June 9 – I found a campground last night about 7:30, and I couldn’t
be happier with it. I checked a couple I’d heard about near Mormon Lake, but
when I pulled in and was looking at the various sites, the camp host came by. I
asked her about cell service, because I noticed I didn’t have any. She
suggested a campground a little farther up the road called Canyon Vista. She
said it was a nice little campground and it did have cell service – the only
one in the area she knew of.
Now before
you judge me for wanting cell service when I’m supposed to be in the
wilderness, understand that my favorite place to be is on the edge of the grid
– I like the wilderness, but I like being able to stay in contact with my kids
and friends. I don’t mind being isolated for a night or two, but I was looking
for a good basecamp from which to make a number of hikes. And if I’m spending a
number of nights in one place, I want to have the ability to connect – partly
so I can let my support people know where I’m hiking each day, and partly
because I want to be able to connect in the evening. I’ll have plenty of time
with no cell service and no Internet when I’m on the John Muir Trail. I don’t
have to do it now.
This
morning I headed for the little Country Store about a mile from the campground
to wash up, brush my teeth, and get coffee. When I got there, there were about
five guys sitting out on the porch of the store, and they all visited with me
as I headed in. One was the owner, and he told me they didn’t have any
restrooms and pointed out a couple of portapotties. He suggested I head the
other way on the road, about four miles from the campground, and find a gas
station that could help me. I thanked him and said I’d get my coffee anyway. He
showed me the coffee pot in the store and wouldn’t let me pay him for it. We
visited for a little bit, he told me where I could buy a shower when I asked,
and one of the other guys asked me where in Woodbury County I live. It turns
out he was from eastern Iowa. I could have shot the shit with them all day, but
I wanted to get started on my day’s activities.
I ran up to
the gas station, which turned out to be right on the edge of Flagstaff. I had
no idea I was so close to town – the campground feels very remote. At the gas
station, not only did they have a nice clean restroom, but also they had
Caffeine Free Diet Coke and crushed ice on the fountain. I felt as if I’d
struck gold. I did my business and went back to decide on a hike. 
When I
pulled in, I noticed a little triangular trailer at a nearby site. I went over
and introduced myself to Bill, the camper there, and he showed me this little
trailer he had made for very little money. It’s perfect for what I want. I took
pictures so I could commission Super-Ex Rick to make it for me. Bill hikes all
over, and he’d already completed some good ones in the area. I’m amazed at the
number of hikes here in these mountains. And I didn’t know this area was so
much cooler and had Ponderosa Pines and old-growth forests. This part of
Arizona has been one surprise after another.
Bill showed
me a book he’d bought of area hikes, and told me where the camping store was to
pick one up. It’s written by a local, so the hikes are described well with
commentary on what to expect. He told me about some of the ones he’s hiked and
made some suggestions. After running to town and grabbing the book, I set out
on my first hike in the area. 
I hiked a
combination of two hikes – Sandys Canyon Trail and Fischer Point. The total
mileage was about 7.5 miles round-trip. I climbed down into the canyon, walked
the length of it, and then hiked up out of it to Fischer Point and back again.
It was a beautiful hike. I walked among the tall Ponderosa Pines, growing from
between rocks and cooled lava beds. The hike was steep in places, but not
unmanageably so, and the scent of the pine trees was a heady perfume.
I love
being in the pines, and it felt good to stretch my legs. My foot held up nicely
with no pain. This was a good test with rocky terrain and plenty of inclines
and declines to navigate. The hike I’m doing tomorrow will test it even
further, along with testing my trail legs as it’s a little longer and has more
ups and downs.
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| Fischer Point |
After the
hike and running to town to do my online tasks, I came back to make dinner and
settle down for the night. I didn’t have a big chance to relax – Bill came over
with a strong recommendation for my hike tomorrow, which I’m taking, and my
next-door campers are two men who came over to introduce themselves, visit for
a few minutes, and then invited me over to look through their telescope.
It was
amazing. I saw Saturn with her rings, the red planet Mars, and the moon. I have
to say, seeing the moon up close with its craters and shadows was one of the
most wonderful sites I’ve seen. Saturn was amazing too – it’s crazy how clearly
you can see the rings on that tiny image. We visited for a while longer, and I
finally was able to say goodnight and return to my campsite. It’s chilly now,
and I’m heading to bed. I’m continually amazed at the unexpected gifts I find
on my travels.
