San Pedro River

Tropical Storm Lorena, which was forecasted to hit SE Arizona yesterday and drop two days of gentle rain over us, never materialized.  The once F1 Hurricane stalled over Baja California and then dissipated. 

Fritz was overdue on a hike so he was my first choice for dog partner on my walk to the San Pedro River this morning.  Gretel rushed out the back door so she was Fritz's companion.  Those two dogs are my best protectors.  I feel safe with those two by my side.

Both dogs take protecting me seriously, so it was no surprise that neither dog took off once we got started at 7:20am.  The sky was mostly cloudy and it was still in the 70s.  A young coyote had crossed the road as I neared the trailhead, but once on the trail, the only animal I saw was a frightened white-tailed deer right ahead of me on the trail.  I distracted the dogs to prevent them from chasing it.

The trail was a bit overgrown now.  The catclaw acacia is in bloom, and so is the creosote and turpentine bush.  I wish I could grow creosote and turpentine bush on my property!  I enjoy the scent of both plants as I brush past them,  But here near the river the soil contains more bicarbonate, which compacts the soil and makes it more alkaline.  The higher alkalinity is visible in the whiter soil color.  Even with the heavy rains we have had in the past ten days, the soil does not loosen.

I enjoyed the green all around me.  While I didn't see any animal life closer to the river (I was looking for box turtles), the denser and greener foilage was a challenge.  The trail was harder to follow the closer to the river we got.

The Big Wash was damp but passible.  And once to the river I was glad to see it flowing.  Yet just south of the conjunction, the river was stagnant and green.  I avoided that area and took the dogs north a bit to the logjam.

Fritz and Gretel romped here for a bit, jumping chest-deep in the water and chasing each other.  We didn't stay long here as I wanted to get back home before the heat set in.  The mountains in all directions had clouds shrouding the peaks. Fort Huachuca's surveillance balloon was up so that means no stormy weather.

Fritz and Gretel managed four miles this morning.  The next two dogs up are Hansel and Gretchen.

Sheelite Canyon

Ellen lured me out of the house today with a hike up Sheelite canyon to the overlook.  I had originally planned on staying home and getting more planting in.  I'm glad now I got out of the house twice this long weekend.  I took Hansel and Zana.

Weatherwise it was ideal weather. It was overcast and cool, with low-lying rain clouds.  This kept the dogs refreshed.

The canyon was lush with plenty of wildflowers, but water was not as plentiful as I had expected.  The various pool were full, but nothing was flowing.  The dogs didn't mind, as they will lay in anything wet.

We hiked up the steep canyon at a steady pace. The steep, narrow canyon is challenging due to the many blowdowns and boulders.  The trail is hard to follow due to the many blowdowns and boulders in the drainage.  I have to follow Ellen, as I have no sense of direction, nor do I recognize the turn-off to the overlook.  Ellen noted that there were more blowdowns since our last hike here last fall.

Hansel and Zana stayed close, following the trail most of the time and coming back when I called them.  A few times they acted like they caught the scent of something.  I watched them closely, as twice we caught the scent of either bear or skunk and the dogs froze.  The only noises we heard were from birds.

It began to drizzle an hour into our hike, but that drizzle was most likely a low-lying cloud.  When we got to the overlook the tops of the peaks were shrouded. We saw some sun to the south.

We rested here for a bit, eating a snack.  I felt the sweat on my back once I took my backpack off.  I had my old red Marmot raincoat that I put on to keep warm, but it went off again once we resumed our walk back. 

We never came across anyone else on this hike.  There was one more vehicle  next to Ellen's Radar (the name of her Toyota Cruiser) when we returned to our vehicles.

We finished off the hike with a late lunch at Culver's.  Each dog got their pup cup as we sat on the patio.

I'm glad Ellen coaxed me into hiking with her.  My ankles were sore the rest of the day, but I appreciate the challenge, and I'm sure both Hansel and Zana are glad for another day in the mountains.

 

Garden Canyon

Walking this canyon was KimG's idea.  She texted me yesterday morning early to ask if I wanted to walk the canyon with her.  I had some errands to run in the morning so we settled for today.  I invited Steve so we were a group of three with two dogs.

