Day 17

Today I took Robert and Taylor on a hike to Romero Pools in Catalina State Park just a few miles from home. It was cool and cloudy, with quite a bit of water in the pools, along the trail, and running down the mountains. The wash just past the trailhead was flowing pretty good, so we waded across barefoot. We rested and ate lunch at the pools, just enjoying the mountains and the water flowing all around us. This was only the second time I'd hiked here, and I was amazed again at the diversity of landscapes in Arizona.

Everything was going great until the last mile on the way back. Then, out of nowhere, like a Ninja, this tree stump jumped up from the middle of the trail and planted itself squarely into my right knee!

Ouch.

So now I have a little less blood and skin around my knee, but it provided a great excuse to let Robert drive home. He got his permit on Tuesday, so he didn't need much convincing. (He's doing great, by the way.)

But the hike was a lot of fun, and it gave me a chance to clear my head. I'll post a couple of pictures later...