The Agony of Defeat

Today, Sunday, September 14, 2008, at approximately 5:00pm on the North Ranch Community Tennis Courts, my friend, Kevin, beat me for the first time by a score of 6-4.

I was defeated.

There will be no living with him now...

Headed to the mountains

Continuing the tradition started over a decade ago, our family and the Goelz family are headed to the White Mountains today to spend a relaxing weekend eating, sleeping, and playing cards. I love this tradition and these Memorial Day weekends. Plus, I won't even be doing as much homework this year, especially compared to other years. Well, time to start loading the car...

Dove Mountain Hike

Robert, Taylor, and I went hiking this morning in the Dove Mountain area. We started out at the Wild Burro Trail Head, followed the Wild Burro trail for a while, took the Alamo Spring branch (by mistake), and ended up at the top of a small mountain. That was cool - but a little off-plan. We were initially going to take the Lower Javelina Loop, but somehow missed the trail marker for that one...

It was nice, a little warm, but nice. The only bad part was all of the bugs. We couldn't really find a good lunch spot (good = free of bugs), so we just waited until we got back to Taylor's house and ate on the patio looking up at where we had just hiked. Here are a few shots from the day:

Robert on a rock by a rather large saguaro

Taylor and Robert at the top of the small mountain

One of the 112 lizards we saw on the trail
(yes, Robert counted)

Pictures from Friday's hike to Romero Pools

Robert, Me, and Taylor at the pools after lunch

A shot of the pools

On the way back down, looking toward Oro Valley

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...