Departure Imminent...

...and so I hope it stays that way. As much as I love Tucson and southeastern AZ I know there soon will come a time when I will have to say goodbye and head home. That time is almost upon me. As it turns out I'll be working Friday and Saturday but lucked out and will actually have this Sunday off, and that is a big change. It will be a good change for me for a few reasons. First and foremost, I may have one more chance to try the hike up to the top of Mt. Wrightson in the Madera Canyon area. It would be nice to make it to the top this time, but truth be told just because I will have Sunday off does not mean I will get the chance. I hope though that I will be able to squeeze in the time - I'll let you know.

Having Sunday off also means I will not have to hit the hay too early on Saturday night. I have been going to bed at 9 to 10 PM most Saturdays for the past several weeks, if not for a couple of months, because I have to be up at about 5 AM each day for work. The temptation that comes with having a free Saturday night could be too much to endure; I hear the Sirens' song already and it's calling me to have a cold one or two before I leave town. Of course, there is also the prospect of me going out to Tombstone again before I leave. That would cancel any plans for Madera Canyon and the attempt at a hike to the top of Mt. Wrightson. I have really been wanting to visit the Courthouse Museum in Tombstone, but having had Tuesdays and Wednesdays off for quite the while now that was impossible since the place is closed on those two weekdays. If I do go to Tombstone I can get a few things accomplished - like seeing the museum and doing some last minute gift shopping for folks back home and feeling that special feeling each time I visit the place. Along the lines of gift buying for the folks at home, I have already bought a shipping box to ship some of my gear and clothes back home so I will have room in my luggage for any last minute gifts - and folks almost any gift I will buy will be bought at the last minute, I am a Christmas Eve type of shopper. Still though the lure of a successful climb up the Super Trail at Madera Canyon is also extreme but somehow the lure of visiting a place where the likes of Ed Schieffelin, Bat Masterson, Doc Holiday, Wyatt Earp and other once lived is also extremely strong. It may all come down to how I feel on Sunday morning- time will tell. Decisions, decisions - I may have to toss a coin.

There are a few other things I would like to do before I leave. One such thing would be for me to visit the Titan Missile silo that is nearby to Madera Canyon; the one open to the public for tours. I might be able to make that after work on Saturday. A stop at the San Xavier Mission on the way back to my hotel might also be in order. I was there already but would like to go again. I also wanted to visit the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum but the only day left that I could possibly do that would be Sunday. Of course I could combine that with Tombstone as I would have to be at the museum as soon as they open in order to see any of the critters they have there; it is just way too hot once it hits about 10 AM. Again all I can say is: Decisions, decisions - I may have to toss a coin.

Finally there is one other thing I would enjoy doing and that would be to toss back a few cold ones with any of my readers who may live in the Tucson or Phoenix areas. I could possibly make that on Saturday night, or if you are near or will be near Tombstone I could make it on Sunday. I know there are a few of you in this area - so if any of you out there who read this drivel are so inclined - let me know ASAP.

All the best,
Glenn B

A Natural Success Despite Personal Failure

My trip to Madera Canyon, for a hike to the top of Mt. Wrightson was not an utter failure. While I never made it to the top of the mountain, and that indeed was a disappointing failure, I did have success of another sort. While hiking I spotted at least three deer, a few unidentified neat birds (unidentified by me because I know little about birds), 55 lizards, one snake, three deer, a few squirrels and two snails. I also had a vulture almost touch me with its wing tip as it winged by out of the blue and I mean that literally it came within a couple of feet and seemed as surprised to see me as I was it. Apparently it had its mind on some tender rotting morsel down below the trail and I count my lucky stars it was not waiting on me for a meal.

My success is not so much that I saw these animals but that I saw ones that I would venture to guess many other people on the same trail never see. This is especially true of the snails and probably at least one of the lizards I saw. I found the snail while flipping a rock looking for snakes or lizards. I was pretty surprised to find two of them under the same flat bottomed rock, I guess I was surprised because I never expected to find snails in the desert - what with their preference for damp places. These guys were no exception when it came to that preference because the ground under the rock was pretty moist - probably because it was within feet of some rainwater runoff. All were near sources of water, the water having come from the recent Monsoon rains. As for the two snails I did find, it was apparent to me they used the same rock repeatedly after going out to look for whatever it is they eat in that neck of the woods. If you look at the picture closely, you too maybe able to figure out how I came to that conclusion, it has to do with all the other stuff on the rock.

The bigger and better surprise for me was that as I was walking along, I kicked up a lizard that took off into the undergrowth adjacent to the trail. Now that is not at all surprising, heck I saw over 50 lizards just from the trail yesterday without really even having to try to find them - but this lizard was different. You see, most of the lizards I have seen on the trails at Madera Canyon have been either Yarrow's Spiny Lizards or similar species of spiny lizards. There was one Horned Toad I saw a week or so ago and that was a treat, but the one I saw yesterday was totally unexpected. It was some form of a skink. Now I wish I could tell you what type it was but I do not have a clue, I need to do some checking in my field book. I did check online but could not find any pics of a native AZ skink that resembles this one. It was brown in color with darker brown cross bands along its length including its tail. My guess is that it was about 6 to 8 inches long. It was fairly slender and at first I thought it might have been some form of legless lizard or a snake until I saw its legs. Lucky for me I was able to take the camera out of my pocket, turn it on, focus it, press the shutter release, and actually capture a fairly decent photo of it just before it scampered into the undergrowth. I was not about to follow because the slope of the hill just a couple of feet off of the trail at that point, and the looseness of the soil and leaf litter, made it too risky to try it. in addition I was in no mood to be ripped apart by thorns, and just about every plant out here has thorns - mean ones at that. (A check of my field guide revealed this was not a skink but rather an Arizona Alligator Lizard.)

