Travel Tales

Yanama to Colpapampa

2011-10-23T17:27:00.000-07:00

The hand warmers, a few layers of fleece, and my sleeping bag kept me nice and toasty warm all night, but it was COLD and windy in the morning when we first started hiking. I'm wearing a couple layers of fleece, my down jacket, and my windbreaker.

The hike from the campground started off as a gentle incline, through villages and farms. We saw several students walking to school, carrying 2-3 pieces of wood for the fire used to cook their breakfast and lunch.

After about 45 minutes, we were leaving the pastures and getting into higher and dryer grounds.

There were still lots of springs and waterfalls along the way. We had approx. 25 water crossings along the way.

After steadily climbing for about 3.5 hours, we finally reached a grassy meadow where we stopped for a rest (nap) and a snack. The snow capped peaks of Pumasillo were to our north.

and the peaks of Padreyoc were to the south. We will be heading over the pass about 2/3 from the left in the picture (under the biggest blue section of sky).

Because of the altitude and the possibility of somebody getting ill, Vilmar and the emergency horse walked with us instead of the rest of the crew. I think the rest of the crew would be jealous of they saw him resting with us!

After the break, we tackled the final climb to the pass.

Here we are getting closer.

Arturo instructed us to wait at the rocky section just below the pass until the rest of the group arrived. It was really cold and windy but the rocks provided a bit of a wind break. When Emilie and I got there, we saw this family and their mules taking a break before heading down (they were going the opposite direction as us).

We are almost all together.

Brad finally caught up.

Yeah, we all made it to the top (4850 m / 15908'), without the emergency horse! Unfortunately, the clouds blocked the view of the Santa Teresa valley below. We snapped a few pictures, then headed down the other side to get out of the wind.

Even as we started our descent, we still couldn't see the valley below us.

We also ran into another mule train on the way down.

Finally we got our first clear view of the valley below. Now we just have to get there to set up camp.

Between the more gradual slope of the path and Ben and Karryn taking tons of pictures, I wasn't hiking downhill alone at the back of the pack for a change. After about 2 hours of hiking from the pass, we stopped for a lunch break.

Then we started hiking again. The bottom of the valley is getting closer. The light line on the right side of the picture is the trail we were on.

After hiking another 1.5 hours after lunch, we crossed this river, then reached a gravel road that went through several villages and would lead to our campsite.

There were a few shortcuts through the fields that bypassed some of the long switchbacks on this road. About half of them were very narrow and steep, so I evaluated each one. Instead of going really slow on the steep ones, I took the longer route on the road, but at least I could go at a faster pace and not worry about twising an ankle or my knee. On the more gradual ones, I took the short cut.

I arrived at camp about 10 minutes after the group, and just before dusk.At this point, we shared a campsite with lots of other groups - all the groups doing the Salkantay trek. The campsite was a lot noisier, with other groups, villagers (a baby crying all night), and livestock. Between the tent on a slope and a pig grunting outside my tent all night, I didn't sleep well. I woke up to the sounds of what sounded like a pig and rooster fighting to the death. Not a good sound!

Trail Stats:
Distance: 21 km / 13 miles
Duration: 9 hours
Elevation gain: 700 m / 2296'
Elevation loss: 1900 m / 6232 '

Camping elevation: 2682 m / 8800'

Maizal/Mina Victoria to Yanama

2011-10-13T21:17:00.000-07:00

I had a miserable night last night. The tent was on a slope and I kept sliding down until my feet smashed against the side of the tent. To add to the fun, there was a donkey just outside of my tent (I actually bumped into it through the tent) chomping away on grass right by my head. It triggered dreams of the donkey chewing out the tent stakes and the tent sliding/flying/tumbling down the side of the mountain. Needless to say, I didn't sleep well!

We were now back on our regular schedule. We spent the first 1.5 hours climbing uphill through mud, with only a few spots of "dry" ground. Luckily there were enough rocks on the trail to hop between, so we didn't sink ankle deep (or deeper) into the mud. It was physically and mentally draining making that climb (or maybe I was just tired from the flying tent donkey dreams!)

On the bright side, the water contributed to a beautiful lush landscape filled with gold and purple flowers.

After about 1.5 hours, the mud finally gave way to drier ground. We passed several "caves" that were really mining tunnels. Arturo claimed that several passed all the way through the mountain (then why were we hiking OVER the mountain?)

At the time, I didn't realize that this pose made me look like I was squatting to take a crap. That dark "stain" on my right leg is MUD! Really.... it is.

For the next 2.5 hours, we continued to climb towards the Yanama Pass (also called Abra Victoria). Part of the trail closest to the pass was an old paved Inca road. Walking on this section made me glad that I didn't take the Inca trail, since the pavement was harder underfoot than the trails (although a welcome change to the mud earlier in the day).

After a total of about 4 hours of hiking, we finally reached the pass at an elevation of 4130 m / 13,546'.

Because of the elevation, Vilmar and the emergency horse (with very little cargo) stayed with us. Luckily, nobody needed to use it. Although, there was a group of hikers behind us with a very sick Australian who really could have used the horse.

Then we did what we did best .... napped! It was a bit cold and windy at the pass, but the rocks were nice and warm. So we napped on them while waiting for lunch.

We then enjoyed a delicious lunch at the top of the pass.

During lunch, a condor flew over us.

After lunch, we took another nap as our mule caravan headed toward the campsite.

The trail hugged the side of the mountain with steep dropoffs. In some places it was very narrow (and a bit scary) but the views were amazing.

On the way down, we explored a few more mines and then finally caught a glimpse of the village of Yanama, where we would be spending the night.

After about 2.5 hours of hiking from the pass, we finally arrived in Yanama. One of our horsemen lived in the village, so Herbert, our cook, used the horseman's house to prepare our dinner.

We arrived at the campsite a couple of hours before sunset to find our tents set up for us.

While some of the others took a nap, I washed some clothes, took an icy cold shower, then enjoyed hooping in a big grassy field before other groups of hikers arrived to share the campsite.

For dinner, Herbert made us deep fried cuy (Guinea pig), along with deep fried yucca root, pasta, and a plate of beets, carrots and green beans.

I took a piece of the Guinea pig, thinking I would just take one polite bite. I chomped every bit of meat off the bones! It was delicious (or I was really hungry!!)

It was really cold at this elevation and I was thankful for my warm sleeping bag, layers of fleece, and the chemical hand warmers my friend Pamela gave me for my birthday. I put one in the little pouch at the foot of my sleeping bag, and the other in my fleece pocket, and stayed warm and toasty all night.

Trail Stats:

Distance: 12 km / 7.5 mi

Duration: 6.5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 600 m / 1948'

Elevation Loss: 550 m / 1804'

Camping at 4100 m / 13451'

Choquequirao to Maizal

2011-10-11T21:16:00.000-07:00

Today we got an early start since we were combining 2 days of hiking. We started with a 40 minute hike uphill to the main plaza at Choquequirao.

We spent about 50 minutes exploring the ruins.

Arturo suggested that these buildings may have housed mummies.

So naturally, I did my best mummy impersonation.

After exploring the site, we climbed up the terraces using steep steps.

Then we followed the trail along the aquaduct and up the hill, away from the site.

Before heading over the hill, I got one last glimpse of Choquequirao. After hiking through cloud forest for about an hour, we reached the top of the ridge.

Then we got a view of the Rio Blanco. This is where we were supposed to have spent the previous night; instead, the river would be our lunch spot today.

After reaching the ridge, we began our descent towards the river. This side of the mountain was much drier than the cloud forest side. The trail was dry, dusty, and slippery. The others flew down as though they were skiing. Each time I tried to speed up, I slipped and fell, so it was back to slowly picking my way down.

After about an hour of hiking downhill, I caught up with the group at another sector of Choquequirao (I think this is the Pinchinuyoc sector). They had arrived 10 minutes before me and had nearly finished their snack. I skipped the snack and poked around for a few minutes before we continued down the mountain. From the ruins, the trail got narrower, steeper, and more slippery. Great!

From this view, the river still doesn't look much closer.

I spent the next hour and a half hiking alone, since I was slower than the group. I had no idea how far ahead they were, since the combination of the steep slopes and the switchbacks prevented me from seeing them.

I didn't worry too much about my slowness, since I knew they wanted to play in the river (it was too cold for me!). I figured the slower I was, the more time they had. They had about 20 minutes before I arrived, which was about 10 minutes before lunch was ready.

The area by the river was full of biting midges and mosquitoes, and would have been a miserable place to spend the night. At this point, the group again thanked me for getting sick and having us camp the second night at the ruins instead of by the vampire river!

View of the trail we came down.

Despite having a delicious lunch and having my appetite back in full force, I was careful not to overeat at lunch, knowing the next 3 hours would be spent climbing up this trail.

After about the first hour of dry dusty trail, the landscape got more lush. I saw quite a few butterflies, orchids, and even a shiny black snake.

Despite the long day, we still reached the camping spot at Maizal about an hour before sunset.

Trail Stats: Choquequirao to Rio Blanco
Length: 10 km / 6.2 mi
Duration: 5 hours
Elevation gain: 450 m / 1476 '
Elevation loss: 1450 m / 4756'

Trail Stats: Rio Blanco to Maizal
Length: 8 km / 5 mi
Duration: 3 hours
Elevation gain: 3040 m / 6691 '
Elevation loss: 20 m / 66'

WOW!! That's a lot of ups and downs!!!

Camping at 3000 m / 9843'

Exploring Choquequirao

2011-10-03T16:22:00.000-07:00

I started taking an antibiotic at dinner and only had to make a couple of trips to the bathroom during the night. I woke up in the morning feeling a bit better and to this incredible view.

Since I didn't feel sick to my stomach, I decided to eat an omelette for breakfast along with a piece of bread. It felt like it might actually stick with me. After breakfast, we started the 40 minute walk to one of the agricultural sectors of the Choquequiroa ruins.

Going down to the ruins was a bit of a struggle for me. I was still quite weak and my balance and depth perception were off. I contemplated going back to the campsite, but when I caught this view, I was glad that I had made the effort.

What was even better was that we were the only people there!

