Grand Canyon Hike to Phantom Ranch – Saturday December 9^th to Monday December 11^th

We started Saturday from the South Rim hiking down the South Kaibab trail to Phantom Ranch on Bright Angel Creek near the Colorado river at the bottom of the canyon. We spent two nights in bunk houses at the Ranch before hiking out on Monday up the Bright Angel trail

We had a large group including: Tucson friends, Linda Houtkooper, and Eric Schindler, my business partner, Dave Hamra, his wife Laura Walton, Dave’s past business associate from Vanguard, Marty and his family: wife Heather and their four boys ages 18 to 10. This hike was organized by Marty as a right of passage for his 10-year-old, Colton. Marty’s older boys had done similar events at age 10. Colton did fine and enjoyed himself.

Phantom Ranch area in center

All you need to pack down are clothes. Food and bedding are part of the Ranch services. It was refreshing to have the boys with us. They were energetic, fun loving and well behaved.

The Black Bridge and Colorado

The hike down is 7.4 miles with 4700 ft. of decent to the Colorado. As you might guess, the trail is well used. It is dusty with many built in steps. The steps get to your quads and calves after a while, but the views are spectacular. We started late so the temperature at the top was 40 and 60 by the time we got to the River. It took just over 4 hours to get down.

The Colorado from Clear Creek Trail

On the Clear Creek Trail

The day we spent at the bottom we hiked Clear Creek trail. It climbs the north side of the canyon about 1200 ft. giving beautiful views of Phantom Ranch, the Colorado and the South Kaibab trail we came down the day before. In the afternoon we hiked a loop south across the Black Bridge, west above the Colorado to the Silver Bridge and back to the Ranch.

Zoroaster formation

Meals include breakfast, a sack lunch and dinner. Dinners were delicious. The choices are steak, beef stew of vegi chili.

Cocktails before dinner

Monday, we got a 6:30 AM start. It was dark and about 35 degrees. We used headlamps. The hike up was 9.5 miles and back up 4700 ft. to the South Rim (7000 ft. elevation). We finished just before noon at about the same temperature we started at at the bottom.

Zoroaster from the Colorado

Looking down on Bright Angle trail and Indian Gardens

Everyone made it in good shape, but a little sore!

December 2017 Columbia and Sunrise Beach, MO

I went to Missouri to visit my sisters. Lauve had work so stayed home. I wanted to catch up with both sisters and help Lindy and her husband Weldon decide how to move on after selling their lake resort (last February).

Nancy, Peter, Weldon, Lindy

Nancy and her husband, Peter, live in Columbia. The three of us drove to the Lake and stayed in Lindy’s old resort – Dogwood Acres. The new owners didn’t know we were related to Lindy, so we felt like spies.

Lights on the Lake from our cabin

Lindy and Weldon have a small, comfortable place near the lake all set up for the holidays.

The girls cooked delicious meals, but we had to do the Burdick thing and went for Pizza our last night at the Lake.

After deep discussion, Lindy and Weldon decided to stay at the Lake, find better jobs and buy the house they are now renting. They seemed very comfortable with the decision even “the day after.”

My last night was in Columbia and Nancy had her friends Jim and Martha for dinner. They are a lovely couple, interested in all sorts of subjects, but especially food and politics. Among other things, I learned about GMO issues from Martha, a retired food lawyer.

Boston Trip October 2017

Wednesday the 11th
It was a beautiful day - partly overcast and brisk, but not cold. We took a guided photo tour of sights in the North End (Italian district). The light was perfect, according to our guide. I learned a few things to improve my photographs, but mainly it was just fun to have our guide's perspective on the area.

In the afternoon we went to the Isabella Gardner art museum near the Museum of Fine Art. Isabella collected art and built a museum to house it in the early part of the 1900's. When she died she specified the museum be maintained exactly as she had built it with everything exhibited in the same place for ever. So, you have a slice of the way things looked from the mid-1900's.

