Bunny's perilous pool adventure.

Our Foo was enjoying the day, floating around on her pool noodle until an untimely gust of wind caught her off guard, pushing her into the drink...

Mama Foo says: Don't delay—get certified today.

From sna-foo to yabba dabba doooo.

But before you eat your lunch, it's a good idea to find the trail head first.

The best laid plans…found our adventurers auto bound for a trail in the Four Peaks Wilderness. Armed with scribbled internet provided directions, a belly full of caffeine and biscuits & gravy—it was a grand drive on a blue Highway 87 leaving civilization in the rear view mirror.

At the appointed turnout, the rental car and it's inhabitants were shocked to see a washboard dirt road in much worse condition than what they encountered yesterday. Calculating 8 miles from the trail head; their Chevy already whimpering like a freshly sheared poodle, they decided to turn back and head for Plan B: Saguaro Lakes.

Back up the road they drove re-vectoring to the east. Sadly the lake, while rare indeed in these climes, was a pretty disappointing reservoir. So going on dead reckoning, our trusty pilot (who is known for his most excellent sense of direction) took a leap of faith and assumed the road they were on would lead them back to the Superstitions.

Forty miles later...

They passed the Goldfield ghost town again, headed confidently for Plan C: First Waters Trail Head. Only to find themselves on another rutted dirt road…

Papa Foo gunned what was left of the Chevy's engine and off they bounced into the desert. Until they came upon a parking lot filled with buses...and screaming scouts having a veritable jamboree in the outback. 

This did not look good at all. 

Yet they were still a mile from the official trail head so on they bounced to the end of the line. 

Nice enough spot except for the troop of Boy Scouts unloading, running every which way yelling, "Dibs on being the leader!" Quickly grabbing their rucksack, our party decided to see how much distance they could get on these bunglers while the Scoutmaster tried to corral the young scouts (who were clearly jacked up on Mountain Dew) for the trail safety briefing.

All worry was for not—for in 10 minutes, Foo and Papa found themselves on just the best trail into the desert: an easy-on-the-quads, well marked, cacti-studded climb; completely void of people. In they hiked for 3+ miles enjoying the ever-changing scenery and getting ever closer to Weaver's Needle, the same rocky spire seen from above on yesterday's jaunt. Coming at it from below was a whole new enchilada as they say here in local parlance.

Reflection finds agreement. That while not super taxing to lower limbs, today's hike might just win 'Best of Set' yet.

RMNP Adventure Day 3: Flat Top Mountain

Bunny eyed the clear blue sky, sized up the snow christened peaks and hopped into her travel pouch. Then, matter-of-factly, she announced:

"We're going to the Alpine Zone today."

Bob and I looked at each other, slugged down our coffee and took heed. The Bunny meant business and we knew better than to doddle. So beginning at a lofty 9,475'—we set a course for Flattop Mountain; a 2,849' elevation gain over the course of 4.4 miles topping off at 12,324'. We were indeed going Alpine, that life zone above the tree line where few things live, let alone thrive.

We had prepared ourselves for a rigorous grade but were pleasantly surprised by the relative ease at which we were making progress. Each step seemed to offer views of verdant valleys, twisting rivers, and glistening lakes. And the higher we climbed, the more spectacular the views.

And the chillier it got.
And windier it got.

Until we found ourselves in a world of tornadic snow vortexes and ear-snapping wind chill. Ignoring the elements, we simply threw on another layer and plodded on, thinking the summit was within easy reach. But as we followed the ridgeline, conditions worsened. Quickly.

The snow got deeper, the winds more vicious and the trail obscured beyond recognition. Suddenly I could see our Foo family featured on the nightly news: "Led by a finger puppet named Foo, two lowlanders from Northern California died during a futile summit attempt of Flattop Mountain in Estes Park today. Back to you, Jim!"

So 500 vertical feet from the top, we turned around.

Sure, we were crushed. But we knew in our hearts that we did the right thing despite Bunny's protests. And as luck would have it, Bob would find a Cheeto trail back to civilization. Stopping every now and again for sustenance.

RMNP Adventure Day 2: Emerald Lake & Lake Haiyaha

Most of you don't know, but Bob was a weather man in another life. He can read multi-colored, fast-moving blobs on the radar like nobody's business; rattling off phrases like, "peeled off the Horn of Africa" when sizing up Mother Nature's problem child Ike. It's really quite impressive. 

