Durango Revisited

Ah, Durango. We loved this town last year, and were happy to call it home for two weeks this time around.

We drove up from Gallup, and we had a pretty rough couple of days to start us off. Kinsey was not well when we left Gallup, and did not improve. We took her to the vet in Durango, and were prescribed some medications to help her little heart keep pumping. The medications caused incontinence, so we had a messy, miserable day, and she died in the night. At least she didn't suffer for long.

Rather than sit in the Whale and mourn, we tried to keep busy, and enjoy this wonderful town and the surrounding countryside. We hiked up Animas Mountain, affording us views of the valley and of Durango:


Along the trailside this little lizard posed for a photo:


We strolled downtown, stopping for lunch and pastries at Jean-Pierre, walking Toby along the Animas River which flows right through town, and which is popular with all manner of watercraft enjoying its rapids:


We went for a mountain bike ride on the Rim Trail, which clings precariously to the edge of the mesa on the east side of town:


And we went for a white-water rafting trip on the Upper Piedra River with Mild to Wild. This was an all-day adventure, starting with a 45 minute drive to a rendezvous point, then 1 1/2 hours in a bus with the guides and other customers to the put-in point. We floated for about four hours, with a stop for lunch along the way, and we splashed, lurched & bounced down fast-flowing snow-melt water, through rapids from class I to class IV. It was nearly constant action, and great fun!


Because of the very cold water we were each dressed in a heavy neoprene wetsuit, jacket & booties, with a splash jacket over that, and a helmet. Our trip ended in a surprising manner: the guide spun the boat to back into the take-out area. He mis-judged his position and struck a rock, sending us all flying. I found myself on the other side of the boat with my arm underneath the young woman who'd been paddling beside me. I wiggled my arm to get free before realizing that my arm was trapped in her most private and sensitive of areas! I can only assume that it was with great reluctance that she raised to release me. Talk about a wet suit!

Anyway, speaking of riding...I also got out for a good mountain bike ride up into Horse Gulch, on the Telegraph trail, which took me from town, on the valley floor at 6600' to a high saddle at 7500'. I then plummeted back down, did a loop on Stacy's and Mike's trails, and went home tired and happy.



We headed back into town on Sunday afternoon for the Irish music jam, or ceiligh, at the Irish Embassy:



Monday I had to fly to Indiana for the week. There I put together the first batch of circuit boards and metalwork of the new Mark Levinson No52 preamplifier that I've been working on with the team at Harman Luxury Group. I flew out of Durango's LaPlata Airport, which is so nice, small and friendly.


While I was gone Nancy took Toby for walks, rode her bike on the Animas River trail, and dodged the thunderstorms that pestered the area while I was away.

When I returned I settled down to relax with a cup of tea and the latest Durango Telegraph newspaper. I opened it up and there I saw a picture of a guy I haven't seen in 30 years: George Schmidt. We saw George's father Jim in the fall on our way home for winter, and heard that George was spending a lot of time in Durango. This confirmed it, and I promptly Googled George, found his phone number, and gave him a call.

We made a plan to go mountain biking the next day. After Nancy and I checked out the Durango Farmer's market, I rode over to meet George and his lovely girlfriend Amber at the house that they are renovating. From there we hopped in George's Ford euro-style van, affectionately dubbed the Pugfish, and drove over to the west side of the mountains to the town of Dolores, and to the Boggy Draw trailhead. We enjoyed a great ride, uncommonly smooth and fast for Colorado mountains. It was a good workout, too, being that we were riding between 7600 and 7900' elevation.



We got back late, retired to our quarters to clean up, then all four of us met for a tasty New-Mexican meal at Gazpacho.

Our last Day in Durango was Mother's Day, so I went out early to poach some blooms from a lilac tree, then prepared biscuits and gravy for Nancy's special breakfast. We worked that sinful goodness off by biking top-to-bottom-to-top of the Animas River Trail. It was a cool day, but got sunnier and warmer as we pedalled south, but when we turned around to head back we were buffeted by strong headwinds, which got stronger and colder as we labored along. By then end of the ride I was very chilled, and happy to get back to the Whale for a cup of hot tea.

