Back to Blue Ridge Photoset • outdoor_lover • 2015-09-06 • HikeArizona.COM

Back to Blue Ridge, AZ

	2015-09-06
	15 by outdoor_lover

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Back to Blue Ridge, AZ

Kayak	3.00 Miles

Kayak	3.00 Miles

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desert_boonie

The Last Hurrah of Training for both Ken and I...(Ken's Training for his 1st Ever Ironman Competition, I'm just Chasing him around with the Escape and a Boat... :sweat:

)

After I went to Blue Ridge Reservoir a couple of Weeks ago, I told him that it might be a Good One for Swim Training...You don't have to Haul the Kayak a Mile down a Steep Jeep Road like he did at Chevelon... :sweat:

This one has a Boat Ramp.... :y:

Ken decided he needed to do one more Open Water, High Altitude, Cold Water Swim before his First Competition, which is now less than 2 Weeks away....He had originally planned on doing a Competition in Idaho, but due to Scheduling with his New Position and Moving, he wasn't going to be able to get away for that one...So he signed up for Lake Tahoe...Turns out, it's one of the Toughest Ironman Competitions in the Country...

Needless to say, he is starting to get a tad bit Nervous...I can totally Relate to having Performance Anxiety.... :sl:

The only Weekend we would be able to do it, would be this Weekend...A Holiday Weekend...

Since we both kind of have the same Mentality about that, we agreed to do a very quick Trip...Went up mid Afternoon on Saturday, did the Swim Sunday Morning and got the Hell of out Dodge...Good Plan.... : app :

Tons of People everywhere...

Found a nice little Dispersed Campsite near the Lake Saturday Afternoon and after the Neighbors finally turned down the 10,000 Decibel Sound System and lowered the Bass a tad, it was good....

The Clouds threatened a little Rain at first, but then it cleared up nicely and was clear most of the Night...

Woke up in the Morning to Rain??? That was Interesting, but after about an Hour, it started Clearing...That would be the Last we would see of Precip during the Trip...Great Timing.... :DANCE:

Got to the Lake and the Parking Lot was already Full. Managed to find a Spot on the Road to the Dam...Got the Kayak in the Water and away we went...After 1/2 Hour and about a Mile, Ken decided to just go for the Dam rather than doing an Out and Back. He would then Hike up and Walk the Road back to loosen up and Cool Down after the Swim. I would Kayak back and Meet him at the Boat Ramp..."Take your Time" Ken said..."Take some Pictures".... :y:

So, after I made sure he was going to be able to get back up to the Road, that's what I did...

What a Beautiful Lake...You certainly can appreciate this Place a lot more from the Water...It was very Enjoyable and makes me think I want to Kayak more...Like I need another "Hobby"....

It didn't hurt that Ken's Kayak was very Nice to Paddle... :y:

Finally got back to the Boat Ramp after Spotting a Bald Eagle nearby...That 12x Waterproof Camera of mine was just Ridiculous trying to get that Bird...Especially from a Boat... :lol:

Well, if the Parking Lot and Ramp were Full before, now it was Flashing Flooding with People and Vehicles...Holy Smokes, what a Circus....

It didn't take any Convincing for us to go up for the Vehicles to get the Kayak loaded and get out of there...We had thought about hanging around for awhile and enjoying the Lake...1000 other People convinced us otherwise...Before we left though, I retrieved my Better Camera to try for the Eagle again as I would be able to get him better from up Top...Ken and I found a few Spots and I got some more Photos...And then it was Pedal to the Medal to get away from the Hordes.... Nice Reminder of why I generally stay Home on these Holiday Weekends.... :sweat:

Even with the Masses, still a Good Weekend with a Good Friend...I wish him the Best for his Competition and I know he'll do well... : app :

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Bald Eagle Pygmy Nuthatch Round-Tailed Ground Squirrel

Wildflowers Observation Light
Yellow Flowers along the Lake that were so Abundant two Weeks ago, are gasping now and almost done....

CC Cragin Reservoir

51-75% full

_____________________

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty & well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, totally worn out & proclaiming, "Wow What a Ride!"

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