Fall is one of my favorite seasons. It is a transition from hiding in the mountains from the oppressive desert heat to finally getting to play and explore in pleasant winter desert temperatures.
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In fact, most of my favorite places to go in the southwest are in the desert. Bishop, Joshua Tree National Park, Red Rocks, Canyon Country in Southern Utah, back country Nevada and Arizona, Grand Canyon National Park, Vermillion Cliffs, St. George area, Ibex, Sedona (to name a few) with many, many more popular and/or obscure desert areas to be added in the future. The list is endless to the adventure and exploration to be had in the desert southwest.
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Feeling the season change...I just did a run on the Weatherford Trail yesterday with some friends that went to a saddle high on Mt. Humphreys. We all savored the experience knowing it could be one of the last times we will run on the mountain this year.
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It was really warm up on the saddle and I tried to soak it all in. In a couple weeks there could be enough snow up there to write off any future runs for 2009.
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No big deal though, running in the Grand Canyon has been sweet the last few weeks and I got a few more runs in there planned now after a bit of research. Maybe a rim to rim to rim again, Boucher-Hermit Trails Loop sounds cool and stuff off Tanner and Grandview Trails would be fun. Can't wait!
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Back to the desert...Over thanksgiving Susan and I are planning a 5 day trip to some where in the desert to go climbing over Thanksgiving weekend. We are excited because we have not gone on a climbing trip together for a while. Maybe Bishop, maybe somewhere else. We haven't decided yet but it is going to be great.
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We had better get climbing a bunch the next few weeks so we can crush. Climbing a day or two a week isn't going to cut it if we are going to climb almost every day of the trip. Time to get fit!
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I always feel good when I am in the desert. Maybe it is the surreal and harsh landscapes, beautiful sunsets, something exciting and new in every bend of a remote canyon, the unending silence, clear nights for perfect star gazing or just that it is warm when everything else is covered in snow and ice in the winter. Whatever it is, I love it and can't wait for some adventures in it this winter.
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