Posted from Christ Church, Barbados.

We [...]]]> As Tim and I drove west, the long days and damp weather in Austin took it’s toll.  Lisa and Carli both had a very nasty bug from Jackson earlier in the trip and by the time we’d driven over the TX / New Mexico border, it was obvious that Tim had gotten it too.

We hunkered down at City of Rocks State Park outside of Faywood, NM for some warm, dry weather and time to recover.   Here we were surrounded by Stonehedge style monoliths in the middle of a flat grassy plan.   There are only 5 similar rock formations in the world.

At night the show continues.  With no nearby towns, the night skies light up with stars.  The moon set early that week so we were treated with the full extent of the Milky Way.  I went to a “Star Party”, where City of Rock’s resident astronomer showed us Jupiter, star clusters and nebulae millions of light years away through some impressively high-powered scopes.

The Sentinels

Sun sets on City of Rocks

The Kissing Rock

When Tim’s birthday arrived, he was still under the weather, but that didn’t stop us from both enjoying a homemade no-bake, chocolate genache pie.

Chocolate (No-Bake) Ganache for the Birthday. Life in the wilderness was never so sweet.

By week’s end, Tim was starting to feel better and we continued west towards Tucson.  We called (brother) Brett and Peg to see what their plans were.  They were headed out camping, but Tim and I dropped in on kids Brittany and Timmy for movie night at the Hunger Games.  On Sunday when Brett and Peg got home, the four of us went to the Banff Film Festival.

The films are always awesome but Kadoma was the unanimous favorite.   This story about 3 kayakers who attempt to be the first to run the Lakuga River in the Republic of Congo shocks you with life’s capriciousness.   Another film which had played the night before is another of our favorites.  Here’s a short clip to give you some flavor (watch it in fullscreen if you can):

After seeing more movies in 48 hours than Tim and I have watched in 4 months, we headed out of town and up to Old Pueblo for some work and biking.  We spent the next week listening to the final games of the NCAA tourney, soaking up the 80 degree weather and shedding some of our extra Austin barbecue pounds.

By the weekend, we were driving north again and decided to stop for a bike ride on the Arizona Trail north of Oracle.   It was a warm 85 degree day, but we felt prepared for the 30 mile ride.

I rode all of 4 miles before I knew that my butt was completely kicked.  This remote stretch of the Arizona Trail is full of steep rocky switchbacks and sandy washes that sap speed and strength.  Humbled, I climbed back up to Frank and gladly gulped down some ice cold water.

Tim made it a mile further than I did before a flat tire and the hot rocky hillsides got to him too.    We were glad for showers that night.

Gateway to No Man's Land

Preparing to Ride

The Arizona Trail

As Beautiful as it is Challenging

The next day we decided it was time to rest.  On our way to see Ann and Scott, we pulled over to Casa Grande National Monument for some sightseeing.  We stayed for a fascinating tour of the ruins and Tim took these amazing images.  It wasn’t until we posted them here that we noticed the many faces in the rocks…

Casa Grande - protected from the elements by a 60 foot tall canopy

Casa Grande Ruins

Today, no one knows the purpose of the "Great House"

The small window on the right aligns with the setting sun on the Summer Solstice

That night we caught up with Ann and Scott and went to a delicious dinner at the Carefree Station off of Ho Hum Road (Arizona road names crack me up.  Centered between Ho Hum Road, Lazy Lane, Rambling Road and Carefree Highway is Bloody Basin.   What went on there?!?)

The next day we were off to town for Frank shock repairs and making our way further north.   The Weiser Family was coming to Arizona for a Desert Vacation and we weren’t going to miss it.  We drove up to Sedona for the NCAA Final Game and met up with the Weisers,  BJ & Lisa and Sam & Mareike for burgers and beers.

Next day we were northward bound again on the way to Lake Powell.

Horseshoe Bend outside of Page Arizona

I'm NOT getting to close to that edge

While I worked the next day in Page, Tim, Mark, Casey, Brian and Brooke explored for the slot canyons in Wire Pass and watched California condors flying high above the Colorado River.  That night we gathered back at Lone Rock Beach on Lake Powell for hot dogs, s’mores, chocolate covered strawberries and illuminated bocci ball with Sam and Mareike.

Lone Rock Beach

Lone Rock Beach

In the summer, the beach is packed but in April we were all alone.

Lone Rock

After 2 nights on Lone Rock Beach, we drove back down to Flagstaff where the Weisers joined their friends, Brian and Patty.  After a final dinner at Oregano’s Pizza Bistro, Tim and I traveled south for warm weather and more biking.  April has arrived and with a 50 mile bike race at the end of the month, it’s time to get serious!

Time to Bike

After a reward of Mi [...]]]> March, Tim’s favorite month, is always a welcome arrival.  With March comes Basketball Madness, SXSW, birthdays, friends and St. Patty’s day.  There may be no better 31 days.  We started March with a final ride at our favorite AZ campsite at Old Pueblo north of Tucson.

