March 31, 2024March 31, 2024 by Gizmo

Over the Saguaro 🌵 and through the ❄️ snow, a hiking I will go. 80 miles: Colossal Cave ➡️Oracle

This is my third section and longest yet! Knowing I was only hiking 9 relatively flat miles out of Colossal Cave today I didn’t worry about getting out of the campsite early. I had already stayed 3 nights in the lower La Posta Quemada Ranch campground and soaked up as much relaxation as I could. Sadly there was no shower, but I was able to use the sink to clean up, wash out some clothes. I even tried to wash my hair – it wasn’t real successful! There was a resident cardinal and vermillion flycatcher in the campground. Both were striking red and even the female counterparts flaunted a vibrant orange. After telling myself I did indeed need to leave this comfortable nest and hike on, I indulged in two coffees I made and really took my time packing up before I even left at 12:15. It was an enjoyable lazy start I completed those 9 easy miles arrived at my campsite by 5 PM. Today’s scenery highlighted some of the best saguaro I have seen; each is so unique with their many arms and growing little nubs that are shaped in so many ways. Sometimes they grow off of the old dead looking arms. I feel like everybody should see this cactus once in their life. I read that they can grow to be over 250 years old!! Vanessa, who was also staying at the campground, told me that the Native Americans believe that the saguaro inhabit the souls of with their ancestors. I could 100% see that. So mighty and tall. Tonight’s campsite is right outside the entrance to the Saguaro National Park East. There are only two places that you can camp within the park, using the prepaid the prepaid permit required by the park specifically for Arizona Trail hikers. One is a little over 9 miles from my ending point today and the other is 13 miles ahead. Both routes head up Mica Mountain. I knew I wanted to take the first couple days of this section a little easier so I’m only going to the first campground tomorrow, another 9 miles. Now that has a lot to do with elevation and the fact that it will be warmer down at the second campground as compared to the top of Mica at 7,936 ft tall. But tonight I have the most amazing campsite. I walked a little offtrail into a meadow surrounded by spring blooms, cactus of all varieties, and a 180° view of the mountains. The sunset is fantastic as I on the edge of my tent, feet hanging out, eating my dinner at 6:30. Such a good moment that I decide not to reach for the camera. My hands still have the slight fragrance of sage on them from rubbing the leaves of the aromatic plant I hiked through all day. It’s one of my favorite scents in the entire world.

Campsite night one outside of Saguaro National Park

I slept with the tent fly off that night as there was no wind and the temperature was very mild. It’s been two weeks on trail and I still haven’t been able to sleep like that because it’s been so chilly. One of my favorite things about this tent is that it’s all mesh except for the very bottom and I can just look at the stars and the moon as I lay snuggled at night….if the conditions are right. And believe me, the sky is stunning out here in the desert. Well, I woke up at some point in the middle of the night because my sleeping bag was wet from a heavy dew. Fortunately, my Western Mountaineering bag is so great that even when it gets a little wet on the top it still keeps me warm on the inside. When I finally poked my head out of my bag at 7:15 the following morning, I knew I needed to let my tent and sleeping bag dry out before I could even begin hiking. Not being in a rush this morning, since I had another short day, I made a coffee and designated myself Camp Host of the area. Walking in my thermals, socks and sandals, coffee in hand, I walked over to the tent of a girl I saw when I entered this camping meadow last night. She mentioned she was feeling nervous about the climb today and I was curious how she was feeling this morning. Fortunately, Scott (another hiker at the Colossal Cave Campground), hooked me up with a homemade coffee mug insulator and I was not at risk of losing the precious heat I used from the limited supply in my fuel canister for the week. The lightweight mugs we all use are single wall titanium and lose heat quickly. He made this insulator himself out of a sunvisor that you put in the dash of your car. I was telling him how quickly my coffee was getting cold and before he left he gifted it to me. He also made one that fits around the backpacker meal pouches as a sleeve to keep it nice and hot and help cook faster. I know I’ll be at the dollar store buying a sunvisor to retrofit and outfitting myself some custom-made gear now that he shared this hiker tip with me.

