Prescott Light Parade

Highland Pines float at day

Highland Pines float at night

Thanksgiving in Tucson

• Hiked Bren Mt.
• Shopping trip to Tubac
• Annivesary dinner at Moonstone
• Thanksgiving dinner with the Bakers
• UA planeterium

Old car in a ravine

Hiking towards Bren

Moonstone

Downtown Tubac

20 Year Blog Anniversary

Today is my 20 year anniversary of this blog!

I started it at the heydey of personal blogging.  Unfortunately, most blogs of that era have moved to social media such as Facebook, gone commerical or just died off.

Hopefully I will be here for 20 more!

Jaya's Engagement Party Weekend

Jaya and her financee had an awesome engagement party in Tucson where we met his family.  We are very blessed to be a part of their family.

We also got a round of golf in at the country club and had a good visit to the Tucson Military Vehicle Museum.

Verde Valley Jeep Loop

Took a nice jeep ride through some nice country north of us, then looped through Jerome, Clarkdale, Cottonwood, Cornville and Camp Verde.  Got coffee and gifts at Stardust Books in Clarkdale; had a nice lunch in Cottonwood at Red Rooster Cafe and got some end tables at Sweet Pea Trading in Camp Verde.  Also scouted out some spots to check out in the future.

View of Cottonwood

Endless views

Leaves changing

Weekend Activities

• Pistol day at the range
• Nice hike in Granite Basin - also saw the SAR folks rescuing a hiker
• Highland Pines pancake breakfast
• Dinner with friends

Rescuer dangling from roe

SAR event

US Hiking v. European Hiking

Over the past 12 year, I have hiked a fair amount, mostly in the Western US.  But my wife and I just completed our second long slackpack in the Alps.  Here are some of the things that are different between US and European hiking:

• The trails in the Alps tend to be steeper and much rockier.  Many are old roads and some are old goat paths but Europeans don't seem to build switchbacks like they do here.
• Bathrooms can be hard to find in the Alps.  Refugios have them but they require a purchase.  There are very few public toilets so take advantage when you encounter one.
• The Alps are covered with refugios so you are always within walking distance of a good meal, glass of wine or coffee.  There are very few comparable examples in the US but places like Muir Trail Ranch come close.
• Since much of the Alps are accesible by car, gondola or chairlift, the trails are usually much more crowded.

Government Shutdown Notices

I saw this on the website for Tonto NF: