Quick after work hike in my "back yard." I noted the last time we were here I noted that they looked they were getting ready to lay down some concrete for a newly place side walk. Well they did and also installed a new gate that is designed to allow wheelchairs through. Ever since traffic in the parking lot has increased noticeably, of course it coincided with absolutely beautiful hiking weather and the looming threat of coming high gas prices so I don't know that speaks to anything.

Parking lot was almost full this night. And lots of people on the trail. A new thing that I have never seen here is lots of people off trail! Most of those were also with dogs off leash. One lady, who was constantly correcting her off leash golden, commented that he was hunting the ground squirrels which were out in large numbers too. Seems perhaps that is what might have been happening with the other dogs too. It almost looked like a dog park!

I think I can learn to like the new sidewalk just on principals alone. It would be nice place for those in wheel chairs to experience the desert. Though I would think that the Reach 11's most eastern section would've been a better choice given it's proximity to the Mayo Clinic which abuts to it. The new walkway connects to a "Paved" interpretive trail in the center that also has a pond and dense grove of mesquite so I understand the reasoning.

Not a lot of green. Not much sign of flowers yet either.

This was our 100th HAZ hike. It was supposed to happen yesterday and it was supposed to be an epic adventure up Carney Springs to Robber's Roost. Instead we found ourselves coming to grips with having to put another one of our long loved cats to sleep. We had not even got used to the loss of Sylvester a month ago. So this hike was spent remembering all the happy times we had with Cody which was easy because they was almost nothing bad to say about him. He was there sleeping beside us when we woke up in the morning. There for the morning shower, bathing himself just outside the sliding glass door though he would leave if I started to sing. He was there to count out pushups for me and there for the cool-down lap on the treadmill for Wendi. He was there at breakfast, there at dinner. There for a belly-rub while watching TV at night. There for Wendi's after hike bubble baths. He was there for a party, he'd be the first to introduce himself, if there was a bratty kid he'd always take one for the team while the rest of the cats hid, he loved people, loved attention. Wore the miniature party favor hats, and wore them with style. He always filled a room, filled a quick moment, filled our hearts, filled our home, he will be sorely missed.

Quick hike to try and get ahead of the Turkey Day pounds. No wildlife except a few quail and a bunny. Air was nice an cool. Looks like cement walk way is going in. Probably just from the TH to the Barrier free trail that goes by the pond to make it more wheel chair accessible. Looks the the brush by the pond got a significant haircut and some new barriers are going... perhaps so the wheel chairs don't roll in? Anyway, gobble gobble. HAZ a happy Turkey Day. See you all on the trails on Friday.

From home to Horse Lover's via the canal and 51 footbridge. Saw lots of bunnies and quail. Seeing tiny, tiny quail babies. They are too small to keep up with their parents and we end up inadvertently causing some disruptions. When this happens the parents try to get our attention yelping and running away from their chics.

I was hoping to see the small sand pits made by a new insect I have become aware of, but I didn't see them. I started seeing them at our Aravaipa trip and then again on the Ballantine inside the cabin under the picnic table. At first I thought they were made by trekking poles and was using them to stay on trail while hiking up the Aravaipa but then I started seeing them under fallen trees and other nonsense places if they were made by trekking poles. It has taken me almost three weeks to come up with best guess and I finally came across the Doodlebug! Or also known as the Antlion. So I am excited to see if I am right.

Fauna: 6 or 7 Hawks, Quail, Turtles.

Flora: Brittle bush, Desert Marigold, Globe Mallow is sparse, Creosote is blooming now.

Personal Log: Todays hike was more our evolution out of our laziness. We were suppose to hike 15 miles from Spur Cross TH to the Skull Mesa ruins. Rain came too early and we didn't want to drag our car through the muddy road up to the TH. So we opted instead pack up our lunch and rain-gear and and hike the Golden Eagle loop out of Fountain hills. We drove 45 minutes to that TH. We parked. We sat. We watched the rain. We damn near napped. Wendi watched me get out and don my rain suit. I got back in the car with rain gear.
We drove back into Fountain Hills. Hit Beal's, didn't buy anything. Drove home contemplating what today's triplog was gonna look like. Got home. Napped. Ate our packed lunch which included sandwiches and my first attempt a recipe that include chicken and tomatoes that I dehydrated (Practice for an upcoming camping trip in Aravaipa canyon), that was almost good.

Decided to hike Reach 11 all the way east to Scottsdale Rd. undiscovered country for us. All in all not missing much but still a good hike. Thought for sure with all the hawks in the air we would see a few of them score something. Closest we came was watching a bird in definite panic mode rocketing up the canal with a Hawk in hot pursuit just above him. The bird was making an alarming chirping click-click sound. Wendi was just beginning to feel sorry for the guy when suddenly he cut left sharply and pulled a hard u-ey.

We stopped by the pond (between 56thst and Tatum) and watched as the rain moved. Watched two turtles floating in the water. They were facing each other looking they were talking about the weather. Walked the last 1-1/2 in the rain and a little bit of hail. Got wet but not to bad.

Fauna: 3 Hawks, two males I suspect competing for the affections of a female I think. They were flying wide circles, with clumps of grasses in their clutches, screeching and harassing each other. One very big Gopher snake (Still haven't ever seen a Diamondback), saw three or four tracks though. The Quail are pairing off although we did see one small covey. Bunnies, and Squirrels (that's new for me). Hummingbirds were out doing loopty-loops with stunning speed, another courtship ritual, plus a little territorial fighting, two were rolling around in the dirt even.

Flora: Desert marigold are starting to get a little showy. Globe Mallow but less than spectacular.

Decided to save a little gas and leave the car in the garage. We reserved a pass to camp at Arvapai and that is coming up in couple weeks so we are saving our pennies for that.
For us, this hike is generally thought of as second fiddle to real hikes but the truth of matter is that I almost always come away with something I've never seen or to appreciate, and I consider it a huge asset to my immediate community. I have seen Coyotes on more than a few occasions, one instance the encounter was on the canal side. The poor guy was trapped between us on one end and another hiker on the other side. This ended up with Wendi and I stairing directly at our toes in an attempt to relax the coyote as it passed within 8 feet of us. We've also seen a Western Shovel-nose snake, Javelina, Hawks, Falcons, Tarantula Hawk, Tarantula Hawk dragging a resistant Tarantula, Raccoons. And near the pond (East side of Tatum) big fat frogs, unusually brave pack rats, and last but not least Blue Herring. I think we have hiked these trails so often that we take it for granted but it is a good marriage between Desert wild life and our Suburban one.