The first half of the day was jaw dropping and made me feel as if I was walking through a forest of Saguaro. That’s how dense they felt in the wide open desert. They resided with the usual suspects of cactus, juniper and blooming manzanita as I hiked higher in elevation, climbing the south side of Mica Mountain. Arriving to Grass Shack campground before 4, I did my normal setup and dinner prep routine and was snuggled in my bag by 5:20. I intentionally set my tent up next to a creek with a good amount of white noise in the background. There are close to a dozen other hikers coming out of the Colossal Cave area and camping here tonight. I’m trying to drown out all the noise. I generally prefer camping solo so I don’t wake up to someone else’s noise. I wake up later than the average hiker.

I have been wearing the new shoes that Rob shipped me and my feet are back in shape and feeling great. I’m not thinking about them all day anymore which makes a ‘desert’ of difference in my daily experience. All my blisters are gone!!

One of the ladies who was enamored with my solo hike insisted on taking a photo of me, since I had none of me hiking.

Day three’s summit up to Mica Mountain was about 500 feet per mile, not a terrible ascent. At approximately 7,000 ft I was rewarded with Alpine landscape: pine trees and snow patches. There was still the random cactus that would surprise me. I detoured from the trail to locate a nice grassy area for lunch and laid out my tent and sleeping bag to dry while I fueled up and rested for a bit. My tent dries in about 5 minutes of sun, but my feet prefer a lot longer to be outside of their sock and shoe armor for a midday reprieve. Coming down the north side of Mica after lunch I stumbled upon a miraculous 180° view. It didn’t matter that I just took an hour break. I instantly threw down my bag and took another respite. There is just no way to capture the intensity of the vista or depth of field in a photo. I am constantly disappointed when I look through my photos. Quite frankly, I enjoy the entire day hiking, but sometimes you have a blow away moment, and this was one of them. Strangely there are no saguaro on this side of the mountain and haven’t been for many miles before even summiting Mica.

When are you going to see this view?!!??!!

I met a local (who also hiked the AZT) on trail yesterday who said this is one of the wettest years on record. There is so much water flowing that there was even a double tier waterfall on the way up the Mica. In the middle of the desert!!! It’s really such a blessing to have this much water available. I only drank 2 liters of water today because of the cooler temps at the higher elevation. Compare that to the 5 liters I drink the day before on the exposed and hot desert floor. That’s over twenty 8 oz. cups. The descent was steep and rocky, but it was easy for me in my new shoes. The scenery today has been so mind blowing that I almost didn’t want the day to end, but alas, my feet have told me I am done. They don’t hurt. They’re just tender and after 14 miles I don’t blame them. I ended up camping in a cow pasture a little before six. My dinner tonight is a cheap bag of mushroom stroganoff mix that you get in the grocery store for two bucks plus a dollar pack of a mushroom sauce mix that I add for extra flavor in lieu of the butter and milk that the bagged pasta calls for. It is so freaking delicious. Processed, yes. And full of sodium. Would I eat this normally? Absolutely not, but when you’re hiking, you have to throw all that out the window. I need calories, carbs and protein. And I need them now! Last night I made a cheddar broccoli version of the same thing, but I added too much water and it ended up being basically soup with noodles in it. I ate it and didn’t even mind because I knew it would fuel me the next day. I also knew I wouldn’t make that mistake again. I’m not really sure I have enough gas to make myself a hot dinner tomorrow night so I’ll be stopping at two campgrounds that are in the backcountry on my route and asking the camp hosts if anybody’s left behind a bit of fuel. Worse comes to worse I can cold soak mashed potatoes, but that will taste about us disgusting as it sounds. I am so detached from the enjoyment of food when I hike, I just want it to be easy and fueling.