After a reward of Mi Tierra margaritas and showers at the quirky Wishing Well RV Park in Catalina, we began the long drive east across the Texas plains.

The last blue sky ride before heading east

We arrived in Austin after a 3 day drive with stops in Las Cruces and Balmorhea Springs just in time to pick up Dan from the airport.

Austin hosts SXSW, a 2 week conference which brings together Interactive (geeky tech guys = Us)  + Movies (Hollywood independents sprinkled with a few A listers for star spotting potential) + Music (hip hop, heavy medal, techno and jazz  mixing in a single venue – you never know what your going to get).

The transformation of the city as each wave of the conference rolls through is worth ticket in itself.   50,000 diverse attendees combine knowledge, talent and ideas.  And the other great thing about SXSW?  Well that’s obvious: jalapeno bacon.

We wouldn't consider a trip to Austin without at least one purchase of the Jalapeno Bacon Value Pack.

The second Austin must do? Breakfast tacos.

and Torchy's are some of the best

But SXSW isn’t just about the music and food.   For the second year almost all of Alltrips comes to Texas in order to find out what’s going on in Tech trends.  This year may have been the most inspiring yet.

Highlights included :

• Peter Diamandis who focuses on Abundance in today’s pessimistic world.  His results: The first privately funded space flight; a car that can go 180 miles to the gallon; a technique that can clean up oil spills 600% better than what was available at the beginning of the Gulf Oil Disaster.  His next goals: a handheld consumer device that can diagnose disease with the same accuracy as 12 board certified doctors, a water purifier the size of dorm room fridge that can purify sewage to the quality of medical grade H2O with minimal energy; air cleanup technology which can decrease carbon emissions by 80%.

• Interactive mobile apps that will change how people do business by combining location, social and the world’s enormous database of all our preferences and desires.

• Business development that focuses on not just today, but the next 100 years.

• And of course, how to doodle!

The Alltrips crew decompressing after South By

Don't Mess with Alltrips

After our 6 o’clock sessions, it was time to eat.  Barbeque Heaven never fails to disappoint with worldclass brisket and a mean Turkey Leg.   We also visited the famed Nuclear Taco stand, though for some of us, wisdom won over ego and many people didn’t partake.  I of course still needed to get a Nuclear Taco #3.

Some people never learn.

BBQ Heaven - Nice Leg!

Nuclear Taco Time

There is never enough Barbecue

The typical Austin plate - Art's Rib House

Red checkered table clothes, great company, live music in the background. Yum.

This year’s SXSW was also the year of Costume.    I am not sure what this guy was exactly dressed as.  But we all got inspired.  It started small with mustaches and cupcakes to celebrate Tim and BJ’s March birthdays.  But then we escalated….

Who is that guy anyway?

Hey Hey Cupcake

Then after dinner comes the nightlife.   Once the Tech winds down, the music kicks up.  While Tim and I took one night off for March Madness at Bikinis, we all explored the town for amazing music.   Friends, Amy and Bracken, also came down from Boulder, making it an even better week.

3000 venues still aren't enough. Bands play in the street.

The Octopus Project blew Tim and Dan away

For BJ’s Birthday, we went big…and wigged.  It also happens to be St. Patty’s Day so all of Austin celebrated with us.  From noon on, it was a buffet of music, followed by Pete’s East Side Bar, more music, a late night cap of Hop Daddy and then music ’till 2am.

Elvis Lives

Wigged and Green

Jack Sparrow arrives at Petes

Even in wigs, we blended in just fine in Austin on St. Patty's Day.

Happy Birthday BJ!

Feeling like a Rock Star

Captain Jack

Album Cover - Take 1

Album Cover - Take 2

Cervezarita - Margarita but oh so much better

Sunday arrived too soon.  We all loaded up in the van and headed to the airport for dropoffs.   Then Tim and I began the drive back to Arizona.  With March Madness on the radio, we covered the miles quick.  There was still lots left to enjoy in March.

Tim and I are hiding out in the Arizona Desert for January.  Periodically joined by our fellow Jackson Hole winter escapee, Rob Gowler, we’ve explored the Black Canyon Trail, the Arizona Trail, the 50 Year Trail, Charouleau Gap and every Starbucks from Scottsdale to Tucson.

Chilly-Dipping 2012

Ringing in [...]]]>

Rincon Moonrise

Tim and I are hiding out in the Arizona Desert for January.  Periodically joined by our fellow Jackson Hole winter escapee, Rob Gowler, we’ve explored the Black Canyon Trail, the Arizona Trail, the 50 Year Trail, Charouleau Gap and every Starbucks from Scottsdale to Tucson.

Chilly-Dipping 2012

Ringing in the New Year with Ann and Scott was the best way to start 2012.  It goes without saying that we had to keep our midnight polar bear swim tradition alive.  This year’s dip in the pool was at a frosty 45 degrees.  It was a good thing that we’d saved that last bottle of champagne.

