Pima Canyon

So Friday was back to Pima Canyon. I started hiking this canyon almost exactly ten years ago and it was one of the first hikes I did in Tucson. It is still my favorite, although less convenient now that I live on the other side of town.

Once you get past the private-land corridor it's a nice warm hike across mostly sandstone to get to the opening of the canyon. Pima Canyon is just beautiful--corridors of scrub oak, mesquite and cottonwoods. Songbirds love it and so do the bunnies. The canyon is also narrow enough that you are walking in shade through most of the lower canyon until about 11 in the morning. This is a hike I'm going to keep in heavy rotation. I walked 2.5 hours and would have gone further if I hadn't had to go to work. I can't wait to get back.

Babad Do'ag

First hike today. I have never gotten a runner's high. I have absolutely never run far enough, no matter what the age, or the distance (which on forced junior high runs could be several miles) to ever have a runner's high. Running sucks. Period. Hiking on the other hand, rocks. I haven't been on an extended hike in five years, and my body shows it.

I started back today with Babad Do'ag (hereafter BD) and after ten minutes to find the trail head and run across traffic on a blind curve on the Catalina Highway, it was worth it. The worst part was following a small trail out of the parking lot, hoping I was going the correct direction, and winding up locked in a battle with a mesquite before praising Google and the Internet (thank you Sprint) for still working while I looked up information on the actual trail head.

Did I finish the trail? No. But I did a solid hour and a half, which isn't bad for a first back. And by the way, after the first ten minutes (five or less if you aren't out of shape and cursing decision to hike while wheezing like a fifty-year-old boxer on a comeback) that first upgrade from the road leveled out to a nice manageable uphill that was fun and pretty. Some endorphines? Yep, I'm sure. But at my own pace and no competition.

I'll be doing this trail for the next few weeks until I get to the top and it is still cool.

New Year's and Beyond

Work, home, flu, repeat (throw in hand foot and mouth disease, oh joy). It's been a doozy of a year. I sometimes wonder why my immunity is low. I have a great husband, a nice home, a terrific job. Then I remember that we also have an unexpected one-year-old (not that we didn't expect her to make it to one year, more that she was unexpected and everything has pretty much followed from there), lost a home, lost a business, live with my mother, pay student loans... So, as I say, it's been a bit overwhelming.

So this year, I'm going back to what works--hiking, traveling, enjoying time with family (yes, even my mother), and time with my friends. Denise is coming to visit in a couple of weeks and Marcy and I are taking the kids to Second Saturday downtown. I'm also going to start going to Monday's Meet Me at Maynard's regularly. Anyone who wants to join us, feel free.

A happy and healthy new year to us all.

Good Morning

When did I turn into this morning person? I should be asleep since Crabby Abby is knocked out again. Instead I find myself doing dishes and planning the day. A big part of the planning involves washing all robes/shirts/dresses that have suspicious glistening spots near the shoulder. Bedtime is generally 9 PM, although last night I not only stayed up until nearly eleven, I also had some tequila and made popcorn. When did this become a good time?

Eh, life is good but this getting old thing is really throwing me a curve ball.