I left the house at 7:25am for the drive to Fort Huachuca. I got to the trailhead at 8am for the 8:30am meetup.  Steve came in right behind me and we parked where several other cars were/  Most of them were for cyclists riding the potholed road.  KimG drove up at 8:32am.

I was surprised the canyon wasn't more lush after the rain we have had.  The road showed recent signs of a flashflood, but the creek along the road was trickling, and as we walked up the road we were disappointed in the few flowers.  Kim is a butterfly specialist and was looking for the varied butterflies in the canyon.  She was also looking for the purple-white Basketflower. I was just happy to see any flowers this morning 

Hansel and Trace got along very well today, chasing each other up and down the road.  Trace at first was apprehensive of Hansel, but by the end of the hike they were best buds.  When Steve took a break at the two-mile mark and then walked back to ther cars, Hansel whined for his friend and kept looking back to see if Trace would show up. On our return walk he ran ahead to meet Steve and his friend Trace.

We only came across another woman and her two dogs on this hike.  We met another couple on our return walk

Kim and I made the petroglyph site our turn-around point.  I was fine with that as it was getting warm and sunny.  By now we were seeing many Basketflowers and several species of milkweed.  I was also developing an allergy to something.  When we got back to the cars I took a Claritin pill with my iced tea.

The walk was just over four miles.

We had a late lunch at Urbano's.  Kim had never been to this place.  It's an upscale bar-bistro and every time I stop in, I see something new. The patio is dog friendly which is why Kim picked this place. It was a good decision.

We all had a a rice bowl with chicken.  The dogs rested and were well-behaved, but the Claritin I took at the trailhead was now making me drowsy.  I got home at 1:30pm

I needed to nap a bit before tackling some gardening but I never did snooze.  Storm clouds were billowing from the southeast.  At 4:45pm my phone alerted me to a dangerous dust storm coming my way.  I'm glad I was at home as it came quickly.  I closed the patio door and made sure all the dogs were inside. Twenty minutes after the wind began, the rain came, and it came down hard

The storm was a nice surprise.  Chances of rain were 15% all day but that proved to be wrong.  I still need to plant some more  trees but that can now wait until tomorrow afternoon

Bisbee stairs

This date was Bill's idea earlier in the week.  We met at 6am at the Mine museum in Bisbee and took off at 6:15am.  I left the dogs at home but I probably could have taken Hansel.  There were many other stair walkers and dogs out today, and didn't get hot until later in the morning.

Bill was talkative today, starting with  "I'm getting me a cat!" but that turned out to be because his main squeeze, Deb, is officially moving in with him by the end of the month.

I was a little surprised.  Bill has always bragged about his sexual prowess and is still very active sexually.  (He volunteered that information, telling me a few months ago that he had six girlfriends.)  When I asked Bill what he and Deb have in common, his first answer is  "She's a sex addict!"  Uh-oh.  I really don't like to pry into anyone's intimate life, and wasn't expecting that for an answer.   He was talking about being polyamorous just the last time we met for the Bisbee walk.  So what changed? 

Well, I'm happy for Bill. He met Deb on a dating website (didn't ask which one!) earlier this year.  Maybe I should try that, but my impression of other men my age looking for companionship isn't very positive.  Boomer boys are very sexist and want a caretaker/maid in a woman and I'm not good at either.  I would love to start out with a passionate companion who loves to explore the outdoors, so that leaves me considering men who hike and camp and appreciate pristine environments.

"I should try that" I replied to Bill about dating apps.  "Must like dogs!" I added.  Hahaha.  Must like the outdoors, enjoy weekend road trips, appreciate desert gardening and be frugal with money (ie no excessive spending on frivolous things) and not talk excessively about former wives or girlfriends.  And, while I didn't tell Bill this, must not be addicted to alcohol or cigarettes.

Bisbee was in bloom this time and we stopped a lot for photos.  Sunflowers were everywhere, as where the Arizona poppies, dahlias, zinnias.  In another month or so the seed pods for the trumpet vine will be ready for harvesting.  I picked up a few seeds for Birds of Paradise, pomegranate and a few seedheads of dried flowers I can't identify right now.  I hope in a year my front yard will have blue palo verde, mimosa, honey locust, and yellow and red Birds of Paradise.  All of these are native to this region

We chatted briefly with a local homeowner named Zin.  We spotted a coatimundi on his front porch a year ago but he said he's never seen one in his yard.  Originally from New Jersey, he's travelled all over the country before he and his partner Jill settled in Bisbee four years ago. 