We began descending down the steep narrow steps, feeling like we were going to step off the side of the mountain.

Finally we could see the ruins beneath us.

There were only a couple of buildings in this sector.

The Incas were clearly shorter than me!

We then headed away from the ruins and towards the waterfall.

I wasn't going to miss the opportunity to break out the hoop I had been hauling around with me!

The waterfall was beautiful and this would have been a great place to swim, but it was way too cold and windy out.

After 2-3 hours, we headed back towards the ruins so we could head back to our campsite for lunch.

We had to climb up another set of very tall, steep stairs to leave the lower agricultural sector.

Between the steps and the 40 minute hike back to the campsite, I was worn out and starting to feel feverish again. After lunch, I went to the tent to take a nap, while the others returned to other sections of Choquequirao.

I had really wanted to see the llama terraces, but knew that I had to spend the afternoon sleeping and recovering. Emilie was kind enough to share the picture she took. (Had I not gotten sick, we would have spent less time at Choquequirao and nobody would have seen the llama terraces, so technically, I didn't "miss" this sector).

The rest of the group spent the afternoon exploring other areas and watching condors over a beautiful sunset (or so they claim!). I was snuggled up in my sleeping bag snoring away. By dinner, I felt better and actually had my appetite back.

Chikisca to Choquequirao

2011-09-26T21:48:00.000-07:00

Today we had an early wake-up call (4:30 am) so we could get to the river and back up the other side of the canyon before it got too hot. Despite being sick all night, I was still convinced that I wasn't actually ill, but instead had upset my stomach by taking 600 mg of ibuprofen on an empty stomach and then eating too much.

I advised the guide that I had been sick, but I didn't have a fever, so I should be ok for the day. He told me to just drink the porridge and eat a piece of bread for breakfast. I tasted the porridge, but couldn't choke down more than an ounce or two. I was able to eat the bread and a few sips of tea, and that seemed to sit in my stomach ok, so I believed the worst was over.

We started the day with a steep 2 hour hike to the Apurimac River at the bottom of the canyon.

I took my time and slowly made my way down the trail, while the others raced ahead. I felt a bit tired and weak, but mostly I was focused on not hurting my knee or slipping and falling. Because I knew I was slower than the others (plus I didn't feel great), I was so focused on hiking and trying not to get too far behind that I "forgot" to take any pictures on the way down.

Finally I got to where I could see the bridge. I knew the others were waiting there for me.

When I finally caught up, the others asked if I needed a break. They were getting bit by midges, so I said I was ok and that we could move on.

I was feeling ok, until I started crossing the bridge... the suspension bridge..... that swayed and bounced .... Suddenly my stomach was a little more unsettled, but I was still convinced that I would be ok once I started hiking up the other side.

Viewing the Apurimac River from the bridge.

Arturo told us that it would take us about 2 hours of constant hiking uphill until we reached the small village of Santa Rosa, where we should stop for a brief rest and snack. For the first hour, I felt ok climbing. However, after about an hour, I "hit a wall". Suddenly I had no energy and was a little dizzy. I figured that I was probably a little dehydrated from being sick all night, combined with lack of food.

I told the group to go ahead and I would catch them later. I sat down on the side of the trail and ate a banana. After a few minutes, I started hiking again, only to throw up a few minutes later. I took a short break, then started hiking again. A few minutes later, my intestines rumbled and I needed to "find a bush". Unfortunately, they were few and far between, but the rest of the group was ahead so I didn't worry about being seen.

I started hiking again, but continued to vomit and have diarrhea, feeling weaker and weaker with every step. I was breaking out in a cold clammy sweat and felt very dizzy. I worried I was getting heat stroke or severely dehydrated. I had gatoraid powder, but didn't want to mix it with my full container of water, so I poured some of the powder in my mouth and then tried to swish it around with water. All that accomplished was to produce purple puke.

I was about 20 minutes away from Santa Rosa when Arturo checked on me. I really didn't think I could go any further. He told me that I needed to keep going and once I got to the rest stop, they would unpack the cargo from the emergency horse and I could ride to the lunch stop in Maranpata. The next 20 minutes were pure torture, but at least my entire digestive tract was empty and nothing came out with each stop.

When I finally reached Santa Rosa, I collapsed on the ground with relief. I bought small bottle of water to mix with the rest of the gatoraid powder and took a few sips of that. I also bought a Sprite and took a couple sips of that. I ate part of a cookie and took a bite of the fruit from my snack bag, but I had no appetite.

Finally the emergency horse was ready for me. The group started hiking the next 2 hours up the mountain to Maranpata, and I ungracefully got on the horse.

The horse was worse than hiking! The stirrups were too high so my knee was bent into an uncomfortable position and it almost immediately started cramping. The horse lurched forward and back as it climbed over rocks on the way up the mountain. With each bump I worried that I would either vomit on the horse or crap my pants. After about 20 minutes and 2 km, I had to ask Vilmar to stop the horse and let me off of it. I had to hike the rest of the way myself, because I felt worse riding the horse than hiking.

I don't think anyone could imagine how happy I was when the village finally came into sight!

I attempted to eat lunch, having part of a hard boiled egg, a couple sips of soup, and a few bites of rice.

Unfortunately, that triggered an immediate trip to the "bathroom"

We had arrived in Maranpata about a half hour before the cook was ready with our lunch. The crew spread out tarps and put down our sleeping pads so we could nap before lunch, which all of us did. While the others finished their lunch, I went and took an additional nap. Two of the village dogs came and kept me company.

About 10 minutes before the group was going to start hiking the next 2.5-3 hours to the campsite, Arturo woke me up and said that I could get a head start if I felt like it. He also offered me the use of the emergency horse again. I passed on the horse, but took him up on the headstart.

The trail wasn't nearly as steep, and was fairly flat with minor rolling hills. It was exciting to get the first glimpse of Choquequirao ruins. I got to the park entrance and sat and waited for the group. They caught up to me a couple of minutes later.

I was able to stay with the group for the rest of the hike to the campsite. About 15 minutes before we reached camp, we saw this waterfall and crossed a small stream.

I don't look too bad, considering I've just hiked nearly 9 hours while violently ill!!

When I arrived at camp, I used the bathroom (a real flush toilet!!) then crashed in the tent. I napped through tea and had a raging fever by the time dinner started. I sipped a bit of soup, ate a couple of french fries and a few bites of rice, then started taking the Cipro antibiotics that I brought with me.

Arturo decided that I had food poisoning from something I ate in Cusco and was too sick to hike the next day so he changed the itinerary. Instead of camping one night at Choquequiro and leaving the next day, we would spend the full day here tomorrow, camp here again the next night, and then combine two days of hiking when we left. The rest of the group was ok with it.

I excused myself from the dinner table and curled up into a ball in my sleeping bag, hoping the Cipro would do the trick.

Hiking Stats:
Distance: 15 km/ 9 miles
Time: 8.5 hours
Elevation gain: 1600 m / 5,245'
Elevation loss: 300 m / 984'

Camping at 3033 m / 9,950'

Cachora to Chikisca

2011-09-13T07:04:00.000-07:00

After a 4 hour drive from Cusco, we were finally at the starting place just outside of Cachora. We ate a quick picnic lunch, and then we were off. There were a total of 5 of us in the group. One married couple (Kerryn and Ben) and three solo travelers (Emilie, Brad, and me).

NOTE: Click on each picture to see a larger image.

We couldn't have been more than 10 minutes into the hike when we heard a bunch of birds making noise. After getting a bit closer, we discovered a flock of green parakeets. We joked with our guide Arturo that we expected to see amazing wildlife every five minutes. He looked a bit worried until he realized we were joking.

The first couple of kilometers were fairly easy along a gravel road. There were a few gradual inclines, but essentially it was pretty flat.

We followed the road until we reached the newly constructed building at this curve. It will eventually be a ranger/passport check point for this trek.

After passing the house, the road turned more into a dirt and gravel trail that hugged the side of the mountain.

Then it began to descend towards the Apurimac River.

While we were hiking, the staff cleaned up our lunch and loaded up the mules. Here they finally caught up to us (and then passed us so they could set up the campsite).

Along the way, we were treated to gorgeous views of snow capped mountains.

The trail continued to hug the side of the mountain and descend. You can see the Apurimac River at the bottom of the canyon.

As we descended into the canyon, it got hotter and drier and the vegetation sparser.

Looking at the trail ahead of us. Luckily we took the bigger trail in the picture and not the steep set of switchbacks. We would do trails similar to those later.

With the switchbacks, we frequently got views that looked like we would fall off the end of the trail.

But the trail always turned and we never fell off.

Finally we reached camp near Chikisca. The crew was already there and had our tents set up and waiting for us. My knee was throbbing from the descent, so I took about 600 mg of ibuprofen a few minutes before tea time.

We all sat down to enjoy tea. I was famished and ate a bit too much of the wontons, popcorn and cookies.

My stomach was feeling a bit upset, so I took a short nap between tea and dinner. Still feeling overly full, I barely ate any dinner and had to add another layer of fleece because I was feeling chilled. Immediately after dinner, I ran to the bathroom and promptly threw up everything I ate. Not fun! For the rest of the night, I wore a path into the ground between my tent and the bathrooms, getting sick from one end or the other all night long.

Hiking Stats:
Distance: 16 km / 9.9 miles
Duration: 5 hours
Elevation gain: 250m / 820'
Elevation loss: 1200m / 3,936'

Camping at 1950m / 6,398'

The Ultimate Trek: eating, hiking, and sleeping my way to Choquequirao and Machu Picchu

2011-09-09T22:15:00.000-07:00

After months of training, I was finally starting the Choquequirao to Machu Picchu trek through Apus-Peru. Due to a canceled flight, one of the group members arrived the morning of the trek, delaying our start time by 2 hours. I enjoyed sleeping those extra two hours and leaving the hotel at 8 am instead of 6 am. Thanks Brad! :-)

OUR DAILY ROUTINE

aka

Eat Hike Sleep... Eat Hike Sleep... Repeat 5X/Day for 8 Days

We basically followed the same routine each day, although starting and ending times varied a bit. Generally, one of the horsemen woke us in the morning with a hot cup of coca tea. We then had 15-30 minutes to get dressed, pack up our gear and day packs, and meet for breakfast.

