Even though we believe we grow up and move on from our volatile adolescence, deep down we're still just a conglomeration of hormones — the same ridiculous teenager, now worn around the edges by life. Jill Homer of "Jill Outside," The necessity and frivolity of personal challenges.
Though the BCB lags behind, those of you who keep up with us on Facebook know we are safely and happily hidden away at one of our favorite Catalina Mountain boondocks...as in, right in the freaking foothills.
As with every outdoor place, it is busier in this Pandemic year. But what can one say against the burgeoning numbers of anxious stir-crazed house-fevered people trying to save their sanity by applying layers of Mother Nature's soothing balm?
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| Check out that wall-to-wall front window! |
Add two more recent empty-nesters to the peace seekers as our nephew and niece Brent and Anita (Rv "newbies") who are (comically) suffering through the ABC's of boondocking 101. They are camped less than half mile down from us in their brand new camp trailer....with their rig's wall-to-wall Imax window strategically aimed at the rugged Catalina Mountain skyline.
Brent and Anita are settling into a routine of remote-working a business while on-the-road. Working on the road leaves enough spare time for Bobbie and I to show them our outdoor recreational "finds," you know, hiking and biking and boondocking opportunities right out the doorstep. Yes, life is good...even at this advance age (me and Bobbie, not Brent and Anita). Life is actually better than my predominantly glass-half-empty attitude could have ever imagined. If you still have a pulse, get outside and enjoy life. You only get one shot, after all.
Ever since I can remember, I've always dreamed about sharing our mountain "lifestyle" with family...the after work and weekend and vacation stuff. Things like climbing 50 of Colorado's 54 14'ers, exploring coast to coast and border to border in an Rv...of which there have been way too many as we searched in vain for the perfect rig. Let me save you Newbies 10's of thousands of dollars with some experienced advice: There is no perfect rig!
Without further "noise," here's a few typical days-in-the-life of sun-seeking travelers...
(Note: Click on the first photo below to view photos in a higher resolution album format)
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The Serpent!
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| Returning to Arizona to hike and explore every winter year after year, mile after mile, we never stumbled across a desert tortoise. This one is number two on this trip! |
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| One of our favorite "crested" saguaros. |
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| A typical day around our boondock...lovely clouds and desert. |
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| A typical occurrence while mountain biking single-track through needled cholla and fish-hooked wait-a-minute-bush...above and below. |
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| Typical views from our Catalina foothills boondock, above and below |
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| View out of Brent and Anita's Imax Window. |
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| Typical facial expressions while mountain biking... |
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| A typical outing... |
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| Nephew Brent, and Bobbie...catching up. |
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| Anita's first experience on single-track. She did great on her 3 inch tire "Fat Bike" |
Then back to hiking...a 10 miler with 3 miles of bushwhacking.
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| A coyote skull... |
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| The first two arms break through the skin on an immature saguaro |
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| Bushwhacking |
And finally, a 9 mile hike to find petroglyphs...
It has been so great to share some of our favorite places with Brent and Anita...going on two weeks now. Hopefully (I'm being selfish here) their taste of "freedom" and an Rv life in a warm winter climate, one that abounds with hiking and biking opportunities, will reoccur every year about the time snow begins to fly in Colorado. And, perhaps, they will choose to go north come summertime. Maybe, just maybe, we'll follow them.
Peace out,
mark and bobbie
Remember that teeny RV you all bought a few years back??? Made me smile - you're SO TALL! That one didn't last long but was cute.
ReplyDeleteYes...the "A" frame. No we decided it was too small to go for more than a week without destroying our marriage :)
Deletemark
Wonderful and fascinating photos as usual and great tales of adventure, this time with new recruits :)
ReplyDeleteAll these years in the Arizona desert and I have yet to see a desert tortoise, and you find two in one season! Life is so unfair. Btw I think your coyote skull is actually a javelina😁
ReplyDeleteChris
You could be right on the Havelina.
DeleteDam, you had us worried again, as usual you were just having too dam much fun to consider your corvid bound fan base to drop a quickie post. Well just glad you got that photo of a Desert Tortoise, nice too know there is still One in the Wild. You Wild Things :)
ReplyDeleteD & A
I believe the skull is a hog....enjoy the pics of warmth and travel...
ReplyDeleteWhile I sit in Mn. freezing... :)
While I've spent a lot of time in the high desert, winter in the low desert sounds delightful. However, I don't want to wrestle with any cactus. Beautiful photos.
ReplyDeletehttps://fromarockyhillside.com
OooH...Lots of pretty pictures!..
ReplyDeleteWhat is the make of that new fancy trailer; does it have protection for the wayward rocks from the tow vehicle?
I've got snow up to my eaves here in N.C. Wa.....I can't look at too many sunny warm photos..Arg....
I think it's a Sol...pretty good ground clearance, enough for Brent and Anita to get farther down a rutted road to the Catalina Mountain foothills...while we're stuck a half mile closer to civilization :(. There is a screen that protects their Imax Window.
ReplyDelete