He let us into his small front yard.  He and Jill are gardeners and have used every space in their yard for various blooms. He also gave me permission to pick the trumpet vine seed pods when they ripen in another six weeks.  I had a trumpet honeysuckle at my old place but never properly trellised it so it grew more prostate than vertical.

We walked around for 3.5 hours. It was just past 9:30am before we drove our separate ways.  I went home to rest and shower, and have a home lunch.

Weather forecast for Wednesday is calling for severe rains in the afternoon.  Bring it on! It's been five days since our last rain.  My backyard is full of Golden Crownbeard, Arizona poppies and pigweed.  I don't remember having any weeds or flowers back there last summer.  Everything has popped up last week after the rains, and digging up the soil to lay down the fence posts also helped.

A good week for rain

 I haven't been walking the dogs much now that school has started, but I do try to get at least one dog walked in the morning for two miles.  Today it was Fritz's turn and we went west on our street to the end and then explored some dirt paths.  All the weeds that have popped up this month have made walking the path more colorful.

It was overcast and cool, with some rain clouds to the northeast.  Fritz was galloping along close to me as we turned briefly south on one road I had never been on.  An abandoned tractor stood along this path where the path curves east and toward a home.  We turned around here, as the sunlight poked out of the clouds to provide us a colorful start to the day.

A few heavy drops of rain also fell, but then stopped.  That rain was just at the boundary as most of the rain fell to our northwest into town.  I could tell by the fresh puddles in the school parking lot.  

It was a refreshing, albeit short, way to start the day.  This walk with Fritz was a mere 40 minutes.

Carr Peak for August with Bill, Monty, Hansel

Due to several rain storms and work schedules, Bill and I never managed to hike up Carr in July.  We did, however, managed to hike up Carr today with Monty McD (a retired SGM with whom I worked at the high school).  All three are passionate desert gardeners, so today's hike was more like a "Oh look, that's a Western Wallflower!"

Temperatures were forecasted to reach the mid 90s so we started early.  Bill picked me up at 5am, then Monty, and all three of us drove up to the trailhead in Bill's Yukon.

The sun rose at 5:40am as we were still on our drive up the road.  Turkeys were roosting in a tree right off the road, which prompted a short stop to photograph the scene.

We began at 5:45am.  I was upfront with Hansel and Bill and Monty were behind me.   We passed a young woman running up the road.  We later saw her at least three more times.  She ran up to Miller Peak and then Carr Peak for 23 miles.

I immediately noticed more wildflowers when compared to our June hike.  The four storms we had since that last hike (and a few more that were contained to the mountains) brought out so much new growth not only with the flowers, but the many saplings struggling to grow.

Sawmill springs, however, was barely trickling. I was hoping for flowing water, but the trickle was still better than completely dry like last time.  I had a gallon of water with me so I wasn't worried, but I knew a dry spring here meant no water higher up.  I was right.   We need so much more rain in the next two months to help alleviate our drought and refill our aquifers.

We hiked at a moderate-to-slow pace, looking at the flora and taking pictures. We all used Google lens to help us identify the many flowers along the trail.  Verbena and Western Wallflowers were in the lower elevation below 7000', along with the Indian Paintbrush and Common stargrass.  Common mullein, Golden Columbine, Firecracker penstemon, blue salvia were above the aspen grove.  One flower that was quite abundant was the sunflower, but there were so many varied yellow flowers that only differed by their leaf and petal arrangement.

We never suffered from the heat since we started early and hiked in the shade going up.  But even at the peak it was calm.  No wind, no cool breeze.  Just the panorama around us as we noticed smoke wafing in the north.  There were no ladybugs mating in the shrubs.  A good monsoon usually brings them to the high peaks to mate in July and then lay their eggs in the valley below.  This all means we still need much more rain. 

We snacked on the peak for a bit, then resumed our return hike going the same way we came. This is when we came across two groups of four people going up as we were descending.  Hansel was the only dog and he did well.