Breakfast consisted of a hot liquid porridge/gruel made of some kind of grain. For the first half of the trip, I tried the porridge each day, but usually could not choke down more than a sip or two (disclaimer: I don't like hot cereals like oatmeal or cream of wheat). By the end of the trip, I didn't even bother to taste it anymore. One day we had hot chocolate instead, which I happily consumed. We also had bread, butter, and strawberry jam each day. We also had fresh fruit, or pancakes with caramel sauce, or an omelet. The food was accompanied by hot water and an assortment of teas, hot chocolate powder, and instant coffee.

After breakfast we usually had about 15 minutes to use the restroom, brush our teeth, finish packing, and fill our water bottles before heading out for the day. Note about the restroom. At some of the camps we had actual toilets, but at most we did not. Sometimes there was an established squat or pit toilet (no seat!). If there was no toilet at all, the trekking company dug a hole in the ground and put a tent around the hole for privacy. I had interpreted the "toilet tent" that they mentioned on their website as having a portable chemical/camping toilet or at least having a bucket to sit on above the hole in the ground. Was I shocked the first time I needed to use it!

Following breakfast, we started the hike for the day. On most days, we would hike about 2.5-3 hours before we stopped at a "rest stop" for a snack. Our daily snack consisted of a piece of fresh fruit (apple, orange, banana) and a small package of cookies or cereal bars. About half the time, we stopped for a snack in a small village where additional fruit, cookies, chips, soft drinks, or water could be purchased.

After our snack and a short rest (15-20 minutes) we would hike for an additional 2-3 hours until we reached the lunch spot. The lunches were amazing.

We would start with an appetizer like this pizza

or this ham and asparagus dish.

The appetizer was then followed by a bowl of hot soup. Most of the time it was a broth soup with vegetables and a grain (wheat, oats, rice, quinoa) but sometimes it was a vegetable puree (mushroom or asparagus).

Following the soup, we had the main dish and sides. Most of the time they were served family/buffet style.We had a meat dish that was usually beef or chicken. In this case it was orange chicken.

We also had vegetables, beans or lentils, and at least one kind of starch (rice, potatoes, and/or pasta). It was impossible to still be hungry after lunch!

There were a couple of times when we had a plated lunch - when the cook didn't have access to a kitchen or the "kitchen tent". This fried rice and stuffed chicken was our picnic lunch on the first day just outside of Cachora before we actually started hiking.

This stuffed chili pepper and rice was the plated picnic lunch we had (along with the pizza and a bowl of mushroom soup) at the top of the Abra Victoria pass at 4130m/13,546' elevation.

We typically spent 1-2 hours at each lunch stop. Sometimes we ate almost immediately after arriving, but usually we had time for a 15-20 minute rest (nap) before lunch and another 15-20 minute digestion period following lunch.

After lunch, we would hike an addition 2-3 hours to our campsite. We usually arrived at the campsite in the late afternoon, but twice we arrived right around dusk.

Shortly after arriving at the campsite, we would have tea. Depending on how much time we had before tea, we might take a nap, a shower if available, wash some clothes, or just kick back and relax.

On most nights, we would have fried "wontons" that were filled with fried bananas, cheese, ham, or covered with caramel sauce.

We would also have cookies and a big plate of popcorn. Of course, we would have an assortment of teas (tea bags and coca leaves), instant coffee, and hot chocolate mix. We got a good laugh one night when somebody actually read the label on the tea bags and discovered the brand was Hornimans. It was even funnier when we tried to explain to our guide why we found the name so funny.

Following tea, we would have about 1 hour before dinner. By this time it was dark and usually cold. We typically went to our tents to read, chat, or nap until we were called for dinner.

Dinner would start with a bowl of hot soup, similar to the types served at lunch (but never a repeat of that day's lunch).

We would also have at least one starch (usually 2 or 3): pasta, rice, potatoes, yucca, etc., often with a warm vegetable sauce (tomato and onions) to scoop over it.

We also had a vegetable dish. In this case it is beets, carrots, and green beans.

And we had a meat dish. The dish above is fried cuy (Guinea pig) with battered and fried yucca root. Most of the time the meat was chicken or beef, and we also had fish one night.

Our cook Herbert did a great job of keeping us well fed!

Following dinner, we would chat a bit about what we saw during the day, discuss the morning's hike, have another cup of tea, and then head off to our tents for bed.

Kachina Trail, Flagstaff AZ

2011-09-05T23:10:00.000-07:00

I had Monday off to celebrate Labor Day. It was a nice day in Phoenix when I headed up to Flagstaff to hike the Kachina Trail. I thought this would be a nice trail to get out of the heat, but since there were no significant elevation gains, it would be fairly easy on my knees.

The hike started out nice, walking through the woods and into fields of wildflowers.

Along with all the flowers were bunches of caterpillars.

About 4 miles into the trail, we hit a nice clearing and stopped for a snack. I couldn't resist the urge to hoop down the trail.

I don't leave home without it!

Then scary-looking rain clouds started moving in over the mountains. We decided to cut the hike short and turn around where we were, rather than hiking the full 5.2 miles before returning.

It's a good thing we did! We hadn't hiked more than 5 minutes back when we started feeling sprinkles. Then we heard thunder and it really started raining.

Luckily most of the rain stopped when we were about half way back to the parking lot, and my pants had a chance to dry off before getting to the parking lot. They were a bit damp and muddy below the knees, but quicky dried once I was back in the car.

Even with the cold rain, it was a nice break from Phoenix and a great way to spend the day.

Butterfly Trail - Santa Catalina Mountains, Tucson

2011-08-29T22:53:00.000-07:00

This weekend the hiking group headed down to Tucson to hike the Butterfly Trail in the Santa Catalina Mountains (on Mount Lemmon).The trail lived up to its name with lots of butterflies, but it was so much more. In order to have butterflies, there were also lots of wildflowers, including these asters.

Yellow columbine
Indian paintbrush (with a grasshopper)

Crimson monkeyflower

The trail was a bit different than I anticipated. I had originally thought that most of it would be ascending up the mountain. Since my knee was still a bit fatigued from my Peru trip, that was a good thing.

Unfortunately, over half of the trail was spent descending into a ravine to the spring before we could ascend back out.

Despite the longer descent - and my throbbing knees - the trail was pretty and there were delights like these wild raspberries growing along the way.

There were also interesting beetlesincluding these Pleasing Fungus Beetles

and their creepy looking larvae/pupae that were hanging off a log.

I was thrilled when we finally reached the climb. My knee was happier and I could go full throttle and race up the hills.

This gave me the chance to break out my hoop and play for a while as I waited for some of the others to catch up.

Just as we finished the hike, we saw this mushroom, that looked like it was straight out of Alice in Wonderland.

After a bit of confusion about where the cars were parked (we did a shuttle), we climbed into the shuttle car and then into the minivan that we carpooled to Tucson in. As we headed down the mountain, we hoped that there was enough gas to make it to the first station (luckily, there was - but just under a half gallon left when we filled up!)

Trail Stats:

Distance Hiking = 5.7 miles
Trailhead Elevation = 7725 feet
Elevation Gain = 1800 feet
Avg Time Hiking = 3 hours (we took 4 hours, including breaks and lots of pictures)

Humphrey's Peak, Flagstaff AZ

2011-07-31T23:33:00.000-07:00

A few friends and I decided to skip the hiking group and organize our own hike up Humphrey's Peak on Sunday. Brian and I had both hiked this mountain before, but it was a first for Bree and Ellen.

We started at the trail head with beautiful warm sunny weather.

After hiking the connector trail through a nice field of flowers under the Snowbowl ski lifts, we reached the actual trail for Humphreys Peak.

Bree signed the log book for the group.

One of my favorite landmarks up the trail is the big field of boulders from a rock slide. It's about 1/3 of the way up and a nice place to stop for a snack. Plus it has some spectacular views. I enjoyed this spot more today than I did in June when it was cold and had spots of snow.

Finally we reached the saddle. On the way up, a few people said the wind was really strong as you tried to approach the summit. We decided we would wait for Ellen to reach the saddle before heading to the summit.

I used the waiting time to enjoy the great view.

And then I just had to break out my hula hoop.

Dark clouds started rolling across the mountains as I hooped it up.

The wind picked up and it started raining.

Brian and I hid out in the "cave" a bit of a rocky outcropping that provided a nice wind break and shelter from the rain. The "cave" only had room for two, which left Bree out in the cold rain. She didn't seem to mind, as she was trying to entice a chipmunk to visit with her.

She was successful at getting one out of hiding (the peanuts in her trail mix helped a lot with this!!)

Finally the weather cleared up, but we decided not to risk the weather by heading to the summit. Plus, Ellen wasn't at the saddle yet when we decided to start down. We ran into her shortly after we started our descent. Brian went back up to the saddle with her and Bree and I headed back down.

The 11,4oo' elevation sign is another favorite landmark of mine on this trail.

Since we were waiting for Brian and Ellen, Bree and I took our time going back down the trail. We had fun climbing on trees, hiding in holes, and just goofing around.

On the way up, we noticed this tree in the field of flowers and thought it would make a great place to take pictures. There were several people with the same idea, so we decided we would catch it on the way down.

Bree and I decided to wait for the others so we could take a group picture here. While we waited, I decided to hoop for a while. It was fun hooping up and down the trail, and trying to convince other hikers that I was hooping the entire trail (rather than a 40' section near this field).

While waiting, I was able to really enjoy all the wildflowers...

....and all the bugs on them!

Bree and I waited so long that we fell asleep!

Finally they showed up and we could take a group picture.

As we walked across the final field, there was a spectacular shot of rain in the background, with beams of light shining between the clouds.

We didn't see much wildlife on the hike, but Ellen spotted this deer near the road as we headed back into Flagstaff for dinner. While I didn't really get the chance to push my physical limits and use this as a training hike, all in all, it was still a fun hike with a great group of friends!

Additional photos can be found HERE.