We finished off our Durango-time with a soak in the Trimble Hot Springs with George and Amber. It was great to relax, unwind, and get all warm in the hot mineral waters. And it was great to have one more visit with George and Amber before moving on. We certainly hope to see these two great people again someday.

Kinsey: May 24 1995 - May 1 2012

We said goodbye to our little puppy girl, Kinsey, our beloved pet west highland terrier of nearly seventeen years.

Here are some rememberances of Kinsey:

She had an overbite, and a crooked tail which she never raised above her back.

She was willful and independent, and required regular reminders that she wasn't the boss of the house.

She loved to walk on logs.


She chewed for comfort as a puppy - she destroyed the wicker of her first bed, mauled an antique book, and had a particular affinity for mommy's underwear.

She didn't care for plush toys, with the exception of a sheeps-wool star shape, which she suckled and nuzzled at night for comfort to the day she died. As a younger dog she prefered balls. She'd bat them around with her paws, then chase them down and pounce on them. We'd bounce them to her to catch, or roll them to her - then shed bat them back to us. She also loved to chase and herd soccer balls around the yard, which she'd eventually pop after persistent biting.

When we'd ride in the car Kinsey would always climb up onto my shoulders, where she'd be nestled between the back of my head and the head-rest of my '89 Thunderbird.


In good weather Kinsey would be tied to a run in the yard while we were away at work. She hated being tied up, but we'd leave the back door of Nancy's old car open, and she'd jump up in there and hang out on the rear ledge. It was her dog house, made by Pontiac.

Her favorite perch indoors was on a cushion atop a piano bench next to a window. Here she could survey the bird-feeding area. When a squirrel came to feed, she'd throw herself against the glass repeatedly and bark. It's a wonder she never broke through.


Kinsey loved Fergus, one of my parents' Scottish Terriers. She'd yip, bite, and dart, coaxing him into play. Then she'd roll over on her back, all coy, giving herself to him. He didn't know what to make of her. Fergus died way before his time, leaving a hole in Kinsey's heart that would never heal.

She was six years old when we brought Toby home, and she was not pleased. He stole a healthy percentage of our love from her, and she never forgot it. For the rest of her life she was never truly nice to him, although we're certain that she secretly liked him.


Toby taught Kinsey to dig, to hunt, and to escape the fenced yard for big adventures in the neighborhood and woods. Kinsey became an escape artist, able to breach the fence even after her mentor had given up. We'd come home from work to find Toby on the inside, Kinsey on the outside.


For most of her life she had a disorder which disrupted tear production, causing dry eyes. Even with medication her eyes were often uncomfortable, and they produced mucus that would require cleaning, and occasionally infections would take hold.

Kinsey started acting old when she was around 12 years old. She slowed down during our walks and hikes. Her eyesight was declining, and her hearing began to diminish. We would eventually buy a stroller for her to ride in when she tired of walking. She drew stares, smiles and comments as she was wheeled along. She looked the Queen.

Our big North American tour was good and bad for Kinsey. She didn't care for the travel, and was indifferent to new places unless there was thick green grass to roll in. The Whale was good, however. It has more carpet than home, and its small size allowed her to easily find Nancy, or to make it known that she needed to go outside.


Towards the end of her life Kinsey had three passions: Nancy, sleep, and treats. She got all three in abundance, and so she was as happy as she could be.

We are both sad to say goodbye to our little white dog, but for Nancy it will be a slow wound to heal. Thanks to Kinsey for staying with us for so long, and for enriching our lives. We loved her and miss her.

Gallup, New Mexico - This time it was awesome!

We were driven out of Gallup two weeks ago by strong winds and blowing sand. It was frustrating because of the beautiful landscape and abundance of hiking and biking trails. So we were glad to go back, and even more so when we learned that our travellin' friends Jim and Julie would meet us there!

We pulled into Red Rock Park campground just minutes after J&J, and, faced with too many (200) sites to choose from, we pondered and hemmed & hawed, but eventually made a decision and parked our rigs.


During our stay Jim, Julie and I took two nice hikes, one to each of the formations accessible from the park. Toby and Star dog went on the first, but both elderly dogs had trouble with the steep and slippery sandstone.



Toby was coerced to hike the longer, higher Pyramid trail as well, but he was one tired puppy when we got back to camp! The views from the top of the pyramid were fantastic - a full 360 degree panorama.



