eight years

Well today is this blog's 8 year anniversary.  Yea I have been publishing this drivel for that long.

Spring break ended for Joel and it's just starting for Mackenzie. Lucky ducks.

If you read my last blog post I mentioned I had plans for a new outdoor adventure. Well it's under one month I will be doing this and I thought I would finally divulge my plans. Don't anyone try to stop me.

If you see my office, it's littered with maps, books, papers, a scale and lots of other bits of gear and kit. All to get ready for a nearly 60 mile backpack trip through the mountains in southern Arizona. My spring break if you will.

I have reading and charting and weighing. Testing food and recipes for the trail. Getting permits and reservations. I think I have almost as much fun with the planning as I actually do the activity.

I won't be doing this alone. A friend of mine saw my pictures from last years trips and he said he  would be all on board for that. I held him to it, called him on it (actually he called me asking if I had any plans for 2016). I offered this trip, he did not back out. It should be fun.

It's territory I am somewhat familiar with. The greater Tucson area. Starting in Saguaro National Park ending around Mt Lemmon. Getting up to 9000' in elevation a few times and camping between 4000 and 7700' above sea level. 60 miles in 6 days. No, not a lot of miles but the change of elevation will make it a challenge.

You can get a description of the 3 sections of the Arizona National Scenic Trail we will be passing through here:

1 Rincon Mountains
2 Reddington Pass
3 Santa Catalina Mountains

We are doing this probably the latest we can before it heats up too much and finding water becomes an issue. At elevation the temps will be in the mid 70's but in the valleys it will be 10° warmer.

Another nice part about this is I have left ourselves an out if we decide it's too much or we have problems.  End of day three we will be at a campsite accessible by car (waypoint I in the map below).  Joel or others can meet us in camp for/with dinner and some cold beverages (and resupply so we don't have to carry 6 days of food) as it is only about 45 minute drive from town.

Not much more to add, but I am pretty stoked.

Fun weekend

This weekend I did not do any car work, mainly because I need a few more parts and its also Canoecopia weekend!

Yep 3rd year in a row we went out to the show in Madison. It's a nice little getaway for Tracy and I. We know we won't be getting another boat, but it is fun. 

Friday we always do dinner and this time we called up Taylor and went to a place called Merchant off the Capitol square. Had a nice dinner and conversations for her upcoming spring break and that she was almost 20 years old! 

Saturday we went to the show and sat in on a few seminars, the real reason we are here. One is about touring the Apostle Islands and the other about day tripping in Door County. Put a lot of great ideas in our heads and just gorgeous scenery. Heck I might even get Tracy to do a few overnights after talking with some folks on how we can camp out without roughing it. 

We bought some companion books, I got some water shoes and a few other things for the summer and other up-coming adventures this spring. I think I have as much fun planning stuff as I do doing it.

Saturday afternoon we met with Paul and Jenny, friends that now live in Madison. Had dinner at HopCat (rated top 10 french fries in the nation and they were up to the hype) got to catch up with them before heading home.

Sunday, I usually play basketball but not this weekend. I was going to go on a hike. My next adventure is around (more on that as it gets closer) the corner and I may be in good shape, but my feet need a little toughing up. I loaded my bigger daypack with about 25 pounds of water and gear and set to head out. Wait, what's that? Someone wants to come with me? Mackenzie?! Absolutely! I grab a bit more water and extra bowl and spork and we head out. 

At 11:00 am its about 52° and dry. We do a little section from Hwy H to past 28 and back. At the turn around point we break for lunch. I am testing and trying all type of backpacking meals lately so for lunch we had Chicken ala King and Triple Berry Crunch for desert. We sit down and have a nice lunch as the rain starts to fall. Mackenzie is even enjoying the food. It is good and the dessert I picked up yesterday at Canoecopia is awesome. Think of hot pie filling with a strudel crunchy topping yea...Blueberries, strawberries and raspberries. 

There she is enjoying some lunch sitting on one of my pads I got for Christmas. (and you all looked at me like I was bonkers when I got them).  We finished lunch, cleaned up and headed back. The rain really picked up, but we were properly dressed. Almost 7 miles in 3 hours and that included 40 minutes of stopping for lunch. I was so impressed with her and my heart was all warm, because I love it when we do little things like this together. Maybe I could even get her to crack and go overnight sometime...

Car Part II

Vicci is still in the clinic getting rehabbed. 

New clutch new exhaust manifold

new timing belt, water pump and accessory belts

New oil pan gaskets for leaks

Waiting to go back in

And back in where she belongs

Tonight I got a bunch of small things in place and was a trial run to see if it would start again.

HOLEEE SHIT!  Once fuel pressure was restored it pretty much started right up! Yea its back in business.  Now just to put the front suspension and brakes back together and put the hood back on.