Trail Stats:Distance Round Trip 10.25 miles
Trailhead Elevation 9320 feet
Elevation Gain 3313 feet
Avg Time Round Trip 5 - 6 hours

Mount Elden Loop Hike - Flagstaff AZ

2011-07-17T19:11:00.000-07:00

I decided that I wanted to do a longer Flagstaff hike this weekend, and thought a loop around Mount Elden - the Elden to Sunset to Heart Loop - seemed to fit the bill at 9.5 miles and 2400 foot elevation change. None of my hiking friends were available, but Steve from one of my hiking groups was interested in trying this hike. Neither of us had hiked this mountain before so we met early this morning and headed to Flagstaff.

The hike started on the southwestern slope of Mount Elden, following the Elden Lookout Trail. It started with a gradual climb, but quickly became steep switchbacks, which then gave way to tall "steps" up the mountain. I was keeping a fairly decent pace until about 2/3 of the way up, and then my energy was drained (I should have eaten breakfast!!).

We finally reached the first trail junction. Do we add 0.4 miles round trip to go to the summit, or do we skip it and start the loop at the Sunset junction?

We went to the summit!

The lookout tower was closed to the public, but there was a sign on the base indicating that we were now at an elevation of 9300 feet.
After enjoying the view, taking a few pictures, and having a hearty snack, we were ready to head back down and join the Sunset Trail.
The Sunset Trail hugged the side of Mount Elden and passed through an area that was burned by wildfires in 1977. After the strenuous climb up the the summit, it was nice to get on an easy trail, with gradual ups and downs.
The area was filled with new aspen growth along with lots of wild flowers, although the trail was a bit overgrown in areas.

It eventually opened into a field to the Mount Elden side.
It provided great views of the mountains and lava fields to the east of Flagstaff, including Sunset Crater.
Looking back on the trail towards the towers on Mount Elden's summit.
Overlooking Flagstaff from the Sunset Trail.
We then entered a nice wooded area. After about 1.5 miles on this trail, we came to a trail head area. We weren't sure if we missed the turn to Heart Trail. An older couple was approaching, so we asked directions. We were sternly advised to reconsider our plans to make the loop, since the Heart Trail was "treacherous and should be closed to the public". The couple offered to let us hike with them and then drive us back to our car. We decided to take our chances and assured them that we would "take it slow".
About 0.2 miles later, we found the turn for the Heart Trail, which would take us 1300 feet down the east slope of Mount Elden.
Looking back at the summit of Mount Elden - you can barely see the lookout tower on the summit.
Just as we reached the Heart Trail, another hiker (coming from the opposite direction) started down the trail. We decided if he could take his life into his own hands, we could too.
The top of the trail consisted of dozens of switchbacks along the edge of the mountain. There were steep slippery areas at each turn, followed by fairly flat areas along the length of the mountain edge. (If you click on the above picture to enlarge it, you can see Steve WAY ahead of me. He very politely stopped every so often to allow me to catch up.)

The trail was covered in loose stones, making it quite easy to slip, slide and turn and ankle or knee. I went down at a painfully slow pace to prevent injury or sliding down the mountain. It wasn't as treacherous as the dire warning we received, but it did require some balance and careful foot work.

(I thought it was painfully slow, but the Forest Service indicates an average hiking time of 2.5 hours for this trail - it took us about half that time)
When we were about half way down the Heart Trail, storm clouds moved in. We could see lightning in the distance and hear thunder, and we got hit with a few rain drops.
When the red soil turned to gray (about half way down) the trail got less rocky and steep, and we could pick up the pace. That was a good thing, since it was starting to sprinkle.

We finally hit the Christmas Tree Trail, which was a nice easy trail though the woods. We picked up the pace to avoid the rain.
Towards the end of the Christmas Tree trail, this horned toad scurried across our path. We then joined Fat Man's Pass for about a half mile back to the trail head.

Our total hiking time was just under 5 hours, which included about 30 minutes for a break at the summit and a couple of stops to talk to people along the way.

After a long hike, it was time to grab a pizza and beer to celebrate our successful hike!

Elevation change: about 2400 ft gain.
Distance: 9.5 miles for the loop hike

From Elden Trailhead to Elden summit : 3.0 miles.
From Elden summit to Heart trail along the sunset trail: 1.7 miles
From Heart Trail to Christmas Tree trail: 2.5 miles
From Christmas Tree trail to Fat Man's Pass: 1.7 miles
From Fat Man's Pass to Elden Trailhead: 0.6 miles

Abineau/Bear Jaw Loop - Flagstaff

2011-07-10T21:31:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, the hiking group headed up to the San Francisco Peaks outside of Flagstaff to hike the Abineau / Bear Jaw Loop trail.
The trail starts out flat and well graded, through a field full of aspen. Shortly into the hike, you can turn left to hike on the Bear Jaw trail, or right to hike on the Abineau trail. The Abineau trail is shorter, but steeper; the Bear Jaw trail is more gradual, with a few scattered ups and down. I was thrilled when the group decided to take the Abineau trail, since I would rather go up the steep trail and come down the gradual trail.
Gaining in elevation and leaving the aspens and getting into the Douglas firs. There were lots of wildflowers along the way, including paintbrush, penstemon, columbine, and lupines.
Butterflies and bees enjoyed all of the wildflowers.
After a steep climb, we reached the end of the Abineau trail.
If you look to the north (behind me), there was a spectacular view, including the Grand Canyon. It was a little cloudy (rain in the area) so the camera didn't capture how spectacular the view really was.
At the top of Abineau trail, the "fast group" stopped to take pictures, eat a little snack, and wait for the other half of the group to catch up. I was actually in the "fast group" this time! While the others snacked, I had my own little construction project.....
My hula hoop! The others were so busy taking their pictures and eating, that they missed me assembling my hoop, and then asked how I carried the hoop all the way up with me. Too funny! Behind me is the meadow that sits at the base of Humphrey's peak, which still has a little snow.
I played with my hoop for a while until the first few members of the back half of the group showed up. Then it started to mist, so we decided to don our rain gear and move forward.
We had to go about 2 miles down an old forest road to connect to the Bear Jaw Trail. During that time, the weather turned from mist, to sprinkles, to all out rain. We also heard some scary lightning cracks and loud booms of thunder. All of us joked about the wisdom of carrying our metal hiking poles.
The rain slowed down as we entered the Bear Jaw Trail, and then stopped shortly after that.
The rest of the trail was a nice gradual descent. We finished the hike in about 3.5 hours and then enjoyed a post hike tailgate party while we waited for the rest of the group to finish. All in all, it was a beautiful hike and a fun day, even if it was cold and wet.

Trail Stats:

	Distance Round Trip	7 miles
	Trailhead Elevation	8510 feet
	Elevation Gain	1960 feet
	Accumulated Gain	2115 feet
	Avg Time Round Trip	4-5 hours (it only took us 3.5 hours, including breaks)

Groom Creek Loop Trail - Prescott

2011-06-26T22:19:00.000-07:00

After a site visit for work in Prescott, I learned about the hike to the fire tower at the top of Spruce Mountain. I was going to try to get a couple of friends to join me, when the hiking group posted the exact hike I wanted to try. Perfect!

I carpooled to the hike with Brian, Sheri, and Bree - friends who I also know from the volunteer meetups.
The group decided to hike the loop clockwise, so we had a shorter steeper climb up, and a longer more gradual descent. (Yeah!!)
I saw lots of lizards and a few horned toads on the way up.
At the top of the mountain were picnic tables and an outhouse. Several people also discovered that the road led right here, begging the question..... why did we hike this?
There were several boulders to scramble over and climb near the base of the fire tower. Bree, Brian and I enjoyed the view.

The fire tower was manned, so we took turns entering and talking to the ranger.
After enjoying the views, we ate lunch then started the hike back down and towards the cars.

Trail Stats:

	Distance Round Trip	7.9 miles
	Trailhead Elevation	6346 feet
	Elevation Gain	1375 feet
	Avg Time Round Trip	4.5 hours

Sycamore Canyon Rim Loop - Williams AZ

2011-06-18T21:32:00.000-07:00

The hiking group decided to do the Sycamore Rim Trail up near Williams, AZ this weekend. It's mostly a flat trail, with the exception of KA hill. The question is whether to do the hill first or last.
I've got my pack loaded for training for my Peru trip.
There were several pretty areas along the start of the hike.

I spotted this horned toad along the path.

We caught the last of the cactus flowers still in bloom.

We stopped for lunch at the waterfall. No water was over the edge, but there were a few rock climbers to watch.
Standing at the top of the waterfall, looking down.

The direction we took around the loop, left KA hill for the very end. I thought it was a great way to end the hike.

Others weren't so lucky!
Coming down off the hill, we could see the flat ground ahead, and knew the car would soon be in sight.

Trail Stats:
Length: 11 miles
Elevation gain: 600 ft
Hiking Time: 5 to 6 hours
Rating: Easy to Moderate

Hooping on Humphrey's

2011-06-06T22:52:00.000-07:00

I decided that I wanted to do a trek across the Andes in Peru this fall. In preparation, I decided to hike Humphrey's Peak again. I figured that this would help prepare me for the altitude, but also give me a chance to test out the new pack and decide how many layers I would need, since there was still snow up there.

When I got to the saddle, I decided not to approach the summit, since there were 50+ mph winds and I really wanted to save my strength to climb over the snowdrifts on the way back down. While I was waiting for the rest of my group to return, I hooped it up!
Maybe I should have saved that energy for the trip down. Instead, I slipped on ice and tumbled down the side of the mountain. Luckily, my 4 layers of fleece cushioned my fall and my backpack slowed me down, so I didn't get hurt. (other than a few bruises)

Trail Stats:

	Distance Round Trip	10.25 miles
	Trailhead Elevation	9320 feet
	Elevation Gain	3313 feet
	Avg Time Round Trip	5 - 6 hours

Watson Lake, Prescott AZ

2011-04-24T22:06:00.000-07:00

The hiking group headed up to Watson Lake near Prescott to hike the Peavine Trail. However, we made a slightly wrong turn and ended up on the Lakeshore Trail instead.

The tail took us around a few wetlands areas before turning towards the granite dells.

We had fun climbing up the various granite rock formations and looking at the blue lake below.

Shhhh.....no waking me for the entire lake......

