We really have had pleasant weather sofar this year while the rest of the eastern part of the country seems to be in a deep freeze. I have been taking the dogs up into the canyons of Ash and Hunter just to walk around for a few miles. The dogs can be dogs and I get my exercise. With school back in session next week, I won't get these opportunities again so soon.
Unfortunately, I am not the only one drawn to the warm canyons; the hunters are out there as well. On some days there are so many hunters (and subsequent firearms blasts) that I don't walk far into the foothills. For the safety of the dogs and for the sanity of my mind, I make those walks short and sweet.
However, the greens are coming back to the canyons. There are signs of life in the lush narrow canyons of Ash and Lutz, and it's that kind of beauty that draws me higher into the canyons before I catch my sanity again. The water, the new growth and the dogs' frolicking make the steep and rocky climbs into these canyons worth it.
However, I have seen both Sara and Sammy tire more easy now. Sara twice had trouble jumping into my SUV this week, and both have slowed down on their walks. I have been watching out for them, making sure the 1-3 mile walks we go on don't overtax their aging bodies. We don't know exactly how old they are, but Sara must be around 8 and Sammy around 6 years old. Sadie, at almost 2, is a "kid" in comparison, and her rambunctious and youthful behavior at times irritates the "elders."
My final week of freedom from work and school ends this weekend with trail maintenance in the Huachuca mountains. Little Steve also has a carcamp scheduled west of Phoenix the following weekend for a few days. If I have the time, I would like to get back up there as those exposed mountains are best conquered in the cooler months. It's time I get out again anyway and see those parts of Arizona that normally remain reclusive to me.
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