My Shangri-la Beneath the Summer Moon

I talked to Morgan on Sunday night, after the inaugural stage.
After the first stage of Transrockies on Sunday they were in 16th place. After yesterday's stage two, Dos Machos Sasquatchos had slipped down to 22nd - out of 71 two person teams, in their age group.
It seems though, at least according to Morgan, that the first two days would probably be the hardest. Monday's stage had the most amount of climbing out of all the stages. And he knew that the climbs would be the hardest for him.

He said they raced through snow, rain, thunder, freezing temps, sun, hike a bike and singletrack.
Morgan's like a diesel engine. He tends to not jump at the gun, but winds his way up and along the way steadily making good progress and gradually passes all the engines flittering out - to finish pretty strong. He's strong, steady and solid.

Me, I'm an old volkswagon. More like a karmin ghia. Trying to pretend I'm cool, trying to start out fast, puttin' along and barely hanging on, but happy to be all red and shiny.
And then Matthias, well, Matthias is strong all around. Morgan mentioned that during the first stage Matthias was holding back and having to wait a little on the climbs. But things were going well for them
Today's stage looks like it'll give them a little reprieve - and less climbing. So maybe things will settle out a little bit and they'll slowly begin their ramp up.
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Here, on the west coast, shortly back from LA and the bum rush of the cat lady...
Sam fractured his ankle on Friday about an hour after I dropped him and his buddies off at camp. Some kid slide tackled him during a pickup soccer game at camp. It's hard to tell with Sam when things are really wrong. Because un like both Lulu and I, he never complains about anything. He's a lot like Morgan.

But sure enough, after 5 hours in the ER on Saturday and still not a peep of complaint from him, we had our result.
So he's recuperating at camp grandma's for the week.
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And me, well, I'm riding my bike and...

Today's donut Tuesday here at work. Every Tuesday, Dale the doorman, brings a bunch of boxes of donuts and spreads them out for all to enjoy.

I don't eat donuts. I know my limits. Donuts are like crack to me. If I even have a tiny bite of one it's all over and then the whole day is lost. It usually starts with me cutting a small corner of and having one little bite, and then while I'm standing there eating the corner I'll eat the rest. And then I'll eat another one and tell myself I'll just run/ride at lunch and it'll be ok.
This is the start of the rise up to peak, when I rationalize that if I eat only 1 or 2 more then I can have a banana and almonds in a few hours, still before lunch and still feel ok to work out.
Because right then, I feel great. And everything is beautiful.
And then, I'm spinning in circles with the golf club and hitting golf balls down the hallway into the sales area and kicking the exercise ball at people I don't necessarily like as they walk by the studio. And then I'm riding my bike through the sales floor as fast as I can trying not to hit the cubicle partition walls.

And then in another half hour, I'm sitting at my desk complaining with a headache and feeling sick and telling the photographer to shut up. All this because of donuts.
But that was at my old job.

Nowadays, I just don't eat donuts. I just turn and walk away.

Eastern Gall Rust

I took this picture in April .. but only recently figured out what it was. When looking up something else I ran across a photo of Eastern Gall Rust (Cronartium quercuum). It's similar to the Cedar Apple Rust that I wrote about last year. They are both heteroecious, which means that they require two unrelated hosts to complete the life cycle.
I learned that $10 word from the Rust page on James Worrall's excellent Forest Pathology site, where you can also learn about cankers and wilts and so many other problems that you'll be amazed that trees can survive at all.
According to one site, the portion of the tree beyond the gall normally dies, which I suppose explains why I haven't noticed this gall since the spring I took this picture.

Cactiprunes

I've read that they're supposed to shrivel in winter, to prevent damage when it freezes. But this seems a little extreme.

