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Spending the night sleeping on a cot at a remote trailhead under starry skies and tall pines gave me a few hours of sleep, enough to feel somewhat rested in the morning, especially given the long drive from Phoenix. When my alarm roused me I stumbled… [read more]
Fire restrictions for Kaibab Forest would kick in on Friday, making campfires illegal, so I drove the kids up on Thursday after work and we found a small site off of FR 150, south of Williams, and after quickly setting up camp we made our classic hot… [read more]
Mt Baldy rises from the edge of the Mogollon Rim, towering above the lofty pine-covered plateau to an impressive 11,409', making it the second highest mountain in Arizona. While some sections of the mountain were damaged in the Wallow Fire of 2011 it… [read more]
Sunlight filtered softly through the tall pine trees as I eyed up my three kids. We had spent the last few months preparing for this moment, testing our limitations and gear, and I still wasn't sure if we were ready for this particular adventure. [read more]
The last year has lasted an eternity. COVID-19 has impacted, well, the entire world, and my family wasn't spared. I don't mean to complain - we are blessed and privileged and are able to react to the uncertainty - there is just no question that every… [read more]
After spending quite a few years working with services, and, more recently, API gateways, I've become intimately familiar with the desire to add layers and layers of middleware. When a service is initially designed it focuses only on pure… [read more]
Early on a weekday morning the kids and I pulled into the Derrick Trailhead near Christopher Creek, one of only three vehicles parked in the normally busy lot. Our first destination, Horton Creek Trail, is a popular hiking trail, and I hoped that the… [read more]
In my search to explore new areas in Arizona for kid-friendly hikes, especially to escape the summer heat of the Phoenix area, Prescott eventually bubbled up as a possibility. I've driven past these lands a few times and never given it serious… [read more]
Faint morning light outlined the bulk of Mount Lemmon ahead, a majestic scene as I eased into Catalina State Park. I paid the fee and parked at Romero Canyon Trailhead on the east end. There were a dozen vehicles scattered around the lot, a… [read more]
As I've began to venture into the Sierra Ancha Wilderness, I can't help but wonder if it'd be a suitable destination for my kids. Compared to the Superstition and Mazatzal Wilderness it is rather small (a mere 20,000 acres), which is reflected by the… [read more]
Working out has, over the last few years, become an integral part of my day. Long ago I assumed that running occasionally and eating semi-healthy was enough, and then my thirties hit, and I realized that I needed something more. Katie prompted me to… [read more]
Waking up in the Sierra Ancha Wilderness, sleeping under a twisted oak with only a down quilt between me and the elements, was a pleasant and leisurely affair. I ignored the predawn rush and continued reading my book from last night, eagerly… [read more]
Descending down Moody Point Trail was an exercise in variety. The route quickly entered a devastated burn section, cutting wide switchbacks through a dead, gray landscape, exposed to the sun, and obvious mud damage to the tread. The trail maintenance… [read more]
Musk of skunk hung heavy over Parker Creek Trailhead. As I laced my boots and checked my pack I wondered idly if my Jeep had been sprayed on the drive up, or if I had just missed an encounter a few minutes ago. Either way it reeked. I double-checked… [read more]
Driving west of Phoenix can be a dreadfully boring endeavor. The desert is flat and hot, the highways are straight for miles, and there are few smatterings of interesting rocky formations in the distant haze. I've driven this way a few times on the… [read more]
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