HALF WAY! (Almost!) - 400+ miles to go!

 

 

There's a reason why 'Snowbirds' go to Arizona....

.....It's always sunny!! 

 

 

 

 

Yeah..right!

5 Lbs of gooey muck on each foot



Rain, hail and snow coming in

Refuge in a cave...well, at least until the sun comes out!

Looking better in the morning!

 

 



Except it's c-c-cold now!....Frost
inside and outside of the tent

An old logging railway bed.... Might be OK for railways....
.....downright crappy for walking!

And really crappy for this guy -
He's cycling the whole trail - 24/7
....Stopping only to catnap!



Hats off to these guys.... The Arizona Trail Association....
Maintaining and repairing the trail on the Mogollon plateau



 

And this is their vehicle....Kindly donated by the local Toyota dealers

 

 

 

 

A well worthwhile  detour to Mormon Lake for a burger and beer...
There was a Hot Rod show in town!

 

 

COACHES CORNER:

 

Woke to wet, crappy weather

.....Snowing!

 

 

 



 

 

So bad we went back to bed....
(It was better a couple of hours later so we
headed out then)

Hiking in with Darrell  ....Fetching water a typical 'tank'

It might have been cool
It might have been refreshing....
But it certainly wasn't clear!!

Nice hiking...but these trail markers can
be hard to find at times!

Obviously heading south ...Cactus plants!!

Including the large prickly pear

The fruit is yummy.....but watch how you eat it!
Do it wrong and you'll have a mouthful of tiny
needle for a few days!
(Been there...done that!!......not pleasant!)

My next project.....I'm going to restore this puppy!!

(......NOT!.....)

Winter is coming! ....Snow in the San Fransisco Mountains
11,550'

A more typical pass time...

Daytime...

 

 

 

And evenings!

 

 

 



Take 33.........CUT!
      Take 34.......CUT!!
...............Take 35........PRINT IT!
 

 On location at the Bradshaw Tank

With the film crew!

 Filming Darrell's video for a New Zealand contest!

(Check out Youtube: 'Great walker entry - Darrell Ainscough')

 

 

 

 

No..... I didn't do that......why??

 

 Till Next Post

 

Cheers!

 



NEW HIKE - THE ARIZONA TRAIL .....800+ MILES TO GO

It's a new trail but the name will remain the same

'Darrell on the PCT'

(It would probably bugger everything up if we tried to change it!!)

Arizona trail at the Utah border - heading south!

"Tell me again why I'm doing this?"

 

Looking back at Buckskin Mountain and the start of the trail

 

On the North Kaibab plateau

 



"Dam....I know the trail is here somewhere..."

 

A recent burn just north of the Grand Canyon

 

Very bad water!

Bad water

Not so bad water

 

Great water!!

 

 

 

"What more could you want?...Beer...Bag of dinner ... and  pringles!

 

 

 

Finally....The Grand Canyon and time for a rest!

 

 

 Not bad digs for a couple of nights!

(Too bad we can't stay here!)

 

 

" I don't see no stars......!"

 

 

 

 

 

Oct. 04 2012

 

Back to 'rolling that rock' again!
(At least the first bit is downhill)

 

 

Probably the best hike in the canyon....really pretty!

 

Crossing the river - The Colorado
Time to head up hill again

 

Topping out at the south Rim - A long day!

 

Hey!!....I earned it!!

 

"I said I would hike this thing ...I didn't say I was a purist"

A great start to the day...

A healthy McD breakfast!

 

 

 

Hiking south on the South Kaibab plateau

 

Approaching the San Francisco peaks

 



Gorgeous aspens!!

 

" Saved my ass they did ... ...
Gave me all their water....(well pretty much all!)."

 



 

Urban hiking ....through Flagstaff  on Route 66!

 

"....Told you"

 

 

 

COACHES CORNER:

 

Off again - new adventure this time - the Arizona trail support team

 

Early morning start - heading for the border!

Couldn't find a 'Cabelas' so had to settle for

the Sportsman Warehouse for our 'out-doorsy-tuneup'

 

 



Two kinds of Dutchmen.....

On the left .....the minimalist

On the right ...the maximist..



Heading for the pretty stuff while darrell sweats it out on top
'Buckskin Gulch' ....Finishing the part we missed last time!

You don't want to be here when it's wet!

One of many photo opportunities

 

 



'Lone Rock' .....beach camping....
Just watch out for the soft sand!

Our campsite on Lake Powell

(The 'Dutchman' in the background again)

 

 

 Antelope Canyon tours - Pricey but worth it!

(You don't pay?...you don't get to see!)

Safari in Morocco??  No, but it could be!

 

Gorgeous slot canyon - unmatched!

 

 




The 'Wolf'

Horseshoe bend overlook
The power of water......

 

Guess who?

 

Hiking down into the Grand canyon with Darrell
(we came back up)

 

 

Petrified Forest National Park

 

"This looks like a good one for the garden!!"

 

 

Canyon de Chelly National Monument

 

The ' White house'

 

 

A little hard to get to ....?

Riddle:

What travels at 26,000 MPH and leaves a calling card?


 

 

Answer?......... A meteor!

 This is Meteor Crater just outside of  Flagstaff

 

 

Our 'Home away from home' while on the road
(This is at the Meteor Crater RV resort)

 

 

 

 

"Taking it Easy"

 

 

 

In Winslow, Arizona 

 

 

 

 

"It's a girl...my Lord....in a flat bed Ford

Slowin' down to take a look at me."

 

 

 

 

 

 

"What is this stuff..anyways?"

 

Till next Post!

JSD