Opuntia humifusa, Eastern prickly pear cactus.
It's the only cactus that's native here. I remember being really surprised the first time I ever saw one growing out in a field.
It likes poor soil - dry and rocky suits it just fine. So where it grows in our backyard is probably not a good place for flowerbeds.
When the previous owner scraped out a road and put down chert on part of the property, this cactus sprang up in sunny areas along the edges. The healthiest plants are growing in a small area that was apparently cut over as a turn-around for the trucks. Wild hyacinth (Camassia scilloides) flourishes there in the spring.

Foothill Sunset

Foothill Sunset, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

The hills are golden this time of the year, and while that means the wildflowers are gone too, it doesn't mean there are no scenes left to photograph.
The hills turn an ethereal pink just after the Sun sets behind the mountains. This photo shows the Sun about 30 seconds before it disappeared into the coastal hills.

Collective effort

Unfortunately there weren't enough of us today. The score in the Six Nations rugby match at Murrayfield was Scotland 6, Wales 24.
When I passed this poster (is that the right word? it seems too big for a poster) yesterday morning, the comma was up at the top of the 'y' of 'play', like an apostrophe. When I passed by on my way home in the evening, it had shifted down to be a comma. I wonder whose concern for grammar got it sorted.

SOUTH OF THE BORDER - MEXICO

Well, we've been here since November and have only one month left and hadn't been to Mexico yet, so we decide to venture down South of the Border. We hear from many Winter Texans that Nuevo Progresso is still safe.We travel down with our Canadian neighbors, Shirley and Marie - they're not chicken!



We park on the U.S. side and walk over the International Bridge - there is a 25 cent toll.

You can see the "Wall" that was built - complete with gaps - what were they thinking?The Rio GrandeCan you find the soldier in this picture? Hint . . . he is camouflaged

The main drag, full of shops, drugstores and dentists and wall to wall sidewalk vendors.Prescription drugs are 1/3 to 1/4 the cost of U.S. and you don't need a prescription to buy them. You can get a porcelain crown done for $90-$140. In one drugstore a lady was loading prescription drugs into a suitcase and most of the Dental Clinics had full waiting rooms.



It is a warm day and all the walking makes us thirsty and hungry!

A popular spot off the main drag. Unfortunately, the quaint open air marketplace where it is located has fallen by the wayside because most people are afraid to venture outside the main area.

We enjoy a nice lunch, margaritas and music.Time to go back to the States but we will return (I could use a crown or two and it is only $13 a bottlefor Tanqueray, Capt. Morgan and Absolute Peach. Hasta la Vista!



Meanwhile we keep on Trek'n Melissa & Gary

Lake Superior Aurora - Grand Portage, MN

Here's what I captured last night. Throughout the afternoon I was watching the Aurora forecast sites predicting STORM-LEVEL Auroras only to watch the index fall just as darkness was approaching in Northern Minnesota. Even though the activity level was no longer classified as "STORM" by the time it got dark here, it was still classified as "ACTIVE", so I decided to head out and watch the sky for a while. It was a good thing I did, as I saw plenty of activity in the first hour that I was looking. At first all I could see were several faint pillars of light dancing from East to West across the sky. Soon those pillars were joined by a glowing green "cloud" of light. Above the lights the sky was saturated with stars. Lake Superior was so calm the only sound coming from the shoreline below my clifftop vantage point was the barely audible, soft lapping sound of the water as it kissed the rocks along the beach. It was a sublime night for sure!