The Day After, a refreshing New Year's breakfast

Crab cakes and mimosas were the New Year’s morning menu after a big night before.   We followed up this meal with black eye pea chili and spinach salad for our yearly dose of good luck, good health and much wealth.  Not sure what you eat to ring in a new Sailboat.  Tim and I will be munching on everything from kelp to sushi to bring this 2012 dream to life.

Let's Jamboree!

After a festive holiday, it was time to get down to biking business.  We drove to Tucson to begin our month of pedaling.  Verizon hasn’t seemed to become acquainted with Tucson though, so Tim and I spent as much time driving for cell service as we did on the saddle.  While Rob relaxed at primo camping on Pistol Hill with7 bars of ATT “5G”, we drove 40 minutes into town each day for our daily blast of data.

If you’ve not driven in Tucson before everything is at least 20 minutes away.  Mileage is inconsequential.  Whether it’s across town or down the street.  You’re in for at least 20 minutes behind the wheel.  Convinced that there must be the perfect trifecta of biking/free camping/Verizon Bandwidth somewhere in town, Tim and I searched from the top of snow covered Mt. Lemmon to the dales of Vail.

With limited success through the week, we returned to Pistol Hill to meet up with Rob and Mike and celebrate the completion of the Arizona Trail with a 35 mile bike ride in the Arizona Trail Jamboree.

Shuttling to the Jamboree Start

Mike and Rob on chilly Saturday Morning

20 miles into a 35 mile ride. Now that's a rest station.

Relaxing over a Mesquite Grill on Pistol Hill

After great rides on Saturday, we drove into the wilderness once more to set up for the work week. This time we went North and found camping, cell service and riding just north of Catalina at Charouleau Gap.  The trail head’s busy so we may not stay long, but it’s a good stopping point for now.  And the view’s not shabby either.

Catalina Sunset

 

Posted from Tucson, Arizona, United States.

A Bike Ride: A Tarheel Win: Posted from Scottsdale, Arizona, United States.

You’d think that with Tim and my recent avoidance of winter that we wouldn’t go seeking out snow for Christmas. But when it came time to decide where to spend December 25th, we couldn’t imagine a more beautiful place in Arizona then the snow covered Grand Canyon.

After a [...]]]>

A Grand Christmas!

You’d think that with Tim and my recent avoidance of winter that we wouldn’t go seeking out snow for Christmas. But when it came time to decide where to spend December 25th, we couldn’t imagine a more beautiful place in Arizona then the snow covered Grand Canyon.

After a week of camping along Black Canyon Trail north of Phoenix, we said goodbye to our buddy Rob and drove north towards Flagstaff. The temperature dropped 30 degrees as we drove from 3000 to 7000 feet but the scenery easily made up for the chill.

Christmas at El Tovar

Oh Christmas Tree

Our goal was to find a few couches in front of a fireplace where we could read, relax, and get our Christmas on. El Tovar is perfect. This century old Grand Canyon lodge has it all. With it’s dark log walls, granite fire place, poinsettia filled lobby and 3 story Christmas Tree, El Tovar is a Christmas sanctuary on the Grand Canyon South Rim. Even the elk get in the spirit.

Elk or Elf?

We spent Christmas Eve in Mather Campground. Christmas Story playing in the background as we fixed a feast of homemade crab cakes, sweet potato fries and Tim’s favorite, tomato, basil, mozzarella salad. We ate until we couldn’t move, but were ready for Crab Cake Benedicts on Christmas morning. It was my first venture into homemade hollandaise, but we officially now have a new holiday tradition.

Christmas Eve Crab Cakes

Christmas by the Fire

Christmas morning we checked in to El Tovar, found our fireplace and relaxed. Today we may actually go for a hike, but on Christmas, we were content to take in the view from above and let the season be merry!

Sunrise over the Grand Canyon

Making the Photo

Posted from GRAND CANYON, Arizona, United States.

As the Winter Soltice sun sets over the Arizona desert, Tim and I are already planning for spring and summer.  For now we’ll stay settled off Exit 236 of Black Canyon Freeway above Phoenix, trading Mexican dinner recipes with our new [...]]]>
Solstice Sunset, a photo by skibradshaw on Flickr.

Turning the corner on winter!

As the Winter Soltice sun sets over the Arizona desert, Tim and I are already planning for spring and summer.  For now we’ll stay settled off Exit 236 of Black Canyon Freeway above Phoenix, trading Mexican dinner recipes with our new bike mate and camp fellow, Rob.   This Friday Tim and Rob will ride all 70 miles of the Black Canyon Trail, from Prescott to Cave Creek.  It could become a new holiday tradition.

Thanksgiving in the Utah/Arizona backcountry with Jimmie, Keri, Dana and Dave. Four great reasons to give thanks!