I enjoyed the company today.  Monty was very informative about the flora and a good hiking partner.  We may make Carr Peak a monthly endeavor.  September will have autumn colors, October raptor migration and November may bring the first freeze.  I will enjoy the camaraderie.

Copper Canyon

Copper Canyon is a steep, narrow and short canyon on the south end of the Huachuca mountains.  The trail is an old mining trail that takes one to the mine just 0.75 miles up the hill.  It's shaded by mature Live Oaks and pines.  During the monsoon the creek rushes downhill.

Taking three dogs there was my goal today.  Hansel needed his run and the two other dogs turned out to be Fritz and Zana, since they were the three dogs that stayed in the yard when I fed the pack their morning chicken.

It was a hot day today, registering 97F at the hottest.  I thought Copper Canyon would be lush and cool when I got there at 2pm with three anxious and panting dogs.

I was hit immediately by the dry heat.  I didn't bring water on the hike for us since I expected water in the lower mine. I only had a bucket of water in the car. I was surprised to see the drainage was dry.  I struggled up the steep, rocky canyon and stopped a few times.  The only consolation is knowing the trail is less than a mile long. At least a dry heat is not as bad as the humid heat the eastern part of the country is experiencing.

There were no wildflowers except for a few firecracker plants. I was expecting more flowers after last week's rain.  There was no evidence that we got two downpours a week ago.  Our next rain is due Tuesday-Wednesday.

We got relief at the lower mine.  There was water in that mine.  It was clear water until all three dogs rushed into the pool, lapping and rolling and being dogs.  This water was our destination and I rested here a bit while the dogs took dips in the water and munched on grass. A cool breeze came down from above.  This is a pretty spot when the water is running.

We walked up to the upper mine but that one was dry.  So we turned around and walked down the way we started.  The pack ran up and down the hillside but never strayed.  Hansel and Fritz would dart on ahead with Zana right behind them.  They always came back when I called.  The mine water definitely refreshed them and they were full of energy now.

Since the mining trail is less than a mile long one way, I continued walking south past the road for a quarter mile to at least get two miles in.  We rested in the shade of a live oak by the car before going back home up the forest road, up and over Montezuma's pass driving no faster than 15mph.  It's a scenic drive with views of the international border just two miles south. Google was right when it said it was an hour drive from my house to the trailhead. It's 32 miles from my home.

All three dogs jumped in the trough once we got back home.  Only Fritz got out once I went back inside.  Hansel and Zana stayed outside until they dried off.  Fritz was tired, curling up right next to me for the next two hours while I did my evening routine of listening to the news and going through social media.

I got a text from my boss:  be at work tomorrow.  Oh shit, that's right!  I thought we started on Wednesday like we always had in the past.  I had planned on driving to Tucson one last time.  Bill and I were supposed to hike Carr Peak on Wednesday, weather permitting.

Well, so thus ends my summer vacation.  I got most of the plans I had made completed. I got the fence put up, all the plants put in the ground, and the yard slowly cleaned up.  There's a lot more I still need to do, though.  I'm sure I can get a lot more done once this heat subsides and cooler temps prevail.

Back to the Lehner Kill site TH

The morning began with a quick stop at the old lot.  Thursday mornings are trash pick-up and there is still a lot of work to be done at the old site. Right now it's a lot of garden debris and pulling out new palo verde seedlings.   I can try to replant them on my new land but they would need some indoor potted help for a few weeks.  My southern-facing "office" would make a good grow room because of its constant warmth.

One older jogger recognized me as I walked down my street.  "You're the German Shepherd Lady!" and she added that she always thinks of me when she jogs past my old lot.

I stayed at the site until shortly after trash pick-up at 7:50am and then drove home to do some gardening.  I need to get as much planted before school starts back up again next Wednesday and the soil is already drying out again. 

Today I decided to start walking earlier and took three dogs back to the Lehner Kill site trailhead. We walked part of the newer mountainbike loop. I took Zana, Gretel, and Fritz.  Zana was due her turn and the other two got freebies.  We started at 5:53pm and it was still 89F, according to Strava.

I wasn't sure how well Zana would be around Fritz, since both took off on me back in March.  She is always so full of energy. I watched them both carefully, and always called them back to me if I saw them running in the other direction.  They did fine.