Moments that make an uncle proud

As much as I enjoy riding my bike, it usually feels pretty good to get done after a long day of cycling.
My ride this past Monday was no exception. With the day off from work, favorable weather conditions and my stomach in full-scale recovery mode from the onslaught of Easter (in retrospect, cherry cheesecake AND pumpkin pie probably wasn't the best choice for dessert), I decided to visit the old stomping grounds.
Starting from my parent's house in Sartell, I did a 35-mile bike loop of the St. Cloud area, making four stops along the way: the YMCA for weightlifting, a local sandwich shop for lunch, club rowing practice for nostalgia and the downtown bars for drinks in the non-water variety (here is the route I took, though the map probably means little to my Mankato-centric readership).
The day of biking was most certainly enjoyable. The weather was beautiful, my bike cooperated (no flat tires or any other malfunctions that have befallen my $85 Kuwahara) and it was cool getting to visit old friends. It also helped reaffirm my beliefs that Mankato is a far superior community for biking (more bike paths and motorists that actually watch for cyclists).
However, the best part of the ride came at the very end of it when I got back to my parent's house. This wasn't due to exhaustion from biking, though I was pretty psyched to have my mom's homemade rigatoni for dinner.
No, the real enjoyment came from what I saw as I approached my parent's driveway: My 4-year-old niece Alaina was riding up and down the driveway on her single-gear training wheel bike complete with handlebar basket, princess colors, tassels and glitter. The tires on her bike were flat, but she was still grinning ear-to-ear at the site of her uncle getting home, anxious to show off her styling ride to a fellow biking enthusiast.
She pointed out the features of her bike with the excitement of a seasoned cyclist who just bought a $10,000 ride. After commenting on my bike's lack of a handlebar basket, she led the way on a down-and-back trip up the driveway while I told her stories of her uncle's clumsy beginnings in cycling and reassured her that I would never be able to beat her in a race.
Really, it was a moment to cherish. I'm still kicking myself for not having my camera handy. Just about every uncle worth his weight in piggy-back rides will claim their 4-year-old niece to be the most adorable thing on the face of the earth. But at that point in time, I felt I could have made a valid argument.
It might have been the sheer elation of getting to hang out with my niece (I don't make it up to St. Cloud to visit as often as I'd like), or the joy of seeing her take after her uncle hobby-wise. But I could not have been prouder.

Early spring game cam

My husband's last idea for a game cam location didn't work out like he anticipated. The high altitude game trail was apparently not a path in current use. No critter pics at all for 3 weeks.
On the way up to check the camera, we did get a live-action wildlife treat though: a huge flock of turkeys. At least two dozen of them strolled calmly across the hill, shuffling through the dry leaves and making quite a racket.
We finally moved the camera to the spot I'd been whining about for some time: a low-level easy creek access. I have been hankering for a mink shot and I know they like water, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

The Great Blue Heron was a surprise. They are frequently in the ponds, but I had no idea that they visited the creek too.

Isn't he pretty? Some turkeys were in the same spot just earlier, but they were moving too fast and were blurry.

There were four night shots, but at a distance. I am wondering, if we put the camera on a stake closer to the action, would the animals shy away from it? Or would they walk behind it, just to taunt us? I guess we'll try this spot a few more weeks and then see.

Coyote checking his smell-mail.
Coming up next: two mystery critters in the dark of the night.

Bike Hauler Home

The new bicycle hauler is FINALLY home. Its been a real pain (buying a car, not the performance of the car).
Last time I blogged about this, the dealership (Classic Chevrolet Cadillac) was trying to find another car. They refunded my deposit, apologized (the money should not have been deposited), and assured me they would find me a vehicle to my liking.
Last Monday, they advised me they found a silver Impala with the options I wanted. They inspected my old Impala for trade-in value.
Tuesday evening I received e-mail from the sales gal. I needed to come in to finalize the purchase - Wednesday. Had to be that afternoon (because she did not come into work until 2pm).
More frustration. I came in, she went through the $$$. It did not match my internet generated invoice (but at least it was in my favor). The big problem was that the trade-in was not listed. The Manager was not in because of a family emergency. Took them over 30 minutes to 1) start reworking the trade-in estimate and 2) call the manage and find out where the estimate was.
I had a min and max value in mind. They came almost in the middle of the range from keep the old car vs trade it in. Sales gal was pushing to get the deal signed. I was getting more frustrated. Left to cool down, clear my head. Back Thursday to sign paperwork.
From there, over to the bank. They told me it would take 3-4 hours to prepare the loan paperwork. Further, the bank officers I was working with was not in that day. Told them I would be back Friday morning when they opened.
Friday morning signed loan paperwork and delivered the check to the dealership. My sales gal was not in that day. I told another salesman that I had been also working with that I would be in shortly after 9am Saturday to take delivery.
Saturday at breakfast my phone rang (but I did not hear it). At the dealership I was advised that the car was not in yet. The truck is supposed to bring it in SOMETIME Saturday in time for me to pick it up.
I was pulling into the driveway at home when the phone rang - my car was in. Back into town. Finally took delivery of my new Impala about 11am.