Thursday the 12th

I went to Concord to visit Julia and her family. Lauve was off to her Harvard coaching conference. Julia and I took the dog for a walk among the beautiful fall foliage and caught up on her family happenings - so much going on!

Friday the 13th
Julia and I took their new Co-Motion tandem for a hilly 25 mile spin. The temperature at 8:30 was 36 degrees - the first cold day of the season. We dressed warm and it was fine. With Julia in the stoker position it felt like we had motor-assist. She worked in the afternoon, so Nathan and I played in the woods with his Kubota 4-wheel buggy and chain saw clearing fallen trees for their Nordic ski path.

Thursday the 14^th

Marc and Susie do volunteer trail maintenance. We did one of their latest efforts: “M” Trail on Cerro San Luis in San Luis Obispo. There were nice overlooks of the city and interesting commentary on the details of trail building and trail maintenance.

Following the hike we did wine tasting at our favorite winery in the area – Sextant. They are known for their Pinot’s and Zinfandel’s. Since the Mumby’s are members and they were having the Fall delivery celebration, we got some good prices on two cases. We were warned to keep them out of the hot car on the way back to Tucson.

Then San Luis Obispo was having their Thursday street food fair – some nice fresh-made dishes for dinner.

Friday the 15^th

We walked with the Mumby’s on the beach at Pismo and stopped for delicious donuts (recommended by Charley Crew) and coffee at Old West Cinnamon Rolls. Then it was off for Paso Robles, our next stop.

We picked a well situated VRBO, Park Place, right on the square in Paso. It was a second floor efficiency apartment with a little kitchen, outdoor eating deck and good TV setup.

Saturday the 16^th

We have been to Paso Robles several times before so we had some bike routes we like. Today we did a loop east of town that took us back through Templeton. It was mostly rolling grass and live oak covered hills with some livestock and vineyards.

Calcareous Winery had a pizza and wine paring event Saturday night featuring star gazing with some amateur astronomers. Out in the country the sky was clear and dark - you could see the Milky Way.

Sunday and Monday the 17 & 18^th

The San Luis Obispo bike club (slobc.org) is great. There must be 3 – 4 different rides every day starting all over the county and covering all different riding levels. We picked one for each day. One Sunday started from Moro Bay and went up the coast to Cayucos and included an out and back up one canyon. Great ocean views and coffee midway. Monday we started with a different group from Atascadero and road a loop up towards Paso with coffee back in Atascadero. Both groups were very friendly to us out-of-towners. We certainly recommend the area for biking and the SLOBC for rides.

Tuesday the 19^th

On our way to Santa Barbra, our next stop, we stopped in Los Olivos. We have a ride there we have done before with friends that goes through Ballard Canyon, Solvang and back through horse and wine country. Except for two very short, steep hills it is flat. The lavender farm that always looks beautiful was not in bloom. Guess we have done the ride before in the Spring! We had wine with lunch in Los Olivos then on to Santa Barbara. The hotel we booked was between the beach and town, but a bit run down. One morning we had a homeless person asleep in the hall. Last time for this place!

Wednesday and Thursday the 20^th & 21^st

We did the city ride out the coast to UC Santa Barbra campus. It included ocean views, high-end neighborhoods and the campus perched overlooking the Pacific.

One of our favorite restaurants is the Boathouse at Hendry’s Beach. We had seafood pasta and a scallop dish with salad and crab cakes for starters at sundown – perfect!

Thursday we road a new bike path (starting just south of Santa Barbara) from Carpenteria to Ventura. Much of it was along US 101, but there were nice ocean views – a one-and-done ride.

Friday the 22^nd

Nine hours back to Tucson through LA. Not so much traffic since we were through LA before noon. It was good to be home.

Sunday

We did the Bayshore Bikeway loop on the tandem. The route starts in Coronado and loops around the bay to San Diego for a short ferry ride back to Coronado. Great weather and many riders.

We visited our friends, Charley and Barb Crew in Rancho Bernardo for dinner at their house and reminisced old times and old friends from Caterpillar.

