2023: Solace in the Desert

It’s been a minute since I’ve written in this journal.  We’ve been on plenty of adventures and trips.  But the spark wasn’t there to write.  Life.  Life is complicated. It has been full of the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.  I don’t know what changed in the last few years but the lows have been dominating.  I hate losing to my demons, but they’ve been dominating my time and it is getting old.  I’ve refocused on myself recently.  Started a workout regime.  Incorporated meditation before bed.  Boy do I suck at mediation.  But falling isn’t an option.  There is too much to be grateful for.  Too much to look forward to.  

In the midst of a spiral, we went away.  It was the best medicine.  We’ve been building vehicles non-stop since 2016.  Racing.  Vacationing.  In 2018 we bought a RV project.  In 2020, we sold the teardrop. In 2021, we sold the RV project.  In 2022, we decided to build out our Scout for a camping rig.  2023 has been consumed with that project.  But its not done.  So FB marketplace to the rescue, and we put the RTT for the Scout onto the Powerwagon and left.  

Mike planned the trip.  We started in Petrified National Forest.  Neither of us had high expectations of the place.  Those expectations were shattered.  I’m a rock nerd.  Love them.  Collect them.  Obsess over colors and patterns.  Mike was a geology major.  This place was incredible.  We spent far more time there than we expected.  The weather was just cool enough to walk the dogs on a few trails. 

After the park, we motored north to Valley of the Gods.  This place owns my soul.  We go almost every year.  We ate burgers at sunset, watched the stars at moonrise and slept until dawn.  

Up before the sun, we packed up, ate breakfast and headed north.  

We stopped to survey the San Juan river in Mexican Hat before leaving to see if that would be a viable camping spot but the river was full of sediment from the hurricane that soaked the desert just prior.  Yes a hurricane.  We might not have shorelines, but hurricane remnants routinely traverse north through the desert, providing much needed water.

Day Trip | Workman's Camp Road

We originally planned an overnight camping trip, but after looking into battery charging issues we were having with the teardrop, we realized one of the two batteries had spilled its guts in the aluminum box.  Cleaning that up killed half a day so instead we worked on our project truck with plans for a day trip the following day.

A buddy had ventured into Tonto National Forest a few weeks back and told us to explore Workman's Camp Road.  We have driven by this road too many times to count on our way to other camp spots, never giving it a second glance.  What a shame, because in addition to a small (well right now in summer it is small) waterfall, it boasts amazing views of the surrounding valley's and peaks.

We started the day, dipping our toes in the clear stream.

Afterwards we ventured up towards the waterfall.  It was just a trickle this time of year.  In the mountains it was in the mid 80s whereas at home in the flats we saw 107.  And it's only mid June.

Further up the mountain, we veered left and went up to the surprisingly empty fire watch tower.  The views were incredible.  Mike fought the big winds and launched the drone for some incredible footage of our favorite national forest.

It was a quick day out, but much welcomed.  We've been working relentlessly in the shop, trying to finish two project trucks that can't help but find one problem after another.  We didn't get out overnight in, but we did get to stop at the top of the world.

Anniversary On Dirt

10 years ago, we were on our honeymoon, zooming around the desert on a KTM990.  This year, we had booked a 4x4 camper to circle Iceland - our first international trip.  After all, 10 years warrants something special.  But like many others, our plans were halted, cancelled and reworked.  We decided to celebrate the only other way we know how - by camping in our favorite National Forest.

Tonto National Forest - The Land of Many Uses

Between Globe and Young lies pines.  Seems silly to bypass the pines for the junipers, but we were on a mission to find a camp spot from 8 years ago.  Before leaving the pines, we stopped at Reynolds Creek - one of our favorite haunts.

We left Reynolds Creek and started towards Young, AZ.  We spent our first evening alone among the junipers and scrub pines.  We felt like we had the whole horizon to ourselves.

Stir crazy as we are, we left Young for the pines.  Tonto really lives by its name - it begins in the desert, among the high saguaros, blooming palo verdes and desolate spaces.  Tonto transitions into juniper and scrub pines before ending in the cool, towering pine forests.  And we love every inch of this national forest.

The pines, as expected were much busier.  But after ample exploring, we found a quiet secluded spot, set up camp and spent the evening listening to the wind in the needles.

Our two days were up and we packed up and headed back south.  Someday we'll head to the ice cold northern island to explore, but at least we spent our anniversary with the girls, among the trees.  Just us.

First 2020 Dirt Trip

We're well into February, and we're just hitting the dirt for 2020.  I took a well needed Mental Health Day from work, met up with friends who recently bought their first Jeep and we headed to Box Canyon at their request.

Mike and I have done Box Canyon several times both on four wheels and two.  Our first venture in the Jeep out there inspired the heavy steel skid plates it now wears.

We met up, headed down towards the canyon.  We aired down, shifted into 4x4 and pushed concentrated on nothing but the trail ahead.  We were a little surprised to see some water still gently flowing through the canyon from several days prior.

After exiting the canyon, our fellow Jeepers were wanting more trail, so we gave them that. A full 40+ mile day.  We pushed towards Martinez Canyon and eventually out at 177 southeast of Superior.

The trail doesn't disappoint.  You spend most of the day in 4 low, riding up and down technical ridges.  Most of the time Mike drives, but I got to expand my 4 low skills today a bit too.

By the time we were nearing pavement the shadows in the valleys were getting longer.

We aired up, said our goodbyes, and exhausted and happy, made our ways home.  Life is busy, complicated and sometimes messy, but these short and infrequent breaks on the trail ease the mind and soul.  

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