It’s 6:51 AM on day four and I am in my tent watching the sun come up over the hill while the dew dries off the fly. When I arrived last night and set my tent up, a group of approximately 8 cow of mixed size and intimidation started to make noises that got me a little worried. They were staring at me and huffing. It was at that exact moment that Rob called me and I told him what was happening. He instructed me to make a lot of noise and tell them to shoo. I did just that and they all ran away. Phew! I almost never have my phone out of airplane mode and it was strange that the ringer was on, but totally meant to be at that moment. I was about to get my hiking pole and keep it with me ‘just in case.’ That’s the most scared I have been ion trail, and honestly, that wasn’t that bad. The cows just wanted my food!!! I’m pretty sure I heard one cow eating grass right outside my tent at some point early the next morning. Chew chew chew. And you should hear a cow take a pee. It’s a waterfall. Today the terrain is undulating on the desert floor and I’m really just looking to cover some easy miles to get as close to Romero Pass as possible. I’m moving towards the summit of my second peak this week, Mount Lemmon. I am really hoping not to have snow on the mountain, but have micro spikes just in case.

As expected, the following morning I woke up with the cows, washed my face in the little bit of water that was running down some rocks, dried my tent out again from a heavy dew and then got on the road singing a song. Literally. I was feeling a little depleted today so early on I decided to take it easy and slow and take as many breaks as I needed to. The miles would be relatively easy for the day, even though there were many of them. With the days getting longer there was just no need to rush. Spoiler alert: turns out I was wrong about some of the easy miles. Climbing Molino Basin at the end of the day with the sun right on me felt harder than climbing Mica Mountain earlier in the week. But persevere I did and then strangely ended the day at a public campground that intersected with the trail. I fell asleep to other campers’ music and headlights and noise. Somehow that felt a little comforting. Falling asleep to that medley of campground sounds I knew that I had done enough miles today to set myself up for success to start the summit of Mount Lemmon tomorrow. There ain’t much in the tiny town of Sumerhaven atop the mountain, but there is a restaurant where I (and practically every single hiker) plan to be as they open their doors at 10:30 AM. I haven’t had a real meal in two weeks since Patagonia and a little different food sound pretty good.

I was gifted with the easiest descent down Sabino Canyon the next morning and gladly put myself on cruise control for 5 miles. In the depths of the canyon I was delighted to find a long rushing creek. Now this was a welcome find for two reasons. One, I needed water to drink. Almost more importantly, I really wanted to bathe! I have cleaned myself, but not taken a shower in two weeks and the thought of stripping down and getting into this snow melt water was so appealing that I didn’t even hesitate. I broke out my eco-friendly Dr. Bronner soap and gave myself a full cleaning. I was already having a great day getting through my miles much easier than expected, but now I was having a stupendous day. To top off my good luck I ran into someone on the trail coming in the opposite direction. Immediately asking whether they just came from Mount Lemmon, and whether there was any snow, he responded, “no!” A couple patches but nothing to even think about. Woohoo!!!! No snow is a dream right now! Who cares about that microspike I lost coming down Mica! At least I had it and I shouldn’t need any more snow gear going forward. This day is amazing.

So much water! Miles of it! I found a deep spot where I bathed and washed out socks, underwear and bandanas.

Shortly after that I ran into two separate ladies who each told me I was an inspiration for hiking out here on my own. One of them wanted a photo with me. I made sure to tell them that at least 50% of the people out here are women hiking solo. After a hugely successful day completing nearly 16 miles with nearly all of the ascent of Mt Lemmon covered I camped near a seasonal stream with Slowpoke and Daddy Long Legs. Only 6 miles to get up to breakfast tomorrow morning in Summerhaven! That hike up Mount Lemmon was so much easier than I expected and I was feeling really confident and strong. Given that I had spent the last few days hiking towards the mountain and prepping to have the most successful hike up in potential inclement weather, I was really pleased to have a snow free trail ahead of me.

A portion of the 180 degree view from Mt. Mica. It was INCREDIBLE!