Then we drove to the Rancho Bernardo Inn for the two night stay we bought at the Friends of Saguaro charity auction. It was quite luxurious. We mainly relaxed, but had a nice driving range session.

 Monday night we celebrated our 4th anniversary on the hotel patio restaurant. Great sunset and fun singer doing many oldies.

Tuesday we braved LA traffic (not bad) and made it to Pismo Beach to visit Marc and Susie Mumby.

Wednesday we did a short ride with the Mumby's with a coffee stop at Avilla Beach, a cute little port town with entertaining seals and gulls. Then Marc, Lauve and I played 18 holes of golf at Monarch Dunes - our anniversary celebration present. We didn't keep score, but we did hit some nice shots among the bad.

California Coast Trip

Off to San Diego

It's an easy 6-hour's drive from Tucson. We are staying one night on Coronado at the La Avenidas, not the Del Coronado Hotel. We walked the beach, the shops and the Del, of course. After dinner at the Brigantine we caught sunset on the beach. The Del is a spectacular edifice, but it's too crazy busy and big to seem attractive as a place to stay.

Heading Home

Sunday – We decide this will be our last stay at Garrett’s Motel in Santa Fe. Price and location are good, but it has gotten too run down – peeling paint, rotten flower boxes, poor internet and an old tube-type TV!

We left early so we could get to Hatch, NM for a burger at Sparky’s. As usual, the weekends are way too popular. Note to self: do Sparky’s Wednesday through Friday. They are not open Monday and Tuesday.

Our Chilies Roasting

With This Fire, it Took 5 Minutes

We did score Hatch roasted chilies big time. We bought a just-picked bag and they roasted them on the spot - ~30 pounds. We had to settle for a Subway foot-long lunch in Deming and headed home which was 104 degrees! Even though, it is nice to be home for a while.   

Santa Fe

Thursday - Arrived at 3, explored Old Town Square, ate at Cayote Cantina (Cayote Café roof garden).

Old Town Square

Friday – Took a short bike ride from the hotel then brunch at Pasqual’s. Toured Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Great historical overview of her life. She worked in an amazing variety of mediums. Dinner at the Shed. Had sunset cocktails at La Fonda Hotel roof garden.

La Fonda Roof Garden

Saturday – Walked to the Railyard for the Saturday Farmers’ Market for pastry and coffee. In the afternoon we did Canyon Road art galleries. Didn’t buy anything, but got inspired. Had enough Mexican food for a while!

Driving home tomorrow – On the way, buying Hatch chilies for the freezer and a juicy hamburger for lunch at Sparky’s - assuming they aren’t overwhelmed by biker groups which happens on the weekends.

Tuesday Crystal Bike Path and Aspen Shopping

We got out early today because we wanted to ride AND go to Aspen to ogle all the high-end shops. So, we did tandem from Basalt on the Rio Grande path through Carbondale then up the Crystal River path to the end – 15 miles one way.

The Crystal River w/ Mt. Sopris (13,000ft.)

The Roaring Fork, Rio Grande Bike Path

On the way back we stopped for brunch at the Village Smithy, a local favorite, for brunch. It was enough to get us to dinner in Aspen at the Hotel Jerome. Things are a little expensive. Gas ($3.89/gal) is $0.80 - $1.00 more expensive than down-valley places like Carbondale and Glenwood Springs. We were looking for galleries for home decorating ideas. Aspen had some exotic and interesting things, but it seemed like Vail had more.

The Aspen Shopping Scene 

Wednesday Cycling Glenwood Canyon Bike Path

East from Glenwood Springs is a 16-mile canyon carved by the Colorado River. It is narrow and jam packed – cars and trucks on I 70, rafters and kayakers on the river, bikes on the bike path and trains on the railroad tracks all sometimes in a canyon that is maybe only 200 yards wide. The weather was perfect and there wasn’t much bike traffic which can be a problem sometimes. Then it was a lazy afternoon in Basalt repacking.

Hot Springs in Glenwood Springs

We leave for Santa Fe tomorrow so, good bye to Colorado for this year.