Our hiking friends helped us snag a volunteer position with Coronado National Forest. We work three days a week in full uniform in exchange for this camp spot next to our friends.Warning – you might get tired of the sunsets!!!Or sunsets with moon rises…The full moon over Blackett’s Ridge was beckoning us to come for a closer look.So we headed out the next afternoon for our own sunset/moon rise hike up the ridge. J & J are staying in Catalina so they could partake in this adventure.Enjoying the views of Tucson in the warm afternoon light. We really enjoyed all the city lights sparkling on our way down.We made it to the top of the ridge in time to enjoy a bit of dinner with the view.The most gorgeous sunset ever!!!!! It can’t even be captured in a panorama but we had a 360 view – wow! It was so worth it in spite of the challenge of hiking down in the moon shadows.The next day we took off to hike Seven Falls while the water levels were lower for the seven creek crossing.Sunrise as we reported for our second day of work – we need to be there at 7:00 AM so we bought an alarm clock! Are we still retired?Rain brings its own beauty (picture taken from the Travato)– we got a reprieve from a day of work due to too much rain. Our duties are to keep the public areas tidy, clean, and safe to enhance the visitor experience.
We were on the road in the rain on New Year’s Day leaving Green Valley in the rear view mirror. Glad we had packed the van the day before! We arrived in Organ Pipe Cactus with some nice low clouds but the sun shining on us.We picked a great site a bit further south than last year’s but an auspicious number….maybe?
Meeting up with our full time RV friends to start the New Year on the right foot! We toasted with champagne and had a mini-quiche happy hour after a pleasant stroll around the campground.We had a gourmet meal of crab cakes from the professional chef – graduate of Cordon Blu Pasadena! Followed with a cheese platter and port. I am intimidated but the next day, we fixed our Spanish Bean Soup with fresh baked rolls in the convection oven which was well received by all. Whew!A drive around Ajo Mountain and a hike to the arches. Who is blogging about who?Looking good coming up the mountain trail.The guys ready to tackle the arch.It is necessary to walk back down on the other side to see this view of the arch.It doesn’t seem this large – the distance is so deceiving.Back in time for wine o’clock on the picnic table.We all piled into Bill – a 4-wheel drive Ram pickup truck – to explore an area we had never been. On the Mexican border, the western side of the park.The rare little pupfish were in this pond – quite a surprise that it was so large.Wouldn’t you like to know Jose’s story of how he got from Brest, France to here and why?