On the way back, we found this snake alongside the trail.

Trail Stats:

	Distance One Way	2 miles
	Trailhead Elevation	5198 feet
	Elevation Gain	100 feet
	Avg Time One Way	1+ hours

Black Mesa-Hackberry Springs Loops (Superstitions)

2011-04-10T19:13:00.000-07:00

All bundled up at the start of the hike. Hopefully 4 layers plus hat and gloves will be warm enough.
Can you believe that it snowed in the Phoenix area in April?
An hour into the hike, I'm brave enough to remove my hat ... but not my gloves. My hiking buddies have already stripped down to short sleeves.
Two hours into the hike and a snack break. My gloves come off :-)
OK, I only took the gloves off to make it easier to eat. My hands were still cold!
7 miles into a 10.6 mile hike and the windbreaker finally came off. Will 3 layers be warm enough?
A few of the hills.
Such grace! I hate going downhill!
I'm not a fan of stream crossings... especially when there's water and you have to cross the SAME stream 20X!
Only 1 mile left to go!

Trail Stats:

	Distance Round Trip	10.5 miles
	Trailhead Elevation	2300 feet
	Elevation Gain	480 feet
	Accumulated Gain	1125 feet
	Avg Time Round Trip	6 hours

Arizona Snow!

2011-02-28T22:47:00.000-08:00

Coming back from a weekend trip to Vegas, we were treated with this beautiful view of snow covered mountains surrounding Lake Mead.
We stopped near Chloride, AZ to get out and play in the snow for a little bit.

Ford Canyon - White Tanks near Phoenix

2011-01-18T22:21:00.000-08:00

It was a beautiful January weekend, so I decided to hike Ford Canyon in the White Tank mountains with Dennis. He was familiar with the trail, but I hadn't been before.
I laugh in the face of danger!
The canyon was very pretty, although the pools were rather green and murky.

It was a little longer than I was ready for, so I was quite tired at the end. Next time I'll work my way up to the longer hikes!

Trail Stats:
Distance (one way) = 7.4 miles - we hiked it as a loop w/ about 11 miles
Trailhead Elevation = 1615 feet
Elevation Gain = 1410 feet
Avg Time (as loop) = 5 hours

West Fork of Oak Creek - Sedona

2010-11-12T06:21:00.000-08:00

The hiking group was doing a Veteran's Day hike on West Fork Trail of Oak Creek in Sedona. I don't normally like stream crossing hikes, but I really wanted to see the fall colors, so decided to join in.
Of course, we had hardly hiked at all before we hit the first (of at least 26) stream crossings.
The canyon was beautiful though.
The morning started out very cold - with just a dusting of snow from the night before.
Since it was Veteran's Day, we each had a little flag to carry (and some of us wore red, white, and blue, too).
As usual, I was the slow one on all the streams.

Breaking for lunch at the end of the trail. To go further, you would need to wade through the water.

Help! Don't leave without me! :-)
While I absolutely hated all the stream crossings (and got a wet foot towards the end), this was a beautiful hike. Anyone with balance or who doesn't mind getting wet feet would love it.

Trail stats:

	Distance Round Trip	8 miles
	Trailhead Elevation	5280 feet
	Elevation Gain	200 feet
	Avg Time Round Trip	4 hours

Vulture Peak near Wickenburg

2010-11-10T22:15:00.000-08:00

I hadn't hiked Vulture Peak near Wickenburg before, so Dennis and I headed out to give it a try.

The trail started of with a gradual climb and then it got steeper.

I was still fighting my camera that was on its last leg, and didn't get any more pictures than this.

Trail Stats:

	Distance Round Trip	4 miles
	Trailhead Elevation	2480 feet
	Elevation Gain	1180 feet
	Avg Time Round Trip	2 hours

Picacho Peak State Park

2010-10-08T22:04:00.000-07:00

My backpacking trip to Havasupai Falls got canceled due to rain and flooding, so I made the best of the weekend by heading to Picacho Peak State Park.

I was doing fine until I hit the steep part, then decided I was done and turned around.
Instead, I played with the squirrels.
And found a praying mantis. After that, I headed to Catalina State Park to hike Romero Pools, but my camera broke, so there aren't any more pictures.

Trail Stats (Hunter Trail):

	Distance Round Trip	4 miles
	Trailhead Elevation	1784 feet
	Elevation Gain	1374 feet
	Avg Time Round Trip	2 - 3 hours

Derrick-Highline-Horton Creek Loop Trail near Payson

2010-09-19T20:58:00.000-07:00

I decided to escape the Phoenix heat and head up to Payson with the hiking group for a day hike near Horton Creek. Instead of coming back the same way we went in, we decided to do this as a loop trail.
Here's the group all together and happy before we started.

The trail started with a steep incline - a few people were less happy and it started to spread out the group.

Enjoying the beautiful views.
Crossing Horton Creek was the one part of this trail that I didn't like. It took me forever to walk across these logs.

The rest of the trail followed the water on the way back. It was a great hike.

Trail stats:

	Distance Round Trip	8 miles
	Trailhead Elevation	5460 feet
	Elevation Gain	1600 feet
	Avg Time Round Trip	4-5 hours

Kota Kinabalu

2010-09-07T23:22:00.000-07:00

Borneo Adventure (August 24-September 7, 2010)

After about a day of long flights, I arrived in Kota Kinabalu, just in time to explore the night markets and have dinner. There were so many choices and the food was so cheap, that I had to try several dishes.

Yummy pickled vegetables

Puteri mandi cakes (steamed rice desserts filled with brown sugar and covered with coconut)
Spicy noodles and other assorted goodies. Total dinner bill was 5 RM ($1 USD = 3 RM)
After eating dinner, I took a walk to the ocean front, and arrived just as the sun was going down.
I was still tired from my flight, so headed back to my hotel for an early bed time and to double check my rafting plans for the next day.

Rafting (sort of) the Kiulu River

2010-09-07T22:38:00.000-07:00

I had initially booked a rafting trip on the Padas River (class IV and V rapids). Unfortunately, the train that takes you to the set in spot broke down and the company needed to cancel the trip. They offered me a choice to get all my money back and to cancel completely, or to get half my money back and raft the Kiulu River instead.
I opted to go to the Kiulu River - even though it was family friendly with only class I and II rapids.

I decided a scenic float down the river would be more fun than hanging out in Kota Kinabalu all day.
After inflating the raft and getting a safety briefing, we were off. Because I was the tallest one on the raft, I got to sit up front.
For the most part, the water was fairly calm, with just a few little rapids. There was one exception where the raft headed straight towards a big rock on the bank. We weren't able to paddle away quick enough, the raft slid up the rock, and I flipped out of the raft and into the water. Part of me suspects that the guide did it on purpose to give me a little taste of adventure.

I had a great group for the trip. In my raft was a father and son from Taiwan and a couple from ShangHi. The other raft held 3 Chinese girls. We spent most of the time having water fights with them.

It wasn't what I originally hoped for, but nonetheless, it was a fun way to spend the day.

Kota Kinabalu Wetlands Center

2010-09-07T21:55:00.000-07:00

The Kota Kinabalu Wetlands Center is just a few km from the city. I heard good things about it, so decided to venture out to find it. After very heavy negotiations with several taxi drivers, I found one that gave me a reasonable quote for the ride out of town (and a pick up a few hours later).

It was very quiet - I think I was the only visitor the entire time I was there. This allowed me to see quite a bit of wildlife.

After exploring all the pathways, I still had about an hour before my taxi was scheduled to come pick me up. I decided to climb up in the observation tower to check out the view. I'm glad I did! Not only was there a nice view, but there was also a cool breeze - a nice change from the muggy tropical temperatures at ground level.
While hanging out in the observation tower, I heard loud scuttling noises. I looked down, and saw two huge monitor lizards wrestling with each other and then jumping into a muddy pond. The wrestled around for a while and then each went their separate ways. I had hoped to see a monitor lizard, so this really made the trip worth it!

Heading to Mount Kinabalu

2010-09-07T20:58:00.000-07:00

Today I met up with my hiking group and we took a 5 hour bus ride from KK to Mount Kinabalu park headquarters. About halfway there, the road became really curvy and the weather turned to fog and then pouring rain. All I could do was hope for clear weather by tomorrow, since I really didn't want to hike in the rain. By late afternoon, we arrived at the park headquarters and got a good look at the mountain. What did I get myself into?

We arrived at the dorms by the Mesilau trailhead and had to walk up a steep slippery hill to get to our rooms. Right then, I started to question whether I would be able to make the climb. I was already cold - and this was the section where you supposedly could wear shorts!!
The group had dinner together at the Mesilau Nature Resort where we were briefed for tomorrow's climb. One couple had taken a short stroll on the trail before dinner and said it was too hard. The tour leader made alternate arrangements for them to spend the night near park headquarters and hike the flat trails at the bottom of the mountain. Three others also decided that the Mesilau Trail was too hard and asked to start at the Timpohan Gate. Now there were 3 of us - a German couple, me, and our guide Neils.

The dorm rooms were freezing (I wore all the clothes I had to bed). After a cold, shivering night, morning finally arrived and it was time to start the hike.

Mesilau Trail

2010-09-07T19:50:00.000-07:00

After breakfast, we started the Mesilau Trail to cloudy skies but not rain. The trail started with a steady climb up wood ladders, steps, and large rocks. Because of yesterday's rain, the trail was slippery and muddy in spots.
The German couple and I kept a similar pace, but our guide Neils seemed to be nursing a hangover and quickly disappeared behind us.

After climbing about 1.5 km, the trail descended again. The Germans pulled ahead of me, but having learned my lesson about rushing my pace downhill, I took my time. I eventually caught up to them when the trail started ascending again.

Along the way, we passed several waterfalls, crossed several swing bridges, and climbed and climbed. The trail was very scenic - mostly plants.

Other than a few birds and squirrels, there really wasn't any wildlife to see.
Around Km 4, it started to mist and then rain.

It rained hard for the next hour, and then we were back in just fog. By this time, the elevation was high enough that the plants changed to evergreen trees with moss hanging from them.

