Lots of great hiking

I realized I did not write anything about last weekend on the Trail. I won't say much other than it was terrific. My young walker was amazing and fun. We did have to battle two lightening/rainstorms, one on saturday night and the other on monday. Saturday's storm came in as the sun was setting, so we got an amazing sunset complete with a double rainbow. We were able to build shelters, and I spent the evening watching the lightening light up the trees around me and listen to the rain. Monday was not quite as great because I was waiting to be switched out which means I did not build a shelter. I still stayed dry by putting my poncho tarp over me and my basket pack. It got a little old sitting there in the rain watching the fire struggle to stay going through the downpour. Once it stopped, I was more than happy to get out and stand next to the fire, which did survive the rain thanks to some pitch wood my young walker found.

Today I hiked Roger's Canyon in the Superstition Mountains with great friends. We went at a pretty good clip making it 9 miles in 5 hours. You start at the top of the canyon and hike down it. At the bottom are 600 year old Salado Indian ruins that are still in pretty amazing shape. One of the rooms still has the roof with its log poles, thatch and adobe. The canyon was beautiful as the leaves were just beginning to change color. The temperature was in the 60s when we started and only got to the mid-70s by the time we finished. All in all a perfect morning to go on a hike.

I love fall. Being on the Trail last weekend and hiking today made me realize how much I love this time of year. I think its my favorite season. There is just something about the smell and feel of the air that excites my soul. I wish it wasn't such a short season, but I guess having to go through the other seasons makes me appreciate when it comes again much more than if it was always autumn.

I didn't take any photos during our hike today and I can't take pictures while I'm with young walkers on the Trail, so I decided to post this one from a hike a few weeks ago. But thats pretty much how I always look when I'm hiking. I am standing on the top of Four Peaks Mountain with Roosevelt Lake and the Sierra Ancha Wilderness in the background.