I also got to see one snake, and I also need to check my field guide to identify it. My guess is that it was some sort of Lined Snake or a Garter Snake. Whatever it was, it was fast in disappearing. So, I was not quite as successful in getting its picture as I had been with the skink. As a matter of fact I did get a picture of it, as you can see though just part of it anyhow. It was the first snake I have seen while out hiking. Based on my previous trips to AZ that is an unusual statistic, most times I see more in a shorter period of time but have had little luck on this trip spotting snakes while I was out hiking.

All in all those sightings made the whole day a rather good one for me even though I never achieved reaching the peak of Mt. Wrightson as I had hoped to do.

All the best,

Glenn B

Disappointing failure

Well I went to Madera Canyon to try to hike all the way up to the top of Mt. Wrightson. Once there I had a choice - a 10 point something or other mile round trip up and down a steep trail ranked A or very difficult, or going a couple of miles longer at about 12 point something or other miles up a trail rated C or moderately difficult (the moderate one joined with the difficult one after 4 miles). I chose the latter because I am used to that trail. Well it did not matter, I pooped out at about 4.75 miles up the trail. I just did not have it in me.

I tried to figure out why I could not make it, heck I had been prepping for this hike for awhile now. I imagine some of my failure can be attributed to me still not being used to such high altitudes, I was over 7,500 feet - closer to 8,000, when I gave up. The air is definitely thinner up there and I have only exercised at up to 7,000 feet (the highest point to which i usually hiked) about once every week or two for the past few months. There is also the fact that I hike with a 25 to 30 pound backpack, and maybe just maybe I should have lightened it for the higher altitudes. If I somehow get a chance to go again I may just pack water and a first aid kit. Those extra pounds make a difference. Of course, there is also the fact that I certainly am not in the best of shape. While I have been improving, I guess just not enough for this hike today. I also have not been sleeping all that well and imagine that could have played a part. mostly though I figure it was because I am not in the best of shape.

All in all, whatever the reason(s) for my failure, I know it comes down to me. So I am pretty disappointed whatever the reasons. I really figured I could have mastered it today, or at least gone further, since I had gone farther in the past by about .5 to .75 miles. This was probably my last attempt before I have to go home next week and that is what makes it so disappointing.

All the best,
Glenn B

Leapin' Lizards

I went for a hike today at Madera Canyon. Not a long hike, just over 3 miles round trip, but a pretty steep trail for an old fart hefting an extra 20 or 25 pounds in a pack on his back. Still though, it was Paradise. The temps were in the mid to high 60s, and it was enough to bring out the lizards. At least it was enough to bring out some spiny lizards, I think they were yarrow's Spiny Lizards. Well I have a photo of one here for you to gawk at. Pretty colors, even prettier during mating season when the males take on some awesome blue hues on their dorsal scales. They also have a year round blue throat patch. This little guy was almost friendly. I saw him near the bottom of the trail on my walk down the mountain. Actually I heard him first as I walked by and he scampered through the dry leaves and under a rock (into that shady area to his left). A second or two of me waiting and he was already back out from hiding! These guys are pretty brazen, and this one should know better. Notice the duller rear half of its tail? That section of tail was lost and has regenerated. probably grabbed by a predator like a bird or snake, and the tail broke off still wriggling while the rest of the lizard scampered away to safety.

I saw a couple of others too, and I also got photos of them. it is a royal pain in the rear to post pics from the hotel computer, they only allow MS Paint to edit it. They do not have a photo editing program. I am sure there is one on the PC, they just do not have it set up to use it.

Maybe next time I'll get lucky and see a rattler.

All the best,
Glenn B

Tucson - First Day Off

Okay, today is my first full day off while out this way and I am going to make the most of it starting with a full breakfast right after I get done with the blogging. The hotel has a decent set-up for breakfast, and everything is mmm delicious. I have eaten breakfast every day that I have been here, which for me is unusual, but while not the norm it has an advantage because I have cut out almost all snacking. By 'almost all snacking' I mean I have completely cut out: candies, cakes, cookies, pretzels, chips, ice cream and just about whatever other junk you can think of. I have replaced them with breakfast and with a handful of nuts per day and a piece or two of fruit per day. No more smacking for 2 -3 hours per night as I watch the tube. I figure if I can do that for 3 months I should lose at least a pound or two!

After I eat I plan to head out somewhere. I am not too sure yet just where I'll be going, maybe to Nogales to become refamiliarized with the border area (a work related drive) and then maybe to Madera Canyon for a hike (my PT or the day). I already have hiked part of Pima Canyon, which is the closest trail to my hotel. I was going to post on that this morning but the pics I downloaded onto the hotel PC last night have been deleted. Oh well, I'll download them tonight or tomorrow and then upload them to my blog immediately. The desert is in bloom, and I got a few nice shots of flowers, and more of cacti and other desert plants. I have not seen a herp yet, but my bet is I may find some today.

Time to go now, I will write more tonight or tomorrow.

All the best,
Glenn B