Des Moines

Well, we're back in Des Moines and I was jonesin' for a hike. I really had no choice but to simply go for a walk instead. So, I walked across town to my sister's, at Beatnik Urban Farm No. 1. Got to walk through the sculpture park downtown, and past Sec Taylor Ballpark (I refuse to use the corporate name), where I discovered how much time is left until the Cubs' first pitch.

Sculpture park.

Sec Taylor.

Des Moines River.

Sec Taylor.

Beatnik Urban Farm No. 1 (fruit trees in the foreground).

Seven Falls Trail

The last hike of the season brought us to Tucson, again to Sabino Canyon. This time, we headed up the boulder-strewn canyon on the Seven Falls Trail. This time of year, with heavy snow runoff, the water level is pretty high, making the seven times we cross the stream bed quite a challenge. Many times we had to run skipping and jumping across partially submerged stepping stones and boulders trying unsuccessfully not to get our feet wet. Another challenge and headache is that this trail is especially popular with the locals. This is exacerbated by a shuttle train that takes gangs of etiquette-unaware casual hikers 1.8 miles closer to the falls and dumps them at half-hour intervals onto the trail. These lolling gaggles wander about coming and going, blissfully unaware of their surroundings or your need to get by. The trail ends at a cascading falls, the seventh and most spectacular. All-in-all, a beautiful hike, with perfect weather, 8.6 easy miles, and only 1,000 feet of elevation gain. 

Ridge Trail to Juniper Flats Road

Penultimate hike of the season, in this hiking paradise. After the Seven Falls Trail in Tucson on Friday, I'll be trading in my hiking poles for my bicycle and the rolling hills of Iowa. Today's hike had it all: a view of the century-old scar known as the pit, and Bisbee's raison d'être; the grassy ridge with views in four directions; the oxymoronic climb up and down Juniper Flats Road; and the road down from the geographically misplaced Divide. 75 degrees and blue skies; 6.6 miles, 1,500 feet of elevation gain, and 3.3 mph. Great day.

Newly bloomed Manzanita.

A glimpse of Bisbee from Juniper Flats Road.

Mexico, never far away, in the background.

Romero Canyon Trail

Buoyed by Il Douche Cheeto Mussolini's continuing downward spiral, Ira and I decided we needed a celebratory hike, one of substance. We drove to Catalina State Park north of Tucson, to hike the Romero Canyon Trail. The main attraction of the trail, beyond the saguaro cacti and stunning rock formations, is the Romero Pools, a series natural water catchments filled with ice cold snow melt. Since these pools are only six miles out-and-back, we decided to continue on up toward Romero Pass to make a hike of it. This trail gets progressively more difficult and the rockiness adds further challenges, especially on the downward return. All-in-all, an enjoyable day, 10 miles, 2.5 mph, and over 2,500 feet of elevation gain. A cloudless sky and 70 degree temps added to our enjoyment.

Ira hoofing it up a relatively low incline section of the trail.

Romero Pools.

Romero Pools.

Romero Pools.

Romero Pools.

Romero Pools.