About 1 km from reaching the junction with the Timpohon Trail, I finally spotted pitcher plants!
Shortly after reaching the much less scenic Timpohon Trail, the mist started, and then the rain.
Rivers of water started running over the bare rock, making it slippery. About 1 km after the junction, we caught up with the group that took the shorter Timpohan Trail, and then passed them as they huddled under a shelter, trying to stay dry.
We resigned to the fact that staying dry wasn't an option, and forged forward, up and up and up.
It continued to rain the rest of the way to the Laban Rata Guest House. Once there, I changed into dry clothes, and paid to have my shoes put in a dryer - so hopefully they won't be wet in a few hours when I approach the summit.

Unfortunately, because of a generator problem, there was no heat or hot water. After dinner, I stole the blankets from the unused bunks in my room and hunkered down for a few hours of sleep. I was just falling into a deep sleep when 2:30 arrived - time to get up, eat a bit of breakfast, and tackle the rest of the mountain.

Cold Hike in the Dark to the Summit

2010-09-07T18:42:00.000-07:00

At 3 am, the group braved the cold and the dark, and headed up the mountain. It was a very slow process, as there were groups ahead of us, slowly crawling up the mountain. Some of the slower hikers let people pass, but there were plenty who stopped and sat in the middle of the trail while they caught their breath. Some even laid down!

I stayed with the German couple until we reached the ropes section. While on a narrow ledge, I wedged my foot into a crack and couldn't move it. They kept moving for their safety. It took 2 guides to help me dislodge my foot and get moving again. I was probably stuck for less than a minute, but it seemed like an eternity and really shook my confidence. I uneasily finished the rope section, feeling like I was about to fall in a couple of places.When I finally got off that section, my entire body was shaking and all my energy was drained. I really wanted to turn around and go back, but that wasn't possible until all the climbers going up were off the ropes. So I forged forward, making my way to the Sayat-Sayat check point and registering. I was there plenty early and allowed to continue to the summit.
Slowly, I trudged upward, passing people too exhausted to continue.

I was still about 400 m from the summit as I started to see the sun rise. I continued forward, my fingers frozen in my gloves.

At 200 m before the summit, the sun was above the horizon and climbing. I could see other hikers crowded at the summit and a few were just starting their descent. The last 200 m consisted of scrambling and climbing up boulders. I knew I could make it to the summit - I just wasn't sure how I would get back down!
I decided to worry about one direction at a time, and continued forward. By the time I reached the summit, I could no longer feel my fingers and could barely move them. I pulled off a glove to check for frostbite, but they were just cold.
Smiling happily at the top, before making my way back down. I'm glad I climbed up in the dark, because had I known how scary it would be coming back down, I'm not sure I would have done it!

(All the pictures are from the summit and back down, since it was too dark on the way up to see anything).

Back down to safety

2010-09-07T17:52:00.000-07:00

I slowly made my way back from the summit and to Laban Rata guesthouse. The three girls who took the Timpohan Trail to the rest house, hadn't made it to the summit and were just getting ready to head back down when I arrived at the guesthouse. The German couple had made it to the summit and had arrived about 20 minutes before me. They already ate breakfast (again) and were taking a nap. I decided to stick with them and had a warm cup of coffee, a second breakfast, and then took a half hour nap before heading the rest of the way down the mountain. Just as we left the guest house, it started raining (and pretty much rained the whole rest of the way down).

Rest stops were every km on the Timpohan Trail and provided a semi-dry place to rest out of the rain. There were also bathrooms here, but luckily I never had to use one.

I knew when I saw Carson falls, I was only 500m from the end, and my knees would get a break since most of the rest was uphill!
After a warm lunch, we checked into a hotel for the night, where I had my own room, a hot shower, and a warm bed. I survived!!
View of the mountain from my room's patio. The next morning it was time to catch the bus for my next adventure. Hopefully I won't have to run for it, since my legs are really tired!

Jungle Camp

2010-09-07T17:16:00.000-07:00

After a few cold days in the mountains, I looked forward to the heat of the jungles.
I decided to stay in the Tungog Rainforest Eco-camp on the Kinebatangan River.
While there, I volunteered a little by clearing paths. They actually trusted me with a machete!! I had a blast!

I also got a river tour where I saw lots of wildlife - birds and various monkeys.

Between walking the paths that I was clearing and taking a few night walks, I also saw lots and lots of my favorite animals - invertebrates! I was in arthropod heaven!

Batu Puteh - Cultural day and home stay

2010-09-07T16:47:00.000-07:00

I arrived in the village of Batu Puteh for a day of culture and to spend the night with one of the villagers and their family. I didn't take a picture of the home where I stayed, but it looked quite similar to these.

While in the village, I played with a bunch of kids, plus played volleyball with older kids and some younger adults. It was quite fun.
I also got a cooking lesson on how to make my favorite dessert - Puteri Mandi cakes (they were out of the usual green food coloring, so we made them pink instead).

I'm glad I made a bunch of them - because then I could eat a bunch of them!

After the cooking lesson, local residents put on a cultural show and introduced me to various songs and traditional dances.

They even let me play the gongs! Bang that gong! :-)
I also got to visit caves that contain coffins - both the middle cave and the high cave, Agop Sawat.

Naturally, getting there meant climbing more stairs - just when my legs had finally recovered from Mt. Kinabalu!
Spider on coffin
There were lots of bats in the cave.
Coffins were decorated with the heads of different animals.

Wild Man of Borneo

2010-09-07T15:19:00.000-07:00

No trip to Borneo would be complete without a visit to the Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary. Here the orangutans are "wild" but there are feeding platforms where they are fed 2x/day, so it creates a zoo-like feeling.
But, since this is really the only chance to see the orangutans in the "wild" I guess it will have to do.

There were other monkeys (macaques) at the sanctuary too. They also came out at feeding time, but were much bolder around people, chasing them off the boardwalks.
It was exciting and kind of scary at the same time.
I also took the trip outside of Sepilok to visit the Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary. This seemed less "professional" although they had designated feeding stations too.

I actually enjoyed watching the proboscis monkeys more than the orangutans - but maybe that's because they didn't just eat then disappear again.

I also took a side trip to the Rainforest Discovery Center, which was within walking distance from the Sepilok B&B where I stayed.
There were catwalks throughout the canopy. I saw a few squirrels, some birds, but mostly plants.

Kinarut

2010-09-07T14:38:00.000-07:00

As my trip was winding down, I decided to head to the beach town of Kinarut. Unfortunately, it was raining while I was there and didn't get to enjoy the beach all that much.

Plus, I wasn't too keen on swimming with the jellyfish!
However, I did make the day of a few local girls when I stopped to buy some of their desserts. I guess tourists usually don't buy food at the end of a driveway!
But I did..... and all of them were delicious. How could I resist at 3 desserts/1 RM; or approx 67 cents for the whole thing!

Snorkeling and Palau Sapi

2010-09-07T13:45:00.000-07:00

After leaving Kinarut, I headed back to Kota Kinabalu and booked a snorkeling day trip to the nearby island of Palau Sapi in the marine national park. At first, the snorkeling was a bit awful, since the boat dropped us in the middle of a bunch of jellyfish and we were getting stung every 30 seconds.

Everyone got back on the boat complaining, so they took us to a different spot, where the snorkeling was much more comfortable.
We ate lunch on the island. This monitor tried to sneak some BBQ!
After lunch, we had another hour in the water, and then a thunderstorm rolled in so we gunned it back to shore just as it started pouring.

Last Stop at Kota Kinabalu

2010-09-07T12:52:00.000-07:00

On my last day, I finished exploring Kota Kinabalu. I wandered around the downtown.
Viewed some of the government buildings.
Visited Addison Watch Tower.
Wandered around the malls (and got a couple massages there).
And went to the various markets to get my last pieces of rambutans and mangosteens.

And then it was time to head back home.

Kendrick Mountain, Flagstaff

2010-08-15T21:20:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, I hiked the Kendrick Mountain Trail (#22) just outside of Flagstaff.

The trail ends at the fire tower (see arrow above)

After climbing for about 3 hours, we were treated with this gorgeous view.

Just steps away from the fire tower now.

I finally made it. (Humphrey's peak - last week's hike - is in the far background)

Trail Stats:

	Distance Round Trip	9 miles
	Trailhead Elevation	7700 feet
	Elevation Gain	2639 feet
	Avg Time Round Trip	4.5 hours

Humphrey's Peak - Flagstaff, AZ

2010-08-08T22:25:00.001-07:00

As the ultimate test to see whether I would survive the Borneo hike, I decided to do a training hike to Arizona's highest point, the summit of Humphrey's Peak. We met at the trail at 8 am, so it was a very early start from Phoenix.

Let's get going!

The trail started by crossing a meadow under Snowbowl's ski lift, and then entering a nice forested area.

The were several avalanche areas on the trails.

For the most part, the trail was well maintained and easy to find (although muddy in spots).

When we finally cleared the treeline, we could see this gorgeous view.

The last push through the forest was quite steep and I could really feel the elevation change. The group decided to take a break just above the tree line. From here, there's only about a mile left to go before reaching the summit.

The landscape changes dramatically above the tree line. It also got really cold and windy at this point.

The approach to the summit started with scrambling over boulders and rocks.

But then it gave way to smaller, looser lava rocks.

I had to cross several false summits before reaching the actual summit.

So close, yet so far away.

Finally arrived at the summit!!!

What a view.

I couldn't resist the urge to hold a metal pole in the air while standing on AZ's highest peak, with ominous storm clouds approaching.

Trail Stats:

Length: 4.8 miles (one way)
Rating: Strenuous
Hiking Time: 3 hours (one way)
Elevation: 9,300' to 12,633'

Hiking the Kachina Trail, Flagstaff, AZ

2010-07-31T21:42:00.000-07:00

It rained most of the drive up to Flagstaff, but by the time the group arrived and assembled at the parking lot for the Kachina Trail, there were just light sprinkles.

Let's go! (I'm in the red poncho with the walking stick).

The hike took us through ferns and aspen.

There were a few rocks blocking the path that we needed to scramble over.

The fog gave an eerie feel to the forest.

We reached a nice rocky overcropping. This was a nice place for the group to all catch up. It also gave us a chance to stash away our rain gear and have a little snack.