Gretel, as usual, stayed close to me, always stopping and looking back at me and not continuing walking until she saw me walk.  She's gotten so good at understanding hiking etiquette.  When I call the dogs, she's always the first one back to me.  I only have to worry about her around other dogs and strangers.

This loop isn't as long as the straight-out route I took yesterday, but I didn't feel like extending my walk today. Views from the mountainbike route are expansive and one can see far into the river plain. This area was also burned by the fire four years ago.  No massive wildflowers either, other than nightshade and coyote squash.

We went straight to the San Pedro River which at this location is deep enough for them to swim in.  We stayed a bit here, then went south on the trail to our usual swimming hole.  

This section is heavily overgrown and at one point came across a rattler that warned us.  I didn't see the snake but heard it loud and clear.  "GRETEL!" I yelled, as I saw her sniffing the area from where the rattling and hissing sound came from.  She moved back right away.  Whew.

Otherwise it was a dull hike that was more fun for the dogs than me.  Views of the mountains and dead cottonwoods, however, are always a plus.

Total distance was a mere 2.6 miles.  I'm sure the dogs did a bit more than that. 

We were home by 7:15pm.  By 8pm I took Wolfie on his three-mile solo hike.  He does so well when he's alone, and his recall has gotten better this past year.  The route I like is either the three mile or extended 3.8 mile route through the 'hood on mostly dirt roads.  The puddles from the storms earlier this week are still around on Burro Drive, but they have gotten smaller. 

Two days of good rain

Monday and Tuesday afternoon brought us two strong storms that flooded my front yard and caused water to rush down the street.  The water softened the ground for me to plant the last of the pots I needed put in the ground.  I enjoyed the cooler temperatures.  

Hopefully some of the blue palo verde seeds I put in the ground this morning will germinate and grow into trees.  Their yellow flowers in the spring will add color to the dull mesquite everywhere. Palo verde are my favorite desert tree. My next goal will be to plant red and yellow Birds of paradise all around the front yard.  The seeds won't be harvestable until the fall so I have another year to wait for blooms in my yard. I will also thin out the weak trees up front.

Today I wanted to take the dogs down to the river to see the water level, but I didn't get motivated to leave until almost 6pm.  By then that only allowed for a good hour of walking, so I opted to go to the Lehner Kill site parking area and walk the mile to the river.  The trail here doesn't get muddied out like other trailheads.  It's 13 miles from my place, so a little longer to get to than the Ramsey Rd trailhead, but I figured the Ramsey Road section would need another day to dry out.

I brought Hansel, Gretel and Fritz again.  They are a good team. Gretel always stays near me and the two boys chase each other through the tall grass.  They know where the water is and run on ahead.

The fire that burned the field here four years ago must have been very hot as the false sunflowers that would crowd out the field have not grown back.  The only flowers I saw were nightshades.  The field is now tall grass with a few mesquite still around the spring.  I was hoping to see some wildflowers!

When we got to the water I was surprised at how low it was.  There was fresh evidence of a flash flood, but most of the riverbed was muddy with a stream in the middle.  The dogs still enjoyed their refreshment, though, and I always enjoy this trio having fun chasing each other.

The only excitement I had was walking up to a tarantula.  The first one this season.  I'm glad I saw it in daylight and not at night.

We managed three miles and it was already in dusk when we got to the Honda.  Sunset was at 7:21pm.  If I had left the house 40 minutes earlier, we could have gotten four miles in. My bad.  At least it was a pretty sunset and it was cool.  We are expecting the heat to return by Thursday with no rain again until Monday.

A housefire on Hargis Ranch Road was visible from the trailhead that had just started at around 7pm.  By the time we were on our drive home, two CCSO vehicles sped north on Palominas Road and four more sped east on Hereford Road.  At least the heavy rains have saturated the ground so there was no fear of the fire spreading.

I later took Gretchen out for her two-mile walk at dark. It was true dark as we are in new moon status with a waning crescent due to rise at 4am. She found a dead hare in the road and insisted on taking it with her.  That poor critter was locked in her mouth for 1.5 miles.  Gretchen never let go of it until we were back on our driveway.