But understanding yellow and red blobs isn't high on Bunny's priority list. She just wants to know if she can go for a hike. Or hop, as the case may be.

After a night of pounding rain, Bunny eagerly threw open the curtains to check out the impact on the terra firma. As suspected, a dusting of snow covered the Rockies in an impressive and oh-so-inviting way. She wanted in. As so did we.

Guided by the green weather blobs, Bob determined there were still showers that needed to move through so we diverted ourselves with a drive through the park and cappuccinos at the historic Stanley Hotel (filming location of  The Shining if you're not already muttering "Redrum" to yourself).

Busy digitally documenting the Stanley's historic edifice, Bob suddenly declared, "It's lifting to the West!" Bunny translated the urgency of Bob's weather-speak and swiftly hopped in the Yaris where they gunned the 9 miles up to the Bear Lake trail head to maximize their weather window of opportunity. 

Undeterred by the constant smattering of raindrops, they donned their parkas and set off for Emerald Lake. For the next 8 miles, they would experience rain, snow, hail, thunder and (as Stormtracker Bob predicted): sun. Perfectly timed to coincide with our arrival at Emerald Lake.

Next up; Day 3: Flat Top Mountain

RMNP Adventure Day 1: Sky Pond

Work travel has its benefits. Especially when it takes you to places like Denver, making the 70-mile drive northwest to Estes Park somewhat necessary if you're a hiking enthusiast like Bunny Foo Foo.

So off they ambled toward the park in their rented Yaris; a gas-sipping-four-banger. A surprising yet efficient mountain pass companion despite it's resemblance to a tin can with a set of tires stuck on for kicks and giggles. Shrouded in thick fog upon their arrival, the beauty and skyscraper heights of Estes Park, Colorado wouldn't be fully appreciated until later.

Much later.

Day 1: Starting at Bear Lake trail head (elevation 9,475'), their first destination was Sky Pond via the popular Alberta Falls, Loch Lake and the aptly named Lake of Glass. An easy hike in, the last little bit of their trek would require a scramble up and alongside a waterfall. It's always good to ask yourself before attempting such things, "Can I actually get down this craggy mess?" But logic and reason are usually cast aside when a couple hundred vertical feet is the only thing separating you from the top. In our case: Sky Pond's 10,893' view.

We lunched on the banks of Sky Pond amidst the clouds and every now again, the mountain would toss off her cloak and reward us with glimpses of her true beauty.

But alas, what goes up must come down. Our craggy mess was a puzzle to descend but we made it down without incident and eventually found our way back to our motel for showers and a fine dinner of buffalo meatloaf (for Bob) and trout (for Mama Foo). Bunny had cheesecake in a puddle of raspberry sauce.

Next up; Day 2: Nymph, Dream & Emerald Lakes.

Hoppy 4th of July Weekend

Independence Day celebrates the birthday of the United States of America. Founded July 4th 1776, with the signing of the Declaration of Independence, America celebrates it's 232nd birthday this year.

So grab your furry friend and blanket, then find yourself a grassy spot with a view. Because once the stars come out to play—it's time to wish America "Happy Birthday!"

Ka-Boooom!!

Saguaro Foo

Where Saguaro Grow
Saguaro cacti, Carnegiea gigantea, only grow in the Sonoran Desert. However, they do not grow in all parts of the Sonoran Desert. This map represents the range of the Sonoran Desert (crosshatch) with an overlay of the range of the saguaro cactus (solid). The range of the saguaro is limited by freezing temperatures in winter.

Saguaros are also limited by elevation. They are generally found growing from sea level to approximately 4,000 feet in elevation. Saguaros growing higher than 4,000 feet are usually found on south facing slopes where freezing temperatures are less likely to occur or are shorter in duration.

Arizona: adventure essentials.

Hot to hop.

No one in their right mind goes to Arizona in the summer. Unless you're Foo, of course—who thinks a little heat is a fine tradeoff for some adventure and cactus adoration. Besides, Grandpapa Foo and Mama Shirley have air conditioning and they're well versed on how to use it.

The adventure begins this Friday. SPF-30 required.