I felt like I practically ran up the trail today because I was carrying so little water due to the fact there is so much flowing everywhere. Barely having to carry water is making the difference in my life right now. Shaving pounds off my back. The day took a left turn from being fantastic when it came time to make my dinner. I indeed did have enough fuel for one last boil and now I see that these tiny canisters really go along way. I was gonna make a quick fettuccine Alfredo, but I had this vegetarian chili seasoning that I never used for mashed potatoes and had the outrageous idea to add the two together. It was unbelievably disgusting and spicy, but it was what I had to eat for my meal. I love spicy food but this was overboard and thankfully I had one tortilla left because I had to put the noodles inside the tortilla just to eat it and try to scrape off as much sauce as possible. This meal would go down as the worst one this week.

Enjoying the view from the top of Mt. Lemmmon

Friday morning found me up early, washing my face in the nearby creek and popping off to Summerhaven for the last 6 miles. The miles hiking into town ALWAYS FEEL SO LONG! The anticipation is too much! The last mile was a road walk that took you off the trail next to a public campground. First of all, I have to say Summerhaven is very literally a haven for the summer. At nearly 8,000 feet with pine trees, in cooler weather this is the place to come when the desert floor is scorching. It’s very pretty up here and the town is the size of a postage stamp. I easily pass through town, stopping at the general store where they offer a free coffee to hikers. I made myself a beverage buffet at 10:30 AM with my free coffee, a split of sparkling and a mango nectar. These acidic carbs never tasted so good. I don’t get a lot of acid taste on trail and it was welcome to my taste buds. Somehow this ascent felt like a celebration and I rose to the occasion. I sipped and spent a little bit of time connecting on my phone and charging my battery pack on their very lovely patio with benches. I chatted with a few hikers and then walked across to the few shops in town where I bought a couple postcards and finally ended at the Sawmill Run restaurant. Lions Mane tacos hit the spot. I spent four hours in town doing nothing but relaxing, people watching and hanging out. By 2:30 I decided I needed to make some effort to get back on trail so I could get in the rest of my miles at a reasonable. I was skipping, singing and dancing down the trail for another 9 miles on my way to Oracle. The descent was really steep and rocky but it couldn’t deter my good mood. Towards the ends of the day I had the most incredible view of the sun setting over the wide open desert. I checked to see if I had service and when I saw I did I immediately FaceTimed Rob to show him. The photos don’t capture the desert well so I was hoping the video would. It worked!!! He could see the desert islands sitting in the sunset haze. I searched out the perfect spot for sunset and landed on a beautiful ridge to for my final night of the stretch. I felt really positive about the miles I hiked and the way things went. All I had to do was hike another six miles in the morning to the American Flag Trailhead and a trail angel would pick me up and take me back to her place in Oracle. She is about the only person in this town housing hikers so I’m thankful to have the resource! I need a shower, laundry, a good coffee and my final resupply box I dropped off before starting. 194 miles complete!!!!!

March 16, 2024 by Gizmo

High Desert Haze: 70 miles from Patagonia to Colossal Creek

This second section of my Arizona Trail adventure, the last 70 miles, has been Pure Magic. I’ve spent the last four days in a desert high, or desert haze if you will, as I hiked through High Desert rolling hills covered in varying cactus, juniper, cottonwood, the occasional bunny and hikers from around the world. Hiking out of Patagonia through the Canelo Hills at mile 52, I would happily cruise through the Santa Rita Hills of Vail and end at mile 117 at Colossal Cave. I have been afforded the most incredible overview of Southern Arizona thus far. It’s easy to fall in love with this trail because of the endless wide open desert vistas, the ever changing landscape and easy breezy miles on the desert floor.

