a former gymnast with a neverending case of wanderlust
Although ‘volcano’ and ‘Arizona’ aren’t two words that seem like they should go in the same sentence, in fact it’s a very appropriate combination. Most of central Arizona is volcanic in origin, including the Superstition Mountains, which formed about 20 million years ago when three supervolcanoes deposited a 1000 foot (305 m) thick layer of… Continue reading Hiking in Arizona’s Superstition Mountains – Siphon Draw Trail to the Flatiron
I first heard about the Superstition Mountains years ago. I don’t even remember exactly when or where, but the photos I saw were imprinted in my mind from that moment on. So when we planned our trip to Phoenix, this was a non-negotiable addition to the agenda. The Superstition Mountains lie within the Tonto National… Continue reading A day in Arizona’s Tonto National Forest
I kind of dropped the ball last year on planning our Thanksgiving trip. Actually, that’s not entirely true. I had an entire itinerary put together back in May, but by that point we knew Pat would be starting a new job in August and we didn’t know what his vacation schedule would be, so I… Continue reading Four Days in Phoenix, Arizona
Sometimes I think I should have been a pilot. I’m not actually sure the realities of that job would be the best fit for me – and I love my actual job – but I know for sure that I’d never get sick of gazing down at our beautiful planet from the air. I’m forever… Continue reading Snapshots from the sky: Denver to Los Angeles
If you’ve been following me for a while, you may remember our failed attempt to visit Four Corners Monument (and if not, you can read about it here). Well as it happened, we found ourselves in the area once again the very next summer, on our way from Natural Bridges National Monument in Utah to Carlsbad… Continue reading Left Foot New Mexico – Four Corners Monument
After Canyonlands National Park, our next destination was Mesa Verde National Park in southwestern Colorado. The two parks are only about 3 hours apart by car, but we drove at least an hour out of our way (through the absolute middle of nowhere) for the sole purpose of visiting Four Corners Monument. Here, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and… Continue reading The place where 4 states don’t quite meet
The next morning, we headed off to explore the north rim of the Grand Canyon. There's only one campground inside this section of the park, located near the visitor center at Bright Angel Point. From the visitor center, a 0.5 mile (0.8 km) round-trip paved trail leads out to Bright Angel Point, which was where… Continue reading Interrupting Deer and White-tailed Squirrels – Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona (part IV)
After two wonderful days exploring the south rim of the Grand Canyon, it was time to pack up and head to the north rim. From Mather Campground, we followed Desert View Road east out of the park, stopping at the viewpoints we'd skipped on the way in. Though Grand Canyon is not known for its… Continue reading From Rim to Rim – Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona (part III)
The names of most of the viewpoints in Grand Canyon National Park are of Native American origin. Hopi Point, Yavapai Overlook, and Mohave Point, to name a few. Whoever named the rest was apparently not feeling very creative. Case in point: when we hiked down into the canyon, we found ourselves at Ooh Ahh Point.… Continue reading Ooh, Ahh, and Ugh – Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona (part II)
It’s difficult to describe the Grand Canyon without using the words enormous and spectacular. And while both adjectives are correct, I couldn’t really fully appreciate the immensity of the canyon until I saw it for myself. And so, after 2 days in Zion National Park, we headed south to see it for ourselves. We began… Continue reading A Vast Expanse – Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona (part I)
Handstands Around the World 