Frank's Log Book: August 2010

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Walnut cayon hike tue 8/31

Tue 8/31 12.7 hike
Been wanting to hike the Arz trail at the Walnut canyon. Co-workers, Cathy/Jim
joined me on the hike. They like hiking. One mile in, we started the decent into
the canyon (which is the tail end of the canyon). The trail does a switch back method.
Then back up a steep climb onto the plateau. Of course, heading to a geocache called
walnut canyon#3. After hiking 3-4 mi we finally arrived. We continue the walk onto
a finger overlooking the canyon. Awesome. From here to another cache called "canyon
overlook " but stopped for a snack first. Nice conversation with a man on a horse who
does search & rescue. After finding the cache and returning back we came across
forest serv rd 301, which was great because we didn't have to go into the canyon.
Over all we hiked 12.7 miles from 10:30am to 5pm. What a day. Awesome views.

Climbing out of the canyon

going out on the finger

got it

Jim/Cathy

view of Walnut canyon

going back out on the finger

snack time

water tank off of the Arz trail

horseman

geocache Walnut canyon overlook in the tree

got it

view at the cache area

meadow of yellow flowers

there's the jeep- hurray!!

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Dogtown lake hike 8/24

Tue 8/24 Hiking on the Davenport trail - about 8 mi around trip .....
We (Kim, Cathy/Jim, myself) headed out to Williams then to the campground Dogtown lake. Nice place for camping and fishing. Got onto the Ponderosa trail which leads into the Davenport trail. This trail takes you to the summit about 7800'. The last mile gets steep but you are hiking under the cover of pines trees. Trail is good. At the summit the view was so cool of the lake below. During our hike we would get off the trail to find a geocache. Our total finds for the day was 13. Then headed to Flagstaff to Garcia rstr for happy food and drinks. Fun day,.

Beginning of the hike

our first geocache- yes, hidden in the tree stump

Cathy and Jim's first find

a geocache that one has to lower it via a string

nice view of medow

break time going to the summit

me, rest time

at the summit, finding a geocache

sign tells all

view of lake

elk

Heading back to RV park- yellow flowers on I-40

Monday, August 23, 2010

Drive to Show Low 8/22-23

sun/mon 8/22-23
After work, at 2:30, headed to Show Low to see friend TJ. After a nice dinner we waited
to see Bill & Chuck from Yuma. They also have a place up there at the White Mtn RV resort. We played mexican train for a couple of hours. The next day TJ & me drove out on hwy 260
for some sightseeing and geocaching. Later in the afternoon we got some heavy rain. Then about 6:30p I headed back to the Meteor Crater RV park. Drive time is about 2hr20min

field of yellow daisy's

At Bison village on hwy 260

me, after finding the geocache on the other side

small hike into this area for a geocache

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Geocaching Sedona 8/17

Tuesday 8/17
Kim, Kathy/Derek & myself planned a geocaching trip. From Flagstaff, down 89A to Sedona, driving on 89A towards Cottonwood , then east on hwy 260 to I-17. Back to Flagstaff for a Geo-event (meet & greet) held at the Wildflower Bread company. Nice place. A stop at PetCo for Derek to pick up some items for his 100gal fish tank.
The drive along I-40 is awesome, fields of wild daisy's (all from the recent rains). Our first stop & hike was Griffen springs (off 89A). Next was a climb to the cache that Derek & I did called the Landslide. Next was a hike down to Oak creek for the cache site called Name Stone- various big rocks had names painted on them. Then it started to rain, like heavy. didn't find it. Since it was rainning we passby three geocaches stops. The one I wanted to do was a hike into Wilson canyon just before going into Sedona. Stopped for lunch. More geocaching stops. We hiked on a new trail called Centennial trail which was great (rain finally stopped) with nice views. Three caches in the area. One stop on hwy 260 and one on I-17.
Arrived at the Geoevent by 6:30p. Nice visit with local geocachers. Exchanging geocaching stories. Saw geocachers RIF RAF (Sue/Tom) that I know from Yuma when they come down for the winter. A stop at PetCo and back RV/home by 9pm. Long fun day.

Fields of daisys along I-40

2nd geocaching stop called the Landside

Girls waited at the bottom while Derek & I found it

Going down to Oak creek

Starting to rain

Lunch time

View from Red Rock area in Sedona

St Paul's church area

Kathy finding geocache

Off of the Centennial trail

Off of hwy 89A for the geocache

another stop - plastic cactus (geocache container

evil-- tube in a branch

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Santa Fe/Opera trip

8/9-10 mon/tue Trip to Santa Fe NM
This trip was scheduled to see the SF Opera- M. Butterfly. Tickets were purchased back in March. Meeting friend Russ at the Red Roof Inn on monday. Driving time there was a little over 6 hrs. We had a early dinner near the hotel before heading out the SF Opera. Show time was 8:30 which gave us time to look around. This area is fantastic. Very open with views of the hillside. The opera was so goooood. One of the best performances I have seen on M. Butterfly. After the show we stopped for some Ice cream before returning to the hotel. The next morning we were out geocaching near a shopping mall. Fun. From here we went to the Santa Fe Nursery to find a Rain chain for Russ's friend Joe. Then from here to a International Market place to see tons of imported stuff. Then to the historical SF Plaza. Lunch down there before hitting the road for both of us. I did geocaching along the way and a stop at a casino in Gallup NM. Back at the RV about 10pm.