Prickly pear cactus dotting the hillside

Truth be told, I got stuck in Patagonia for four days in a vortex of relaxation and exploration. Monday morning found me prying myself out of a comfy bed with those amazing soft sheets…and onto the main road at 8 AM hitching a ride up the road a couple miles to meet the trail. I must’ve had some stored up energy from over the weekend because I felt really strong right out the gate and had a solid pace going in the early morning sun. Being back out with the barrel and prickly pear cactus, Cottonwood and blooming Manzanita just made me so unbelievably happy. The bliss I felt is what I’m not coining my Desert Haze. The first section of 52 miles was challenging for me while I got my legs underneath me, adjusted to the altitude, had a couple gear issues that Rob helped me solve and just generally got into my own groove. But this first day on the second section, I felt in sync and strong. My entire daily plan is structured around where I know I can find water and how much I need to carry. This day is like no weather as I left Patagonia with just enough water to get me through to the first water source. As my niece asked me, “how do you know where there’s water?” Well, there’s an amazing app called FarOut, formerly known as Guthook, where you can download the entire trail map with markers and interactive comments where people will note where creeks are flowing or where water caches are located so that you know what you can expect and carry the appropriate amount of water for yourself. Not too much. Not too little. At 2.2 pounds a liter I try not to ever carry more than 3 liters as a general rule. The max I have carried out here so far is just a little over two. But my technique is that I try to drink a lot of water at the water source, sometimes two liters. It’s called Cameling Up. And then I carry a lot less because I’m pre-hydrating. Tonight I hiked up to mile 68.8 where I camped on the top of a ridge trying to catch whatever might been left of the sunset. I met two more hikers after I set up my tent who also decided to camp there, Dallas and Terminator. Both are triple crown hikers, meaning they’ve done the three long distance hikes in this country. Some of the other people I’ve met are Feather, 40 ounce, Roadie, Switchback, Still Dark, Pac-Man, Merlin, and his dog, Wade, and Bud and Fret. Those are some of the fun Hiker names. If you have a Hiker name you almost never introduce yourself by your real name and I love it that way.

On the first section, I didn’t bring my stove to make hot food at night. Since I began with the convenience of a kitchen, I packed a whole bunch of prepared food for lunch and dinner. Rob cooked me, 2 veggie burgers on brioche bread slathered with cheddar cheese as well as portabella steak slices and tofu that I added to bread, sliced cheese, pickles, onions and jalapeños for sandwiches. I made them on the go so they wouldn’t get soggy. A couple individually packed mayo packets go a long way. Now that I picked up my stove along with my resupply package in Patagonia, I’m back to hot meals at night. Tonight I did a fancy dehydrated backpacker meal, which was lasagna. After hiking 16 1/2 miles I ate it so fast and still wanted more so I ate a bunch of my snacks. I have all my food carefully planned out so I really can’t go too crazy on eating but my Hiker Hunger is starting to kick in.

This sign made me laugh. A warning to hikers for the road ahead.

This section has been hiking through one beautiful ranch to another. Cows dotting the hillside with cactus.

Day two I woke up when Terminator and Dallas did, but waited to exit my tent and begin the day till they left. I don’t get up quite as early 🙂 I haven’t been able to hit a camping spot where the sun hits my tent first thing in the morning so I don’t have to deal with being a little cold in the morning as I get ready, but it wasn’t too cold this morning while I had a little protein powder in the tent to kickstart my day. After I enjoy my morning beverage snuggled in my sleeping bag, I begin deflating my sleeping pad and starting to pack my backpack in its very specific and organized way so that I may quickly identify if something is missing. Within no time I was happily skipping down the travel, enjoying all the scenery. There were so much yucca on the hillside today as I listened to podcasts and music I had previously downloaded. I wished I had a podcast that described all the different kinds of cactus I was looking at or the one or two random spring blooms. You can almost miss them. There was a post on the Arizona Trail Facebook group page showing the flowers really blooming up ahead, and I am incredibly excited to go through it.