Plus, we got to see a little rattlesnake sunning itself in a rock crevice just off of the trail. I believe that this was a mojave rattler.


I also went for a good bike ride on the High Desert Trail System
- a very buff singletrack that made up for its lack of technical challenges with mile after mile of twists and turns, able to be ridden very fast. A great overlook, too.



We took a drive into downtown Gallup for a walk around. If it weren't for the murals it would have been a waste of time. Apparently everything is closed in Gallup on Sundays. The murals were nice, though.




The four of us enjoyed evening meals together, talking and playing board games until bed-time. It was great to have another visit, and we certainly hope that Jim and Julie will include Connecticut in their travels in the next year or two.

Cottonwood & Flagstaff

We had to move camp at the end of our week with the Lawrence's because we couldn't get a spot at the campground in Sedona for the second weekend. So we moved out to Cottonwood, to Dead Horse Ranch State Park, where we had really enjoyed staying before.


After saying our goodbyes to our dear friends, we settled in to enjoy a quiet weekend, trying to keep cool as temperatures soared to nearly 100 degrees. Our air conditioner has a hard time when it gets over 90 - we're lucky if it cools us by 10 degrees, but it still feels good compared to being out baking in the sun.

One of the visitors to our camp, a Gambel's Quail:

We also had jackrabbits, desert cottontails, hummingbirds and a roadrunner.

I loved the mountain bike trail loop at this park, and was determined to ride it again, so both of the next two mornings I got up early and was on the trail before 7:00AM. Hot air balloons were visible each morning as well - I guess the aeronautics of ballooning are best before the desert heats up. Anyway, the trail was great as ever: a fairly gradual climb of about 3 miles, with great views of the valley and the mountains to the west...


...then another 3-ish miles of rolling terrain, and then the last 3 miles of brilliant downhill singletrack, chock full of sweet turns, ledges and drops - such a blast!


We pretty much holed in during the hottest part of the day, heading out when the sun got lower late in the afternoons to walk the dogs and let them swim in the Verde River that flows through the park.




Our next stop was just over an hour's drive up (literally, over 3000 feet higher) to Flagstaff. Our friends Tommy & Danielle live there, and we were happy to be able to visit them again, see their home and home-town.

Tommy took us on a mountain bike ride, one that suited Nancy's tastes - Campbell Mesa. Danielle, 30 weeks pregnant, has wisely hung up her bike until after the little one emerges. At the trailhead we found that there was a controlled burn going on, which closed most of the trail system to us, but we made the best of it and still enjoyed a nice ride.


The next day we ventured into downtown Flagstaff, and really liked it. Lots of art shops and galleries, outfitters and restaurants. It had a vibrant atmosphere, friendly and unpretentious. It's proximity to real mountains (12000' Humphrey's Peak is practically in the city) gives it a mountain town feel, yet a half hour drive gets you down off of the plateau and into summery southern-Arizona weather. Sedona is close; the Grand Canyon is close. There's trails everywhere, and most people use them. Flag is added too our short list of favorite places - one's we'd like to get to know better.

Scenes from Flagstaff:



Car paint ruined? Try duct tape as an exterior finish:




Tommy and Danielle then took us up the mountain where the four of us, along with Toby and Haley (T&D's charming hiking shih-tzu) and we went for a nice gentle hike, perfect for little white dogs and pregnant ladies! Back down in Flag, we settled in for a great evening at their house, were we were served grilled steak tacos - mmmmmm!


Our last day in Flag the weather turned ugly. Although the day dawned clear and mild, the wind picked up, scudding clouds filled the sky, the temperature dropped into the 30s, and all day long we got alternating rain, sleet, snow, hail, and sun! We did some laundry and shopping, then met T & D downtown for happy hour drinks and sushi at Karma.


It was a wonderful few days with great people in awesome Flagstaff. "I pledge allegiance to the Flag..."

Sedona with the Lawrences

Wow, what an amazing week in Sedona... We loved this place when we were here last, but this time we made some lasting memories. What made it special was that our friends Gene, Theonne, Austin and Athena flew in from back home to join us for the week. We got into town a day early, to beat an ugly weather system, which worked out well, because the next day it was cold, windy, and alternating between rain and snow. At times the snow was so thick it was near white-out conditions, like when we went to the grocery store. We salvaged the day with a return visit to one of our favorite restaurants Elote Cafe - for margaritas, elote, shrimp enchiladas and smoked pork cheek (snicker snicker). Soooo gooood!

