Hike at Lost Dutchman State Park

Today we did a short hike at Lost Dutchman State Park in the Superstition Mountains east of Phoenix. It was short because my new hiking shoes were killing me, so after a Starbucks stop, we drove right to REI. They are terrific. After spending an hour talking to a sales person and trying on other shoes, I think (I hope) I found a good pair. They exchanged the hurting ones for me without any problem. If you have read "Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail" by Cheryl Strayed (my book group read it),  you would read just how far REI will go to serve customers. She contacted REI at one of the replenish points on the trail, told them her feet were in very bad shape, and could they send a pair one size larger to the next replenish point. They were waiting for her when she arrived.

The formations in the photos are the hardened magma of the caldera of an ancient volcano where the ash has washed away, leaving only the rock. It has been so dry here that wild flowers and blooming cacti  are few and far between. There was one draw that had some brittlebush and another blooming plant, but that was the extent of what we saw today. The scenery was pretty anyway.

First week back in Arizona

Here we are, back in Arizona! Flew back a week ago to find all well with the RV here in Mesa. Our good friends, Rich and Cammy, picked us up at the airport - such a convenience for us!

Last Thursday we went over to their place at Gainey Ranch and had a lovely dinner with them and then walked over to the club house for a recital by an Arizona State PhD student in piano. It was very impressive, especially considering she is a young mom with an adorable little boy and a husband who took good care of him during the recital. She focused on the Romantic period and dazzled with the breadth of her knowledge and her performance.

It has been warm here which we are enjoying with frequent runs and outdoor living and cooking. Gary has been busy with a couple of RV projects. One of them was a gift to me in every way. I had asked if it would be possible to build sliding shelves for my pan cupboard. I had to bend, twist and practically stand on my head to get some of the back-of-the-cupboard pans out. He worked for three days last week to get it done! Here he is, standing in front of the finished product! It is wonderful!