Coming down to Colossal Cave outside of Saguaro National Park

On only the second day of the trail I developed two blisters on my right foot that I have been trying to care for this last week. Fortunately, they haven’t really kept me down, but I have been constantly adjusting my shoes trying to find the right fit. I’m beginning to think that my shoes are too small now because my feet have swollen from the desert heat. This is definitely something that happens when you walk hundreds or thousands of miles. Your feet can grow or swell, but it just has never happened to me. I contacted Rob today and asked him, as my hiking hero, if he could get me a half size bigger shoes and two day ship it to where I’m gonna be next. I’m moving at a slower pace because my feet just feel tight in my shoes, but still not that slow. I was so lucky today with another cloudy day in the desert. I actually haven’t had a day on the desert floor in full sun yet and I’m really fortunate because that means quicker dehydration and caring more water. It also just makes it so much more pleasant when you have a little bit of reprieve from the sun itself. Myself and every other Hiker I have seen are donned in sun protective clothing, often with a hat or hood to go over the whole head and neck. I have walked past people slathered in sunscreen and make sure to take the time to reapply a couple times a day. My precious little calves were burned the first couple days because I didn’t even think about protecting them, but I’m much more diligent now.

Kentucky Camp is a backcountry visitor center that I passed midday and was all too pleased to see that they did indeed have (as noted in the FarOut app) all the amenities a hiker could ever dream of in the middle of a section between towns. Being able to dispose of garbage, fill with freshwater (that I don’t need to filter from a stream or creek if I’m lucky; pasture tank if I’m not), and charge up my phone and battery pack are an enormous treat! Being topped off, I can use my phone to my heart’s delight for the next couple days. I need it most importantly for my map and secondary for music or podcast. All while in airplane mode. Definitely no extra use of phone or scrolling through things. Ideally I want to upgrade to a solar panel which I can attach to the top of my pack while I hike. It’s common. I just haven’t done that yet. I have decided on a few key gear upgrades already that I’ll be implementing soon. It truly is the little things like being able to sit in a chair to eat my lunch on the deck of the visitor center. Chairs don’t really exist in the backcountry except for those made of tree branches and large rocks. This afternoon, a wooden Adirondack chair is where I devour a meal designed purely for carbs and calories. Tortilla slathered with peanut butter and high protein barbecue flavored potato chips. And then of course I eat a lot more nuts and fruit and high calorie things right after that. I would eat all my food right now, but I have to pace myself. In real life I am both a foodie and love to eat; however, when hiking I look at food as fuel rather than enjoyment. Fueled up and rested, I hiked on through the afternoons beautiful landscape to the next water source, a stream a couple inches deep. Just enough to soak my feet and wash my face. Perfect place to end the day at 13.5 miles with a couple hours of daylight remaining. Not long after I got my tent set up, another hiker, Scott, rolled in. I hadn’t met him before, but being the only 2 hikers around, we begin to chat, as one does. I quickly learn that he is doing a weeklong hike on the trail. Super nice person and after that a second hiker, who I had briefly spoke with at Kentucky Camp came in to the flat meadow to camp as well. My feet were really tired from dealing with the blisters on my right foot, and I was actually feeling like I was getting a third blister on the bottom of my foot! I wanted to get off my feet, so I was in my tent pretty quickly, but fortunately for me my tent had a beautiful view of the fire that the guys made. I had pitched close to the fire pit and was still able to chat while relaxing in my sleeping bag. It was a nice treat to have a fire. “Hiker Midnight” is known to be shortly after dark, 7 PM now, and certainly my bedtime lately.

My third day was just as magical as the previous two except today I had a mission! I had enough service the night before to check the weather in Vail, where I would be heading, and saw there was rain the future for Friday. I became determined to do 19 miles each of my last two days on the relatively flat desert floor so that I could be relaxed reading my book and hidden from the rain on Friday. I received a little bit of Trail Magic when I ran into someone who at a trailhead who offered me an apple and fresh water. Again, the little things. Fresh fruit – woohoo! Luckily the miles were easy today and I was able to get to camp by 6:30. I was so happy to have made that many miles and be greeted with a killer sunset as I set up at mile 100! With just enough time to set up my tent and make my dinner before dark, I was out cold pretty quick.

