Desert Heat, AZ

We've spent the last week
in the AZ desert.

We hiked in the Tortolita Mountains
north of Tucson,
through arid canyons
where Saguaro Cacti were blooming.

The blossoms open
in the evening coolness
of April and May.

They are the state flower of AZ.

We were also treated
to some hot desert reds.

We watched for rattlesnakes
in the shady crevasses of rocks.

But I won't mislead you:
I also lounged on that last green chair
watching birds of prey circling,
hunting for lunch.

Now we're in the high desert of Sedona,
where red rock cliffs rise just beyond town.

We're staying in a cottage along Oak Creek.
It feels like summer camp -
but with grown-up amenities!

I hike amid lush greenery.
Spring moisture waters the desert landscape.

There is plenty of time to sit and rest and read.
The breeze and dappled shade
shield us from the sun's heat.

By tomorrow evening,
we'll be in Moab, UT.
On Sunday, we arrive home.


It's been a wonderful, healing journey!
I feel strong and healthy.

I miss the Grandchildren.
Lucinda is homesick for Justy and Iggy...

We look forward to our return
to Breckenridge, CO!

Goodbye to CA...

In Pacific Grove,
I rode my bike through PINK.

The Ice Plants were blooming in profusion.

They made me smile.

Along 17 Mile Scenic Drive,
wind and weather
sculpt the landscape.

Over the years,
I've had my photo taken several times
at Lone Cypress Point.

The tree remains stoic and stately,
while I seem a little frayed and faded!

Now we're at Newport Beach.

Last evening, I walked alone
amid golden grasses
to the Pacific.

I whispered goodnight to the sun.

Today, my Blog Friend, Ebie,
and her daughter Zee
visited from LA.

Lucinda was thrilled!

We chatted and walked and ate.
Oh - and took some photos...

Tomorrow, goodbye to the ocean.
Hello to the desert!
We're heading for Tucson, AZ.

Dawn to Dusk - San Francisco Bay

Fog shrouds dawn in Marin County, CA.

I sip coffee and watch the first ferry
leave Sausalito for San Francisco.

The city sleeps draped in blues.

Mist doesn't play favorites.

It veils the cypress groves.

Mist rests on mountains and drifts to the sea.

Sounds and colors are muted.

The sun finally wakes.

A pale horizon greets the light.

The colors of the day emerge.

Finally, twilight tinges the city pink and indigo.

The setting sun lends a bit of shimmer.

What seems hidden is actually revealed.

We're now in Monterey.

We're enjoying the beauty of California.

CO, UT, NV - California!

A phenomena happens for a short while in the spring:

The snowmelt in the mountains
at the Utah/Nevada border
floods the Bonneville Salt Flats.

Bonneville Salt Flats

A normally arid, nondescript landscape
becomes surreal.

This year, the timing of our trip was perfect,
as was the blue-sky day.

Sierra Nevada Mountains at  Woodfords, CA

Six years ago, to celebrate my 60th birthday,
we biked from CO to CA.

We crossed the Sierra Nevada mountains
along this route.

Carson River

I learned many lessons on that journey,
not the least of which was that when
I think I can't go farther or further - I actually can!

On that trip, we biked self-sustained for 26 days.
We celebrated my birthday and Mothers Day
in San Francisco with our son.

Tower Bridge, 1911

Today we arrived in Sacramento
hauling the bikes in our van.

(After all, I AM six years older!)

When I'm not following my husband
on the bike,
I like to stroll in Old Town
with my camera.

Lucinda is suggesting some radical changes for me.

However, I'm thinking more along the lines
of a little makeup -
something not too permanent.

Maybe, I'll even get gussied up for dinner...

We're excited to be in CA.

Tomorrow, I look forward
to meeting my Blogger Friend, Martha.

On Sunday, the Tour of CA Bike Race begins.
We'll follow it for several stages.

Lucinda is hoping to be discovered by talent scouts.
Perhaps a reality show is in her future.

After all, she's already a STAR!

On the Road

We're heading West.

On Tuesday morning, as snow clouds
visited Breckenridge,
we left town.

In Carbondale, CO, we unloaded our bikes.

We pedaled 30 miles toward Aspen on the Rio Grande Trail.
We needed green!

On Wednesday morning,

we hiked the Serpents Trail
in the Colorado National Monument.

My spirit soared higher than the towering cliffs!

The plateau and canyon were strewn with blooms.

In an arid landscape, spring paints with vivid colors.

As the sky sulked,

we gazed at rock formations of varied shapes and hues.

We admired both fragile, fleeting beauty

and rocky sculptures chiseled and molded
over millions of years.

Now, we're in Sandy, Utah.

Tomorrow, we'll continue through Nevada.

We're enjoying splendid scenery...

California or Bust!