Catch-Up

Sunday morning some folks met at IHOP for a farewell breakfast. Hugs all around. From there - it was finish loading the car and head to Sedona.
On the way up to Sedona I stopped to see Montezuma's Castle. Its another structure built into the cliffs-side.
I was back in Sedona early afternoon and my room was not ready yet. Stopped in at The Bike & Bean, then went down to the creek crossing. Parking at the trailhead means purchasing a Red Rock vehicle parking permit. Anyway, after purchasing the permit, I walked down to the creek and took a few photos. The area gives a good views of Cathedral Rock.
It was 104 when I got to Sedona in the afternoon. Waited until about 6pm for ride. It was still HOT then. I went up Bell Rock Pathway to Big Park Loops and rode there. Got in about 5.5 miles.
I liked staying at the Wildflower Inn. It is a couple doors down the street from the Bike & Bean. Just a quarter mile or less to the trailhead. Was riding from the hotel room door!
Monday morning I was up early for my bike ride. Headed back up Bell Rock Pathway. But, my heart rate was not cooperating. Could not keep if down. Climbing it went up to 200, down to 125 when resting. Spiking back up as soon as I ride. Decided it was not a good day for me to ride. Early out of the hotel.
Since I was not riding my miles in the morning, stopped in Walnut Canyon National Monumnent. Got my work-out on the steps down and up the canyon. Walnut Canyon is another area where the Indians built homes in the cliff-side.

From there, it was a quick lunch and gas-up in Winslow, AZ. Next stop was Petrified Forest National Park and Painted Desert. More lots of photos; did some walking on the paths. Amazing that at once this desert was a swamp with huge trees.
It was sunny most of the day, threatening some showers from the South. Did get a couple drops on the windshield. Much of the drive through Painted Desert was under clouds. Bright sunshine broke out near the end. Think the overcast dampened the colors in the desert.
Bunked the night at Gallup, NM.

No, it's REALLY raining up here

The southside of the park is closed; the rain has started to wash out or significantly threaten a number of roads and access points. For updated information about weather and access, call 360 569 2211 and press ext 9.

Updates: the weather observations for Paradise measured 11.3 inches in the past 24 hours! At Camp Muir, the temps hovered in the mid 30's (probably rain) but it was the wind speed that remained impressive. Gusts of 121 MPH were recorded and the average wind speed for one hour in midday was 101!! The Nisqually River (pictured right) is nothing short of a boiling chocolately torrent, as is every other creek and stream around here. The river sounds like a freight train and the ground trembles as large boulders and old-growth trees jostle into the flow. The air even smells of glacial mud, cedar and pine.
As it stands now, the NPS is evacuating any non-essential personnel from the park before the roads completely wash out. The Carbon River road is also closed, as is the rest of the park.

Zig zag road

It's always interesting to discover new places to ride. This particular route was one that I was going to inspect from the other side a couple of years ago, but never really got around to it. I hadn't really planned to check it out today, but somehow it came up.

I had started with another disgustingly hot and humid morning (which would later become a disgustingly hot and humid day), and caught the northerly down to the southern end of the 'Coast before heading for Urliup, with plans to visit the Garden of Eden, high in the hills of Tomewin.

