Maps!

I love maps!  I have a good collection of topo maps from Tom Harrison, National Geographic, various government agencies and smaller map makers.  The Harrison ones are my favorite but they don't have any outside of California.  I also have many guidebooks loaded with maps.

Over the past decade, I have used various online maps as well.  My go to app for foot travel is CalTopo.  For Jeeping, I use Trailsoffroad and OnX.  As good as the apps are, I always have paper maps when I go on a longer hike.  It is comforting to be able to pull out a map without having to worry about batteries, coverage, etc.

Lonely Gambel Oak

We currently doing alot of clearing on our property.  Jo is concentrating on the hoarhound and I am working mainly on the scrub oak and other brush.  During our efforts, we discovered a lone Gambel oak.  Since it was crowded by alot of scrub oak and mountain mahogany, we clear all that out to give it some space.

Our lone Gambel oak

Sedona Day Trip

Following a chapter in Boots and Burgers, we headed out to Sedona for a day of hiking and burgers.  We drove out through Jerome and Cottonwood  with great desert views.  Our first stop was the Aerie trailhead.  From there we did the Ground Control and Outer Limits trails.  Lily got quite dirty with the famous Sedona red dirt.  On the way into town, many of the other trailheads were very crowded; we got lucky that our hike was almost empty.  In town, we ate at Nick's which had very good burgers and the people were super nice.  After eating we dropped Lily off at Kim's Puppy Palace since dogs are not allowed at our next stop: Red Rock State Park.  At the park, we toured the visitor center which had some nice displays and movies.  We then hiked up to the old Apache Fires house and around the park to Eagles Nest.  The hiking was very nice.  We then got smoothies in town, picked up Lily and headed home.

BACN RIP

The Air Force is looking to retire its BACN fleet.  Hopefully the payload will live on in other platforms.

Holy Stone Drones Suck

I bought a few Holy Stone drones used on Ebay as a cheap way to get into drones.  However, they are very tempermental and basically suck.  They lose GPS, trim and the app is very hard to use.  Not recommended.

Lily checking out the drone

Bridal Show Tucson Trip

Jaya had her bridal shower in Tucson so we made a long weekend of it.  Jyoti attended the shower while I hung out with my dad.  We both spent time with them on Sunday and walked the golf course.

Trailer Gate Rebuild

By brush hauling trailer came with a flimsy dual gate.  It's major problem was that the doors did not have a way to easily keep them open.  So when loading or unloading, they would flop around in the breeze.  They were also much shorter than the sides so it took extra care to cover.

So I rebuilt it in a stake gate style.  This style is removable so there is no problem with keeping it open.  It is also much studier and has better hardware. I am also putting in more tie-downs and using adjustable bungees for the cover.

Just in time for Chipper Day!

New trailer gate

Rooftop VHF/UHF Antenna

I finally got around to installing a VHF/UHF/GMRS antenna on the roof.  Since our roof is so high, I had to get an extension ladder and luckily found one at a local thrift store.  I did get stuck on the roof and had to have Jyoti hold it but I figured it out eventually.  After several trips up and down, I had the antenna installed next to the internet dish.  I was nice to get the LMR-400 feedline down the tube into the shack so I didn't have to string along the house.

Antenna mounted on roof

'Merica

I was up at Compass to zero some rifles and had a though.  There were a bunch of folks on the pistol range.  The rifle range had AR's, FRT's and even a .50.  'Merica!

Chili Cookoff

We hosted the 2025 Highland Pines Chili Cookoff!

I also joined the POA board.

Jeep Trip - Camp Wood Rd and Bagdad

With the great weather lately, we spend the day taking a jeep trip.  We started up Williamson Valley Rd and turned onto Camp Wood Rd.  Camp Wood is very well maintained and there were several vehicles on it.  The terrain started with ranch land, then juniper forest then pine forest.  The western end went through a very nice canyon area.

In Bagdad, we checked out the outdoor mining display and had a nice protein iced coffee.  We also did a short hike along Bridle Creek.

We left Bagdad southbound along 96, then 97 west to 93.  After a few miles south, we turn eastware onto Santa Maria Rd.  This easy trail had some very nice wildflower fields.  He ended up back on 96 and then took the highway to Skull Valley.

We finished up by taking Copper Basin Rd and then Thumb Butte Rd (which was very bumpy) back home.

Wildflowers along Santa Maria Rd

Dump truck shovel in Bagdad

Great weather and views

Great weather and views

Prescribed Burns

Here in Arizona, they take preventative measures for fires.  In California they just wait until entire towns are destroyed.

Local prescribed burn

Snow Camp 2026

Had another awesome time at snow camp.  There was enough snow to camp at French Camp so we made the walk to Tom's Place for breakfast and watch women's Olympic curling.

While we were gone, a bobcat stalked our patio

Tom's Place bar

Great weather

Camp

Getting geared up for the snowshoe in

Snow in Atlanta

Atlanta got ice and snow the week I was there.

Snow in Smyrna

Snow Activities

We got a decent snowstorm recently so I took advantage for some snow activities.

Shoveling the driveway

Lily in the snow

Snowscape

After the storm

Lily finally out of the house

During the storm

Secret Prescott Christmas Spots

Christmas in Prescott 2025

We hosted the family for Christmas this year at Juniper Ridge.  We scrambled to get enough places for 12 people to sleep but the house did great.  We didn't run out of propane nor water!

• Food, food, food!
• A couple of days on the range
• Local hikes
• Bill's Pizza

Prescott Square

Lynx Lake with very low water