arizona

We headed out for the weekend in search of single track, warm weather and cacti. We found all three. Plus a ridiculously long drive and a new appreciation for McDonald's free coffee refills.

The Sonoran desert has truly captured my heart. The desert landscapes are the most beautiful I've yet to experience. From the hazy distant mountain ranges to the clear blue sky and craggy rock formations.  I love the evening light across the landscape, the long cactus shadows and the aroma that comes wafting up from the harsh landscape. The morning light is just as magical, the desert seems to sing it's last song before the sun works it's way over the horizon and the spell of the night is broken.
 
I got a little self-indulgent in posting pictures here...it's just so hard to pick a favorite. I haven't seen a cactus that didn't beg to be photographed and Denver apparently feels the same way.

a friend

 
You have a friend, and his ways are your ways. You travel together, you spree together confidentially, and you suit each other down to the ground.  -The Virginian

a taste of spring

Happy Valentines from my folks!

Castle Peak, approach from Donner Summit Rest Area

 

We skied Castle Peak on Super Bowl Sunday. I'm not proud of this, like "I'm so cool 'cause I didn't watch the game", it's just that I don't follow football the rest of the year, so why start when its over? Anyway, I was expecting the mountain to be empty, but I guess that a lot of backcountry skiers felt the same way, since we came across a party of people up there, including a couple of guided groups. Ourselves and about thirty others at the summit...so much for solitude. I wonder if the guide services tout those as Super Bowl alternatives or if they just had the bad luck not to check the calender.

Warming the bones

There's been lots of good skiing and lots of good winter thus far. We really can't complain. However, when I saw that the forecast for Santa Cruz was sunny with a high of 75 we packed up as quickly as possible.  It's kind of amazing to drive four hours, out of the heart of cold and snow, to then find yourself laying on the beach in your swimming apparel. There was a pretty big swell that hit Santa Cruz on our second day which certainly threw off our surfing groove but we took our boards out each day and chalked it up to a learning experience.

Instagram is really getting the better of me.  I did manage snap a few photos with the real camera one morning from the beach just below our campsite. They're so much more satisfying then the quick iphone photos.

Happy New Year!

Something tells me that 2013 is going to be a good one! We look back at 2012 feeling so blessed and so thankful that our Savior, Jesus Christ, does indeed save, making good out of bad and giving us hope for a perfect future.

Relay Peak