at 5:30 PM.

Sunrise: heading back to the Carney Springs trail.

Superstition Mountain: High ground, 5000ft.

Would have been done sooner if I wasn't so old. This hike was supposed to be tough and having know just how tough I would not have gone.

The track climbs from 2200 ft to 5000 ft and back to 2300 ft, with as many as 18 summits along the way.

Clicking on this post's title will open a link with more details about the route.

Sunset: nearing the ride back to our winter home.

Carney Springs Hike (climb)

Wednesday Dec 1 2010
The destination was the saddle to the right of the rocks in the center.

The view southeast on the way up.

The route is only a couple of miles as the crow flies.

The elevation change was 1320 ft.

Just doesn't get much better.

It was in the low 40s when started and in the mid 70s by the time we returned.

Thanks Giving Alfresco

Dinning out literally.

On your marks

GO!

There were 21 of us.

And food for 50+

And then there is Gary with two kinds of pie and ice cream too. Kathy can't believe it either.

Good Guys Fall National Car Show 2010

West World, Scottsdale AZ: A pleasant day with partly sunny skies and temps in the 70s and thousands of cars. The public parking lots were packed by 10AM. At $5 a pop to park and $18 to get into the event there was a lot of money changing hands.

The COPPERSTATE Fly-In

Rode to Casa Grande AZ to see the Copper State Fly-In. There were many old, not so old and new planes on display. Many were taxing through the flight line giving attendees a close and personal experience.

Trudie's Farewell

Our friend Trudie is leaving Superstition Lookout RV Resort Tuesday for MN and then FL.

She has wintered here for many years and will be missed.

We gathered for a farewell pot-luck. John tested his Margarita machine, which is constructed of a couple of buckets, some PVP piping and valve, with a kitchen garbage disposal (assumed to be new).

Rolling Series of Thunderstorms

We should have been paying better attention so when a particularly vigorous wind/rain element rolled in we went out to secure (roll-up) the awning. This photo is the after math, having been soaked to the skin in the process.

Fifth and Final Leg Back to AZ

Day 5 started with an orange sunrise. There were thunder showers predicted for the hole state. We encounter showers periodically through the day and some wind too. It was a relatively short day (less than 250 miles). We arrived in Apache Junction about half past noon and have made a small dent in the setup, there will be more time tomorrow. It will be good to hold still for a while.

Day Four on the Road

Many more miles of NV scenery, inter-spiced with nothing of particular interest. Another long day with some wind and rain and a long wait in line (11 miles) to cross Hoover Dam. The new Dam By-Pass Bridge is nearly ready to open. This will be out last drive across the Dam. All in all not too bad. Made it onto I-40 from SR-93 with being hit by anyone. Hope to see old friends tomorrow.

Ely NV

Nevada so much to see and like west TX much of it looks like the rest. We traveled from I-80 to US-50 via NV-278; it is a good road just not wide and has little or no shoulders. Good we didn't need them. Only 276 miles to day but with the time change and the need to do laundry a good thing. Up until to day the Jeep and bike didn't look to bad, but now it may be easier to get new ones than to clean these up.

As we dropped the last couple of miles into Ely this train passed going the other way.

Winnemucca NV

Seemed like a long day, traveled 362 miles from Prineville OR to Winnemucca NV. Very little wind and lots of warm sunshine. We are hole-up for the night in High Desert RV Park on the east end of town; all fueled up for a smooth getaway in the morning.

Prineville OR, Maybe More Than You'd Expect

Anna and Jim took us on a rolling tour of the area today and it was a beautiful day. We visited a view point in Bend OR called Pilot Butte Sate Park, with a 360 view of the surrounding mountains. We saw Bends new river front development area the Mt Washington area, which is to Bend as Scottsdale is to Phoenix.

The Big R Store, ahhhhh, somehow is is comforting to know it is still here.

This one is for Maggie.
Redmond OR was next followed by lunch at the Red Dog Depot (excellent). Our last stop was Smith Rock State Park before retuning to our dogs.