Picking up my resupply package at Colossal Cave

The fourth and final day of this section found me up a little before 7am and ready to get some serious miles in an effort to arrive at Colossal Cave by the end of day. The first 6 miles were really pretty with the barrel and prickly pear cactus being lit by the morning sun. 6 miles in there was a water cache where I was able to fill up and also meet Calves who has hiked the Arizona Trail five times. Currently, he’s running shuttle service and providing help for hikers this season. I was delighted when he offered me a cold Gatorade and a Clementine. That’s a real oasis in the desert. It was in these next 6 or 7 miles to Cienega Creek that I started to feel how tired my legs and feet were from the day before. Since the miles were flat and easy, I decided that I was going to stick to my goal of getting to Colossal Cave to avoid the weather. At 2 o’clock and almost 13 miles in, I wondered if there was anyway I could make it there before four when they stop serving the margaritas and pizza at the visitor center. When I passed Cienega Creek I saw my very first Palo Verde out here. Beautiful Greene. And being on the edge of the Saugaro National Park, I get to see these majestic cactus as well! Rob told me it takes 50 years for one of those arms to grow and I read that they can live to 200 years.

Well, I freaking made it with sore and tender feet. I couldn’t believe I did the 18 miles by 4, but my feet felt every little bit of it in the shoes that were clearly too small. I didn’t make it in time for a beer at the cafe, but don’t you worry! A lovely couple that was RVing at the campground shared two beers and some great conversation with me. Both hit the spot. The campground is quiet with soft grass and cardinals flying all over. No shower, but there is running water, electricity and garbage! I had my best nights sleep yet there, after hiking nearly 40 miles in 2 days. The following day I made it to the cafe and picked up my resupply and new shoes from the office. I had everything I could need!!! Friday was so relaxing being able to kick my feet up all day and enjoy the surroundings. So much so that I stayed one more day. 🙂

Ocotillo everywhere in all stages of blooming

March 8, 2024March 8, 2024 by Gizmo

The 7 Year Itch – Back on Trail

It’s hard to believe it was almost seven years to the day that I embarked upon my first long distance hike on the Pacific Crest Trail with my best friend, partner and inspiration. It is solidified as a journey in our lives that ultimately led us to a complete change in lifestyle and perspective. The 1,000 miles that we hiked through superblooms and snow in Southern California remain one of the best memories of my life, second to mine and Rob’s Wedding Weekend.

Since our return from the Philippines at the start of Covid, we haven’t written on this blog, but we have been busy! The winter of Covid found us running a boutique bed and breakfast where Rob was able to showcase his love of being a Private Chef and I was able to teach my first yoga classes. We lived in upstate New York, at 10,000ft in Colorado and Santa Fe. Last year I hiked nearly 200 miles of The Long Trail in Vermont(the ORIGINAL long distance trail) as well as taking girlfriends out for their first backpacking expedition in Hunter, NY. My love for long distance hiking and getting absorbed in nature, the wind and the fragrance of the outdoors has not dissipated. I have deeply longed to long distance hike more ever since our first 50 miles on the PCT! Fast forward to 2024 and WA-LA, the Arizona trail lies before me with 800 miles of High Desert, mountain peaks, the Grand Canyon and many Gateway Communities. Starting again at the Mexican Border and heading straight up to Utah. Now, to be honest, I have only mentally prepared for the first 262 miles to Kearny, Arizona, but the more I chat with all the thru-hikers on trail that are attempting to complete the trail, the more I want to go all the way! I want to get out into desert and see the summer blooms, feel the cool Spring air on my face, hear the crunch of gravel and dirt under my feet and tips of my poles while being soothed and warmed by the sun. My ever encouraging hubby told me he thought “it would be really cool if I finished the entire thing.” Not out of the question, but leaving it open.