Time to get moving!

Leaving the forest, we entered a beautiful alpine meadow.

The fog continued to roll in and out, but the rain held off.

After another climb, the group reassembled for another break (and another snack).

When the clouds moved, there was a spectacular view.

The sun actually came out in time for lunch. We all lined up like turtles on logs and sunned ourselves while enjoying lunch. I was even able to take off my fleece sweatshirt briefly!

Then we heard thunder in the distance and decided it was time to turn back. We didn't want to be caught on the mountain in a thunderstorm.

Despite what this looks like, I did not hold up the group while I put my gloves back on!

We headed back down a little faster than we climbed up ... trying to beat the storm.

Almost done and still alive and smiling!

About 5 minutes later, just as I was reaching the parking lot, the sky opened up and started pouring. I was able to get my poncho on and run to the car without getting too wet. The people about 10 minutes behind me weren't so lucky!

Trail Stats:

	Distance One Way	5 miles
	Trailhead Elevation	9500 feet
	Elevation Gain	-700 feet
	Avg Time One Way	5 - 6 hours

Mingus Mountain, View Point Trail #106

2010-07-25T18:04:00.000-07:00

This weekend, I headed to Mingus Mountain (between Prescott and Jerome, AZ) for another "training hike" My intent was to hike the Woodchute Trail, but I couldn't manage to find the trail head. Instead, I found the trail head for the View Point Trail #106. I had no idea how long the trail was or the level of difficulty, so I decided to hike 1.5 hours and then turn around if I didn't reach the end of the trail.

Right away the trail began a steep descent down the mountain through a series of switchbacks.

There were some spectacular views of the Verde Valley and surrounding mountains.

There were a few areas in which the trail was overgrown, and I was no longer positive that I was actually on the trail.
But then I would pick up the trail again - even if it meant climbing over fallen trees.

There were some spectacular vista views.
(Obligatory picture proving I was really there!!)

I learned something new - sunblock has an expiration date.

I learned something else - if you use sunblock that expired 2 years ago, you will get burned!!

This trail runs below the peak where hang gliders jump. On the way back, I nearly fell a couple of times because I got distracted watching the hang gliders.

I had the trail to myself nearly the entire time, except for at the very end. I was only about 100' from my starting point when I encountered a couple of riders on their horses.

Woods Canyon Lake

2010-07-18T18:59:00.000-07:00

I just booked a trip to Borneo for later this fall, and plan to hike to the summit of Mt. Kinabalu (approx. 13,400 ft) while I am there. In preparation for that hike, I decided that I needed to get out of the Phoenix area and get some practice hiking at higher elevations. With fairly level trails at 7500 ft, Woods Canyon Lake near Payson seemed like the perfect starting place for my "training" hikes.

This is a nice hike around the lake.

Even I couldn't get too lost on the trail with the blue diamond markers on trees!

NorCal Eskie Fest

2010-04-18T18:29:00.000-07:00

On Saturday morning, I woke up early, ran to the farmer's market, then came home and made this salad. I then hopped on a plane to Pacifica CA for the NorCal Eskie Fest

Here are some of the friends I met at Jenny's house, including two of their dogs, Jackson and Luna.

Everyone brought delicious food to the potluck!

Elise cuts the carrot cake.

Luna tried her best to get some treats.

But then Jenny put her on a leash so she couldn't steal any food.

Look at these delicious looking dog treats.

Elise and Soraya inspect the delicious looking dog treats.

and then taste them....

And then they recruit Kenzie to taste them too!

Looking at all the pictures they took.

California was so cold. I needed to borrow a coat, wear gloves, and drink hot tea to warm up.

Jackson and Luna enjoyed the breeze and the view from Eskie Rock.

Philadelphia

2010-03-18T10:03:00.001-07:00

I had a quick trip to Philly for work. For the first couple of days, it was raining, cold, and windy. One evening, we had a reception and tour at the Mutter Museum. Photos weren't allowed inside, and it was dark and raining outside, so I didn't bring my camera. The conference ended around 1:30 and my flight wasn't until almost 6:00, which meant that I had a little bit of time to explore the city before I had to head to the airport. I've seen the Liberty Bell before and didn't feel like standing in line, but here are a couple of picture of Independence Hall.

You could ride around the area in a carriage if you were so inclined.
I also briefly wandered through Chinatown. The conference had provided lunch, so I wasn't hungry and didn't try any restaurants there.
I don't remember what this building was, but it was pretty interesting looking and right near City Hall.

City Hall building

San Diego - Coronado Island

2010-02-25T20:36:00.000-08:00

I went to Coronado Island off of San Diego for a work meeting. As has been my luck lately, it was cold, windy, and rainy when I arrived. Here is the view from my hotel room in between rain showers. You can see a faint trace of a rainbow on the coast of San Diego.

The rain let up long enough during a lunch break to be able to take a short walk around the hotel grounds. Here's a view of the bridge and San Diego coastline.

Here's a shot of the beach on Coronado Island. It was really cold and windy towards the beach, so I didn't head over there.

I tended to stay on the harbor side, since it was sheltered from the wind.

At least there were some pretty flowers to see.

Letchworth State Park, NY

2009-08-13T21:33:00.000-07:00

While in Rochester, we took the short drive to Letchworth State Park to see waterfalls, instead of fighting the crowds at Niagra Falls. The park bills itself as the Grand Canyon of the East, and I was mightily disappointed when I saw this view. My first question was "where's the canyon?"

We watched a couple rafters head down the river (tiny blue spot coming around the bend) but they got out right before they hit a small set of rapids.

cicada

I was not disappointed with this waterfall!

Middle falls

One rainbow

Double rainbow

Middle and lower falls

Rochester, NY

2009-08-13T21:28:00.000-07:00

I just got back from a short visit to Rochester, NY. Most of the following pictures were taken in the butterfly garded at the Strong Museum of Play. Atlas moth

Blue morpho butterfly. Unfortunately, I couldn't capture a good shot of the wings open.

However, I did capture two of them in the act.

My interview with the Count.

Standing at the front door of an art gallery. I wasn't able to go in because they were closed the day we visited.

You can't take me anywhere! Pulling an elephant's tusk at the George Eastman House.

Portland ME and surrounding areas

2009-07-05T15:14:00.001-07:00

I went to Portland ME for a few days for a conference for work. The conference was great. I wish I could say the same for the weather. It was cold and raining (or at least drizzling) the entire time I was there. This is a shot of the waterfront of Portland, just outside J's oyster bar.I wasn't interested in the oysters, but the lobster seemed like a great deal at $15.50 per plate.

Playing with my food before cracking it open.
We had one afternoon off to explore the area, so a group of us drove up the coast to visit the shell middens near Damariscotta.

To get to the river to see the middens, we had to walk through a nice little meadow.

Along the way, there were plenty of wildflowers

along with interesting looking fungi. There were also mosquitoes. Lots of mosquitoes. And they were hungry!

After leaving the middens, we headed to Pemaquid Point to see the lighthouse and the interesting rock ledges. The weather was foggy and misty while we were there, with a few scattered sprinkles.

After the lighthouse closed, we headed to Shaw's Wharf to grab some dinner.

Fresh lobster!!

Finally, the last stop of the day was at LL Bean.

I found it very strange that they had a bunch of dead animals in the children's section.

The manager didn't see the amusement in it, and booted me out of the store.

Chihuly in the desert

2009-05-05T15:33:00.000-07:00

The Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix had a Dale Chihuly display of glass artwork this spring. Below are a sample of pictures. More pictures are available here. Desert Wildflower Towers

The Sun
White Belugas

Blue Fiddleheads

Tiger Lilies

Squero di San Trovaso Chandelier

Chiostro di Sant'Apollonia Chandelier

Blue and Purple Boat

Blue Reeds

Red Reeds and Black Saguaros

Float Boat

Scorpion Tales and Bamboo

Mexican Hat and Horn Tower.

Spring Snowstorm in Flagstaff

2009-04-05T07:06:00.000-07:00

I'm glad I checked the weather before heading up to Flagstaff on Saturday morning. It was below freezing with a chance of snow.

As I approached, I started to see a light dusting of snow from the previous night.

And then there was more snow.

It had been really windy, as all the snow was angled on the west side of objects. The west sides of street signs were totally covered.

When I arrived on the NAU campus at 8 am, there was still a pretty good blanket of snow on the ground
and the San Francisco Peaks had a nice dusting.
By the time I left at 12:30, most of the snow had melted, although it was still cold and windy.

Or did the lumberjack clear the snow?

Luck of the Irish?

2009-03-21T21:27:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday I headed to New Orleans for a conference. I booked the early flight out of Phoenix so I could arrive by 2:30, have a chance to unpack, and then catch the conference's bus to LIGO for a tour. However, after circling Houston for hours, making a detour to Hobby Airport to refuel, and then sitting on the runway forever, I didn't arrive in New Orleans until 8:00 PM. It was cold, raining, and I was tired!

It rained all day on Monday, but it didn't really matter because I was busy all day and evening with the conference. On Tuesday it finally stopped raining. By the time the conference ended for the day, it was warm and sunny outside. I decided to go to the Audubon Insectarium, which was a block from my hotel.
Even though it had a big sign in front and a butterfly mosaic on the sidewalk, I walked right past it.

A few blocks later, I knew I had gone too far and stopped at an information booth for directions. They told me to go back the way I came and that I couldn't miss it. Uh, yeah, I could. And did! Good thing I'm not on the Amazing Race. I would be on the team that stares right at the cluebox and runs in circles missing it. I eventually found it, but couldn't go in because it was closed.

The group I was with was going to see Hurricane on the Bayou at the IMAX theater that evening, so I decided to head to the Aquarium of the Americas to kill time before the movie started. I arrived just after the last ticket could be sold, so wasn't allowed in there either.

I killed time checking out the metal sculptures surrounding the aquarium,

watching people's reactions to the automated dinosaur that was being promoted for the zoo,
watching the ferry come and go on the river,
listening to the dixieland tunes coming from the tourist paddle boats,

and just hanging out and watching the river.
Later that night, a St. Patrick's Day parade went right past my hotel.
In addition to the bagpipes,

there were a few floats, and they were throwing beads! BEADS!!!!!!
Hey Mister! Throw me some St. Patty's Day beads!

