First 1/4 2005 -- PT 2
(Click on photos to see the larger versions)
My friend Emily from Chicago (whom I met in Peru a few years ago) visited with her husband Dan, and we hiked many a cactusy trail.
Judy and Heather visited too... and we hiked even more... and even found water running through the Desert. We had a lot of rain early this year.
Kris and friends teamed up for a 24-hour relay mountain-bike race, so we spent a weekend in an RV in the desert in the rain and hail while they took turns riding an 18-mile dirt trail through the night. These pictures are the BEFORE shots.. :-)
Left: Artsy shot of a bike on a repair stand under a disco ball...
Right: Guard dogs made sure no one started the race before the official start.
Left: The clothing suffered more than the spirit of the riders... and they came in 30th in the 4-man competition (really good... there were about 400 racers I think)
Right:
Spring brought excellent hiking...
Paul (old roommate) and me and Kris took advantage of the weather and flowers at Organ Pipe National Park.
This National Park is rated the #1 most dangerous National Park... because it's on the Mexico-border, so there's a lot of drug smuggling through these hills. But we saw none of that.
Every time I get these 2 together someone gets a finger in the ear, or nose.... they're just that way.
When Hunter S. Thompson (iconic '60's journalist) died earlier this year, Kris's co-worker Mike rounded us up for a whirlwind weekend drive to Woody Creek, Colorado... only 14 hours drive each way... to have a drink at the author's famed favorite "local" bar. The food was good too. And luckily there was a hot spring nearby to refresh us for the long drive back. 28 hours of driving in less than 42 hours. Vive La Roadtrip
Left: This is the actual creek the town is named for... and there's nothing more soothing than a babbling brook with snow covered rocks beneath pine trees and mountains. ahhhhh.
Right: Of course we're not ALL about partying. Kris and I did some volunteer trail-building in Tucson's Sabino Canyon too. Involved much moving of rocks and dirt around the desert for 4 hours.
Left: Back in NY (or actually, NJ) My good friends Derek and Deborah had a new addition to their family... Jacob Caney. I totally see his dad in there already. (other babies born to friends recently include Caroline's baby Jenna, and Bob's baby Henry.. both of whom I need a picture of.)
Right: And this is a cow that totally surprised me when Kris and I went hiking in the Cochise Stronghold east of Tucson. I didn't know cows could hike that far into the mountains.