It’s funny the kind of responses you get when you mention to people that you are about to go on a long distance hike. The blank stare, the “Are you kidding?”, always those who say you shouldn’t go alone because you are a woman (and they are ALWAYS men saying it! Insert eyeball and heavy sigh), the people who GET it and encourage you, and those who can’t relate but love you and encourage you because they KNOW you. And all of the unsolicited opinions along the way. I’d be remiss if I didn’t share my favorite comments: those that you get from locals in the communities surrounding the trail itself. The excitement they feel when you tell them you have been inspired to hike through their backyards and rely on the kindness of strangers in their communities. It brings a sparkle to their eyes and buds a welcome conversation about how beautiful and special the area they have chosen to make their home is. Whatever the response, it doesn’t really matter cause “I am the sky and everything else is just the weather” (Pema Chodron). I’m not operating in a space where other peoples often strange opinions impact my choices. I am doing what I love, what brings me joy and doesn’t hurt a soul. And according to Henry Thurman, I’m right on track! “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” I am enjoying the beautiful world we live in before the temperature changes are too drastic and the environment too harmed to see the same beauty as exists now – waiting for me. Beckoning me. My body is still giving me the strength to get out there at the age of 40 and I am going to take advantage of seeing those sunrises and sunsets across the skyline while I can.

Let’s fast forward – I am sitting in Patagonia and have completed the first 52.4 miles of the trail. It kicked my butt a bit. It’s so freaking beautiful out here that even when I was frustrated or DEAD tired I looked up and there was a beautiful manzanita bush, Bluebird or striking sunset to beckon me back to the reason I am here in the first place. To surrender to nature and spirit and be guided through this desert. I’m definitely out here working through some things, as many people will do. I’m in the introspective part of my life where I’m doing a lot of Self Work in an effort to break patterns, mature and bring a more refined version of myself into this new decade. I have worked a lot over the last seven years to strip away the mind and ego and lead with the heart. It’s a challenge every day that I try to rise to, sometimes more successfully than others. I always feel that nature is my sanctuary and being outdoors grounds me to my true nature…and so I go…hiking to deeper levels of Heart Awareness.

Daddie Gizmo, AKA the love of my life, dropped me off at the trailhead Sunday morning with a kiss on the head and lots of well wishes as I began to hike from the border of Mexico north towards Utah on the Arizona Trail. The first day was a huge elevation gain to Miller Peak. We have been in Southern California the last 4 months and I neglected to take into account the altitude adjustment. Hiking to nearly 9,000 ft the first day really took it out of me. That combined with fierce winds and exposed trail in the desert sun had me stopping almost every mile. I thought I may go 13 miles the first day, but that was a pipe dream that was laid to rest the same time I laid my head down in my tent at 8.8 miles in.

Bathtub spring – first water source on trail. They don’t get much better…

I spent 4.5 days hiking north, fully adjusting to the altitude and getting ny legs underneath me. Wandering between different landscapes from snow covered Miller Peak to the desert floor, up and down the cactus and yucca covered Canelo Hills until reaching Patagonia at mile 51.4. A small town of approximately 900 people, Patagonia is a Gateway Community for resupply. Before taking off from the Southern Terminus, Rob and I dropped off three resupply packages for myself at various points along the trail. The first was with a Trail Angel here in Patagonia with whom I have shared such a special time since arriving. Within moments of her sweeping me off the highway where it intersects the trail, I felt that I was speaking to an older version of myself. The connection was there and over a 24 hour period we shared many meals and meaningful conversation. Patagonia and this trail has already given me a new friend for life. You know who you are :).

I am running into more and more hikers while being in town. I will be seeing plenty of familiar faces, whose trail names I’ll have to remember when I get back on tomorrow morning. Taking one more day off to relax. Tonight I’m joining fellow hikers for dinner, whom I just met today. The community is strong and thriving out here. It’s one of the best parts of the trail – the circle of people both on and off the trail that leave lasting impressions, friendships and memories. It’s the people, scenery and connection to my body that does it for me with long distance hiking. And I’m just getting started!