Immediately after the conference ended on Wednesday, I hurried to the airport only to find that my flight was delayed. And delayed again in Houston. It was after midnight when I finally arrived back home.

Quick trip through La Paz County

2008-11-23T14:27:00.000-08:00

Railroad bridge spanning the Colorado River between Parker AZ and California.

Cotton field outside of Vicksburg
Dairy farm outside of Vicksburg
Proof that Hope exists.

Dire warning not to pass Hope
Remember.... you were warned not to pass.

Joshua Tree Scenic Road

2008-11-15T12:08:00.000-08:00

The Joshua Tree Scenic Road is an Arizona state designated scenic route. From Wickenburg take US Hwy 93 northwest towards Kingman. The scenic drive starts at the junction of US 93 and AZ Hwy 71 and runs 60 miles to Wikieup, Arizona.

Crazy Eskie Ladies

2008-11-03T13:12:00.000-08:00

I decided to go to the Bay Area Eskie meetup hosted by some friends on the Eskie Board. Because of rain, many of the people who planned to come had to cancel. In all, it ended up a small group: the hostess Jenny (and her husband), Leslie, Elise, and me.

Jenny's two dogs were adorable.

Although this little girl was quite the barker!
Leslie brought a Red Ribbon purple yam and coconut cake. I was delighted to find out that they have a location in Tempe!

Elise made these ribbon necklaces for Comet and BLU, and Liz (who couldn't attend) provided gift bags containing lint brushes, rope toys, and portable water dishes. Overall, it was a very fun afternoon, even if it was cold, windy, and raining.

I spent the next day with my friends Christine and Mark. We originally planned to go to the California Academy of Sciences, but since it was newly opened, the line was crazy. We didn't want to see the exhibits 5 people deep, so ditched those plans and headed to ArtSpan. Some of the art was interesting, some disturbing, and some .... well.... I just didn't "get it". All of it was out of my budget.

Exploring Zanzibar, Tanzania

2008-09-05T20:59:00.000-07:00

After leaving the suffocating structured safari in Kenya, it was off to Zanzibar for a week (Aug 30-Sep 5) on our own - without structure and guides telling us where we could or could not shop. We spent the first two nights at the Clove Hotel and exploring Stonetown. I enjoyed staying at the Clove Hotel. The owner was very helpful, the location behind the House of Wonders was great, the roof top balcony was a great place to catch the breeze and relax, and the rooms were comfortable (and matched the pictures on their website). The only downside was the proximity to this mosque.

Every morning, the call to prayer (and the full prayer that followed) would wake us up. I'm not sure it would be quieter anywhere else in the area.

We decided to get our bearings by taking a tour of the city. We learned about the different types of carvings on the door, and how the different decorations provided information about the origin and religion of the original owner. The details on some of the doors were quite amazing.

The main market was a bustling place with lots of spices, grains,
fresh fruits and vegetables,
meats, and fish. Lots of fish!

Zanzibar is predominantly muslim and most of the women covered their heads, usually with brightly colored scarves. Some of them wore full burkas, including the face mask (ninja).

The Angelican Cathedral is built on top of Zanzibar's former slave market.
As a remembrance of the slave trade, the courtyard of the church contains a memorial sculpture.It contains five figures of various ages, sizes, and ethnicities chained together in a pit.

St. Joseph's Catholic Cathedral

Old Fort

Stowntown sunset

We had fun wandering around the streets of Zanzibar and buying reasonably priced souvenirs. However, there were quite a few men who were rather pesty and difficult to shake. They followed us around, and then demanded money for "helping" us. Several people said hello to me and then demanded a tip for saying hi. It was very draining to think somebody was being friendly only to find out that they were just trying to scam you for money.

On the last night in Stonetown, we headed to the evening food market for dinner (Forodhani Gardens is under renovations, so the market was held behind the House of Wonders). The food was very tasty but Crystal got pick pocketed. From the way she carried on, I think that might have been the highlight of her trip! I've never seen somebody so deliriously happy to be robbed before (she was delighted that they found her "decoy" stash, rather than her real stash).

The next morning, we were off to the beach for the rest of the trip.

Paje Beach, Zanzibar

2008-09-05T19:14:00.000-07:00

As we were arranging a taxi to leave Stonetown, the owner of the Clove Hotel informed us that our next destination Paje Beach Bungalows had a fire a few days before, and she didn't know if the hotel was still open. We decided to head to Paje to see for ourselves, and hope there was some place that had room if the bungalows were no longer available. The fire was extensive and the place was completely burned down. Too bad - it looked like it had been a nice place. We looked around the area and negotiated the price down a bit at Kitete Beach Bungalows and booked that for our stay. This is Paje beach. The tall building in the background is Kitete Beach Bungalows' restaurant. The owner of Kitete Beach was really nice and she had a bonfire lit on the beach a couple of the nights that we were there.
At Kitete's restaurant you can relax in a cool breeze and avoid being harassed by the beach boys.
Many of the hotels hired Maasai men to chase away the beach boys. Some of them were just as annoying, constantly trying to sell things or hanging out and talking with the beach boys. I think the one at our hotel had limited knowledge of English. His conversations with me consisted of greetings and counting to 10 in Kiswahili and his tribal language.

There were also lots of local woman who hung around the hotels trying to sell massages and paint henna on your skin. If you weren't interested in buying something, they weren't interested in talking to you.

Heading home at the end of the day
Early in the morning, the women went out to farm seaweed, and the children collected clams on the beach.
Here are two posing for pictures, before they started begging for pens and sweets.
A local woman is tending to her seaweed farm.

Here is a seaweed farm during low tide.
At the end of the day, it was common to see women carrying the collected seaweed.During low tide, the water would go out about a half kilometer. This widened the beach during this time so you could walk around these rocky outcroppings to the sections of the beach further south. During high tide, you would be tossed against these rocks by the waves. It was nice to take a morning walk to the areas south of the rocky outcroppings. Here I am taking a break from the sun (and the beach boys) at Hakuna Majiwe Lodge. This looked like a nice place to stay, but it was pretty isolated during high tide, and had expensive cokes!
A beautiful starfish left behind by the tide
along with a neat looking shell.

We found a big pile of sharp pointy sticks left behind when the tide went out. We weren't sure if they were somebody's stash for late night vampire slaying or if they were used to keep away the beach boys. We later realized they were unused stakes for seaweed farms.
During low tide, these boats just sit on the sand. As soon as the tide comes in, local boys and men all run to them and head out to fish.
Paje Beach had some beautiful spots that should have been a nice place to relax or read a book.
Instead of having a nice relaxing end to my vacation, I left very stressed and crabby. The persistent nature of the beach boys and the general attitude of locals that I experienced (you are white...therefore you are rich...therefore you need to give me anything I want) left a really bad impression of Zanzibar. Too bad. It was such a beautiful looking island and has so much potential, but it isn't someplace that I would ever return to again, nor would I recommend it to anyone.

The Safari Begins at Samburu (August 23-29)

2008-08-29T23:36:00.000-07:00

What better way to celebrate being 42 than to go on an African Safari!

The first day of the safari began with a 5 hour drive from Nairobi to Samburu Namtional Reserve. On the way, we stopped at a curio shop. Before leaving home, I had decided to buy a few more souvenirs than I normally would - in order to support the local economy. What I wasn't prepared to do was pay extreme prices. I know bargaining is part of the deal, but when prices for something worth $25 start out at over $500, the process isn't even fun! I got the prices for a couple of batik "paintings" down to a reasonable amount (although still a bit overpriced) and bought those.

We stopped at a gas station to fill the tank at Isiolo, the last town on the main road before hitting the gravel road and driving north to Samburu. I got out of the van to stretch while Crystal ran off to find ice cream bars. A man started talking to me about Barack Obama: what a great leader he was; how Kenya was proud of him; what did the US citizens think of him; and if I was planning to vote for him. At first I thought he was just a friendly guy. Then his friend joined him, claiming he was from Obama's home town and was collecting money to support Obama. Then the original guy tried to sell (for $100 USD!!!) a crinkled old newspaper clipping of Obama that he had in his pocket. Crystal returned - without ice cream, but had a coke and popcorn - and suddenly the van was surrounded by people trying to sell us stuff - rusty looking bracelets, knives, newspaper clippings, etc. We were practically slamming doors and windows as people were reaching in the van all around us, shoving their wares at us. It was NOT FUN!!!!

After a long drive on bumpy gravel roads, we finally arrived at Samburu Game Reserve. As we entered, we were met by our first sighting of wildlife - the reticulated giraffe.

Our safari vehicle was a pop-top minivan.
This picture gives you an idea of how close we were to some of the wildlife.

A cluster of mutant conjoined twin giraffes?

We were also met by elephants grazing right off the side of the road.
It was an exciting feeling being so close to a wild elephant.

After a short drive to observe some of the wildlife, we arrived at Samburu Lodge for lunch and to check in. Throughout our lunch, a Samburu warrior in costume kept "informing" us that the cultural show was about to start. We were hungry, tired from driving, and just wanted to have a relaxing lunch. The last thing we wanted to do was to rush off to a show. We wanted to see it even less when he kept harassing us about it. Several times we had to ask him to let us eat in peace and that we would go to the show if we wanted once we finished lunch.

After lunch, we decided that we would rather watch the elephants in the river than head to the cultural show. He kept harassing us. Then we decided to take pictures of the vervet monkeys that were playing in the trees around the lodge.

Oh no! We couldn't actually enjoy ourselves. We HAD to go to the cultural show! It was a MUST! How else would they extract an additional 500 KSH (about $8 USD) out of our pocket?

So the Samburu warrior threw stones at the monkeys close to the lodge and pulled out his slingshot to hit the monkeys closer to the river. Needless to say, we were very upset by this behavior. We could understand keeping the monkeys out of the restaurant and the lobby of the lodge, but not hitting them when they were playing happily in the trees. We were at the point where you couldn't pay us to see the Samburu cultural show if this warrior represented their culture! We skipped the cultural show and went to our room to relax before the afternoon game drive.