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| Lunch break |
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| Ferns? In Arizona? Who knew? |
It was well
worth the effort, though. The day was beautiful at around 75 to 85 degrees,
with a nice breeze when I hit the open spots on the hike. It included some
slight bouldering up and down on the rocky parts of the trail, and I hiked
through Ponderosa Pines, across open meadows, and through thick groves of Aspen
trees. I sat and had lunch once I hit the final grove of Aspens I had been told
about. Sitting there, on the wide white trunk of a fallen Aspen, with just a
little breeze blowing, was peaceful and lovely. I decided to turn back at that
point – I’d hiked about 4 ¼ miles and decided 8 ½ miles was enough for the day.
I’m a
little discouraged that I’m getting so tired on these 7 ½ to 8 ½ mile hikes.
Last year I did some 10 milers before I injured my foot and they didn’t bother
me at all. The year before I also did a number of 10 – 11 mile hikes. I keep
thinking of the 10 miles a day I intend to average on the JMT, and I’m hoping
it’s just a matter of getting acclimated to the higher elevation and building
my trail legs. I’m so happy that my foot is not causing me problems, and the
all-over soreness I always experience in the first few hours after finishing a
hike dissipates by the evening. But this effort I feel the last few miles of
these longer hikes has me a little anxious. I suppose it’s really just a matter
of training and gutting it out when I’m tired. I’ll say one thing, it always
feels so good to finish the hike and take those boots off.
After the
gorgeous, if exhausting, hike, I found Flagstaff’s Aquacenter where I can
purchase a day pass for $4.75. I intended to use this only for a shower, and I
did this first day, but next time I’m taking my swimsuit and going to soak in
the hot tub and maybe swim a little. I’m guessing after my next long, difficult
hike it will be like a little slice of heaven. The shower alone was wonderful –
no time limit and a private area for dressing.
And they even had big mirrors and outlets to primp a little. The shower
I found the day before only had 5 minutes for $3 and no outlets, mirror, or
sinks to use afterward. It’s amazing
what I find pleasure in when I’m living out of my car and in my tent. 
I decided I
needed a dose of civilized activity, so I went to see the film “Chef” at the
local theater. It was a sweet, feel-good film, and I enjoyed it. I might even
try to catch another one this week while I’m based here in Flagstaff. I am so
worn out by the end of the day, I’m finding I have no trouble going to sleep
well before my usual midnight at home.
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| A couple panorama views of the hike. I love this camera phone |
June 11 – I awoke this morning after
the first night of sleeping the entire night through with no excursions to pee
and no tossing and turning. My new sleeping bag is amazing – I can zip into it
fully and I don’t feel confined. It’s warm and comfy, and I’m glad I spent the
money on it. I think I slept so well because I took ibuprofen before going to
sleep – I think I’ll do that regularly. My muscle aches don’t wake me up that
way. Getting older really stinks in a lot of ways.
After two
long, strenuous hikes, I decided today I would do something shorter and less
demanding, giving my legs some time to recover. I drove down to Sedona for the Bell
Rock hike I read about in my hiking book. The trip down there was longer than
it would have normally been, and not as pretty. The Sedona Fire has just been
put out and the main road between Flagstaff and Sedona, which includes amazing
switchbacks and jaw-dropping scenery, is still closed. It’s still a nice drive
on the interstate, and it is always interesting to see how the landscape
changes so much in such a short distance. The pines and tall trees of
Flagstaff, at 7000 feet, give way to the scrub, cactus, and mesquite of the
4000 – 5000 feet of Sedona. And of course, Sedona is known for its red rocks.
It was around two of the most well-known formations that I was headed.
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| The Big Tit |
I’m sitting writing this in a Laundromat back in Flagstaff, waiting for my clothes to dry. The doors are standing wide open, allowing a nice breeze. I feel at peace and contented. Tomorrow I’ll tackle another tough hike, but tonight, I’m going to relax and maybe explore a little of historic Flagstaff. I’m enjoying having a base camp for a week or so. I’m still doing something new every day, seeing a new vista and trying a new challenge, but its fun to get to know a place a little bit.
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| The back side of the hike |
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