Pretty much everything unfolded as I'd expected -- although the humidity brought with it a haze that effectively extinguished any mountain views. The promise of cooler temperatures on the mountain, however, gave me enough motivation to commence the climb of Tomewin from the southern end. Usually fatigue is supposed to weaken you as you climb, but on this occasion, there was still some cloud cover at the summit, which had the opposite effect.


It was then the usual detour down Garden of Eden "road", before heading east across the ridge on Glengarrie "road". There was, however, something different about this stretch today. It seems the Tweed Shire Council have once again decided to "upgrade" a "road" that nobody uses, meaning that long sections of the rougher stretches had been dug up. Effectively it was like riding through a garden at times.
It was on one such "garden" that I had the back wheel slide out. Riding at a relatively slow speed gave me plenty of time to recover and avoid crashing, but it did give me the opportunity to stop and talk to one of the locals on the mountain. Evidently there was a second way into Bilambil -- a dirt, switchback road called "the zig-zag road".

The zig-zag road actually took out quite a bit of distance, and a couple of decent climbs. It was an interesting detour, but overall I still think the "old road" on this ride has more to offer. It wasn't long before I was back in Bilambil and commencing the long ride home into the wind, made a lot thicker by the humidity of the day. How humid was it? Well I don't recall the sun actually shining properly at any stage of the day -- even after the clouds had cleared.
I really hope it's not like this on the long-weekend tour in just two weeks' time.

A Drive along the Jemez Mountain National Scenic Byway

It is supposed to be a beautiful day so we decide to drive the Jemez Mountain National Scenic Byway.

We stop at the Walatowa Visitors Center in the Jemez Pueblo. The Pueblo has 3400 Tribal members, descendants of the native people who lived and hunted in these mountains centuries before the first European Explorers. There are no photos allowed in the Pueblo.

I have been surprised to see Lilacs here.

Valles Caldera is a Super Volcano - unfortunately the Park does not open until the end of May so we did not get to see it.

We get a peak of the Coronado State Monument remains of the Pueblo of Kuaua

Our first stop is at the Soda Dam.

Water from underground hot springs has flowed here for centuries and has formed these strange formations.

The Jemez River flows by.

The little cave behind us actually lead into a smaller cave with a shallow pool where kids were playing.

Next stop Battleship Rock. A sheer cliff of welded Volcanic Ash that resembles the bow of a ship.

We hiked a bit around the campground and tried to follow a trail but found out it was 2 miles one way and uphill.

We drive to our next destination - Spence Hot Springs.

After a winding switchback hike we arrive at the Hot Springs.

I dunked my feet for a short while and took in the view.

We never pass an overlook!



From there we continue to Jemez Falls Campground where it is supposed to be a short hike from the campground to the Falls. What we didn't know was that the campground was still closed and it was over a mile walk in. It was a nice hike through tall ponderosa pines. It's times like this that I really feel guilty that poor Tucson doesn't have a yard.

We arrive at the Falls

We stop and take a break.

Next is Fenton Lake State Park. The place is hopping with picnickers and fishermen.

Route 485 which is supposed to have some tunnels is shown on the map right next to the Park, but we don't find it.On our way we turn down what might be a road and find this overlook. We stop and talk to some people leaving and ask them where 485 is. They say that the dirt road below is it and that it is about 20 miles long, we would be better going back through JemezFalls as the tunnels are only a few miles in from there.



So we had back to Jemez Springs and through the Red Rocks.



The first tunnel looms ahead!

The tunnels were blasted through solid rock back in the 1920's to construct a rail line to haul logs out of the Mountains. The narrow road through the gilman Tunnels follows the Guadalupe River.



We double back to town for dinner.

We do Los Ojos Saloon. I had the Chicken Burrito Grande in Green Chile Sauce (green veggies are good for you!) Gary had the Green Chile Chicken Sandwich.

A great drive and the sun sets on another beautiful day!

Till Later!

Meanwhile, we keep on Trek'n

Melissa, Gary & Tucson