The old maintenance road

Woke up to drizzle and cooler temperatures.  It was Gretchen's turn for a walk.  She is one dog I don't trust off leash as she has horrible recall.  The only place she's off leash is in the backyard, and then she doesn't go out very often if the other dogs are out there.

I walked east on my road.  There was no sunrise due to the rain clouds, but the breeze was invigorating.  I added an additional mile to the walk before turning around.  Gretchen walked well today and I think it was the prong collar that helped.  She didn't lunge at the desert hares, although I could tell she wanted to.

I've been using down time lately to get plants in the ground. That was my summer goal this year.  All this rain recently is helping as the soil is now saturated.  Most homes here don't landscape.  They use their land for livestock or workshops or junk piles.

But one house does stand out. I noticed one house with a landscaped front yard on this walk, east of Moson Road.  It's the only house with landscaping!  So I won't be the only homeowner here with flowers and cacti and fruit trees.  My yard still needs a lot of work, but I'm making progress.  Give me a few years when most of the seedlings start showing.

The four-mile walk did Gretchen good.  She rested once back home, but I could tell she tensed up a bit when I let the other dogs back in.  The other dogs always seem to like attacking her, and I'm always watching out for her.  I protect her more than she protects me.

In the afternoon I went out again with three dogs (Hansel, Gretel, Fritz) to walk the old maintenance trail that was a staple of mine until the house fire.  I could let the dogs run down the road to the end and back for two miles. Getting there from our old house was a mere three miles.  Now it's more like eight miles.

I wanted to see what wildflowers were blooming.  The maintenance road always had lots of wild senna and zinnias blooming during the monsoon.  I like both flowers for their bright yellow flowers and long blooms.  You can't buy them in garden shops as they are considered weeds.

But sadly the maintenance road is now closed off past the national forest warehouse.  It's now private property from there on down!  What a bummer.  The ATV trail now has a name so that means it will get graded, expanded and paved. My only option now was to walk back and let the dogs roam in the grass near the state road, although it's very rocky and I was on the lookout for snakes.  What used to be an easy two-mile walk up and down the road was now a 1.3-mile walk. We are losing our open spaces.

I found one senna in bloom.  I plan on being back in the area to harvest some seeds this fall.  I'll be the only house on the road with yellow senna but it should be able to grow as it's in native soil and only five miles from its original growth.

 

The San Pedro River (after Sunday's rain)

We got heavy rains Sunday evening, our best rain yet this season.  I had just gotten back from Tucson. Yesterday I spent two hours gardening to plant more trees in the damp soil.  I stopped when the humidity got too high for me. 

Today I opted to take Zana and Gretel to the river to check the water flow.  If there was any water across Ramsey Road, it would be dried up by now.  That last mile of Ramsey road is a narrow dirt road that crosses the Big Wash.

The dogs were eager to get out and run.  Zana was due a walk anyway (so is Hansel) and both girls did great staying close.  They seem to understand "stay with me!"

The rain brought out some color and some wildlife.  I counted at least ten millipedes on the trail, as many red velvet mites, darkling beetles, and on our return walk, a nesting box turtle!

There was no flowing water in the San Pedro river, but the mud in the wash and then at the tributary was proof that there was a bit of a flashflood Sunday evening.

I started out walking south in the wash, but the soft mud got too treacherous.  The mud was taking over my Keens and making walking difficult.  We turned around to walk north instead, and stopped only when we came to our first mudhole just past the big log jam.

The mudhole was ideal for Zana, who didn't hesitate to roll around in the cool refreshment.  Gretel was more refined and only jutted her snout in the mud

At least they got two miles on the return hike to dry up some.  And then once home, I forced Zana in the back yard so that she could jump in the trough and get some of the mud off her. 

Total distance was just under 4.3 miles

The rest of the day went peacefully.  I had a 1:20pm appointment for Gretchen's vaccines at Dr Jackson's.  I arrived early in case we would get stuck in a storm as rain was forecasted for 2pm.  The office is closed an hour for lunch so I walked her for a half mile along the multiuse path until they opened at 1pm.  

Gretchen now weighs 58 pounds.  She only gained one pound since her last rabies shot three years ago.

Once home, I did another mile for her while the clouds started forming.

Another deluge then happened at 5pm which lasted a few hours of steady rain.  My plants are going to be loving all this rain!