RockMonster Run

Mike and I have been talking about hitting RockMonster for a while now.  We both used to frequent the Sonoran Desert National Monument daily for work.  It's been several years and we yearned for an adventure in our backyard.

I hit up our new JeepFriends and had a few takers for today's adventure, including our AdventureFriends in their FJ.  So there we were, a big white PowerWagon leading a line of Jeeps and a FJ.  It looked like pop was out taking the kids for a stroll.

This time, I drove my Jeep too, so there are less photos.

We peaked RockMonster (no that is not it's name, but one we gave it), and were disappointed.  I think they've done maintenance since the last time we were out here and it made the jaunt up to the peak kinda bland.  But we did have amazing views for lunch!

The weather was incredible, the company killer and the trail a blast.  We popped out at Big Horn and made our way back east.  A quick pit stop to air up and we parted ways.

It's so awesome to have connected with a group of people who love to explore and get out as much as we do.




Link for video in case embedding fails.

Have Love. Will Travel.

This past week was horrible. We lost a good friend and fellow agent tragically.  By the week's end we were drained, emotionally and physically.  Both friends and an actual professional counselor suggested that we get away.

We took two extra days off work and left Sunday morning for Sedona.  What was the plan?  We didn't have one.  We made Sedona proper around 1:30 PM.  The travel center gave us a rudimentary map and pointed us towards FR152.  Why, because he was a Power Wagon fan and wanted us to see some dirt.

The first part of the road was full of day hikers.  But after a few miles, it was just us.

The road was rocky, but the Power Wagon did amazingly.  We got quite a few looks being out there in a full size truck.

Our stomachs were growling, so we turned around and made our way back towards town.

But before dinner, we hit another road (which name/number escapes me), but it is adjacent to Tlaquepaque.  This road was extremely rocky, and we passed a bunch of side by sides and Jeep tours hauling butt.  No wonder their Jeeps looked terrible.

We realized that Mike's current favorite beer is brewed in Sedona.  And they have a grill too.  So we stopped for dinner at the Oak Creek Brewery and Grill for burgers, and of course beer.  We ate on the patio and watched the bats zoom around overhead making quick work of the pests.

We zoomed up to Flagstaff in the dark.  The temperatures were dropping and perfect.  A quick ice-cream dessert was enjoyed and we turned in, exhausted at La Quinta.

Come morning, we were all tired.  Loaded up in the truck, we had breakfast in Hippie Town USA (not an actual place), and made our way south to Sedona in search of the porter Mike enjoyed last night.  Beer run completed, I picked up chai and snapped a few more pictures before we started our journey back south.  Neither of us were ready to head home, but life beckons.

Two days of outdoor therapy were welcomed by both of us.  Fresh pine scented air, red roads, and exploration are good for the soul.  No plans, no worries, just enjoying the moment with each other.

It's the little things, folks.

Flagstaff/Sedona Camping

I finally convinced my good buddy Jeff to take a bunch of us canyoneering and repelling.  We mustered up a good group of cohorts and headed off to the Flagstaff area for the weekend.  We set up camp, had a good meal and great conversation and enjoyed perfect weather.

And then I got altitude sickness. 

Everyone (but Mike because he's afraid of heights) took off to Illusions Canyon at first light and I went back to sleep.  Hours later, still fighting nauseua I woke and Mike and I enjoyed the afternoon just playing in the woods with the dogs. Even with the sickness, I still needed a weekend away to commune with the trees. 

The crew was late, and I got worried, but they were fine.  Exhausted, beat up, but fine.  The canyon proved harder and more advanced than originally thought, but Jeff said everyone did amazing.  Unfortunately, it'd be a bit of a lie for me to put up photos of their adventure, I'll have to pressure Mandy to do a write up.

But stay tuned, because I'm already hitting Jeff up for take two, so I can go.