The next day, our first day together, it was cool but clearing, and we were able to go for two nice hikes, one around Bell Rock and another up to the Cathedral formation.

Here's the gang, with Bell Rock and The Courthouse in the background:


After a steep scramble on the upper half of the Cathedral trail, we stood among these...

...and admired this view:

We ate the first of many meals together that night, and were happy to include our friends Tommy and Danielle, who we met at Bryce Canyon last year. They live in nearby Flagstaff, and we'll see more of them after we leave Sedona. It was a great evening of reunion.

Monday the six of us went mountain biking together in the morning, riding the length of the Bell Rock Pathway:


Us boys thought it was a good idea to ride again immediately after the family ride, heading out the Slim Shady trail, to Templeton. These are great trails, and we had a blast. Unfortunately it was a bit much, and my legs started cramping about half way through. I had to nurse them all of the way back. Very painful.

Speaking of painful, Gene was riding along on a flat bit of slickrock, and suddenly his bike flew out from under him! The small stone he was rolling over could never have caused such a crash, no, not to someone so skilled! So, we all decided that Gene must have ridden head-on into one of Sedona's famous vortexes! Sought out by millions looking for health and well-being, these vortexes are generally thought to be beneficial, but we know differently.

Other mysterious happenings were the sudden disappearance of all of Theonne's cell phone contacts, and the appearance of halos of light in her photography. Another vortex, perhaps?

The three amigos rode again on Thursday, did the same two trails plus the Baldwin loop, and we all felt great that time. Except that time one of the two rental bikes was a real stinker. An older Santa Cruz trail bike, certainly very good when new, was in desperate need of a complete overhaul, if not a one-way trip to the landfill. Blown shocks and crappy shifting makes for a miserable riding experience. Austin took the bike for about half of the ride, and was able to have fun despite its unsavory nature. It seemed to hate Gene, though, and we know he hated it! Then, on a particularly rough (therefore fun) downhill I punctured a tire and we had to stop for repairs. Anyway, despite these difficulties we had two days of amazing mountain-bike riding on Sedona's world-class singletrack.

Tres Amigos on one of Sedona's awesome singletrack trails:
Yours truly launches a drop: (Austin did this too, with more style, but this is my blog, so I get all to choose the photos!)
Here Austin rails a turn:
Bikes aloft on the Baldwin trail:

Another notable expedition we took was up to the south rim of the Grand Canyon. Nancy and I had been to the north rim, but team Lawrence had never seen this amazing place, so we took the two hour jaunt to give it a look. One of the countless amazing things about the Grand Canyon is how close to it you can get without any indication that there is a mile-deep, 18 mile-wide abyss in front of you. Even within the park boundaries, among the buildings of Grand Canyon Village, at the visitor's center - nothing. Not even a glimpse. Walk the trail up to the rim and finally, less than 100 feet away, through the trees, the north rim appears, looking like a watercolor painting on the horizon, all washed out and indistinct through miles of atmosphere. Not until your toes hang out over the edge does the vastness of it all slam into your consciousness, leaving you speechless.



Thanks to Austin's sharp eyes and my binoculars, I was excited to see a California Condor soaring beneath us in the canyon - quite likely a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Lawrences gaze into abyss:

We wandered along the rim trail, taking it all in, then dropped down a ways on the Bright Angel trail, to get the perspective that can only be gotten by descending the steep canyon walls.

Back in Sedona we took several more hikes, including one to Devil's Bridge, and up Boynton Canyon. The ladies enjoyed massages at the luxury Enchantment Resort while us manly men rode our bikes, then we joined them and were generously treated to lunch by Gene's cousins Bob and Kristen who work there at the resort. So nice! Thanks, guys! We also wandered around the former mining town, current artisans/tourist town of Jerome, enjoyed a meal at the Haunted Hamburger, and and checked out the ancient Pueblan ruins of Tuzigoot.




Yep, an amazing time in spectacular Sedona.