Arizona 2024: Day 22: Apache Junction, AZ: Ten percent

Be careful what you wish for. We had a decent rain last night. Soothing as it cooled things off. Expect, it went a little too far! Started the morning walk late as it was still raining on and off. The trails were muddy so I chose to not attempt any of the “good ones” and made up my distance on the lesser trails. I should mention shoes. I picked up a pair of Brooks Cascadia GTX (on sale at Bushtakah) and I really like them. I’d been having some knee issues during the winter and I am now blaming my Hoka Speed Goat GTX. Since the swap, no knee issues. I’m fine with correlation being causality! During the walk New Sensations by Lou Reed came on again.

I did manage to get onto part of the Treasure Loop trail which is the same one our family did about 15 years ago (the year is currently under discussion with Mrs Milddogs). It was the first time we saw a Horny Toad. I did see a generational gathering of a few Roadtrek Vans. This gathering was at the dump station. I believe this was a coincidental moment, like bumping into your grandparents at the mall.

Given the weather and the fact that we had to move sites to day, we popped into Apache Junction (what’s your function?) for some supplies and to get lunch – or lupper whatever it became. Amy and I like to hang out in the van while Mrs Milddogs does the provisioning. I took the opportunity to watch the Formula One race. Many thanks to the Telus (shareholder) Canada/US plan? We made stops at CVS (shareholder) and forgot to hit Dollar General (shareholder). Hence, at least one more provisioning stop required when we head to our currently secret next camping spot.

We picked up lunch at La Casita of A.J. Mrs Milddogs said the rellenos were very good. My choices were fine too. We got way too much food so leftovers became dinner.

Back at the camp, nature liked to give us a spot of rain every now and then. This is adapting.

This adaption reminds me of the time back in 1985 when my father and his friend Moe drove me back to university in one of Moe’s moving vans with my motorcycle in the back of the van. My father was not too keen on me riding my motorcycle that far as a relatively inexperienced rider. Instead, I sat in the back of the van on a lawn chair. 700km on a lawn chair in the back of a van, in front of a mostly strapped down motorcycle. Things were different then. Now I am traveling around in a van.

We were hopeful that nature would shine upon us as it had done last night and grace us with a parting of the clouds and a beautiful sunset. Alas, the great moon and sun had a little argument and only the moon was to appear tonight. The moon and sun have a big argument coming up April 8th. We took a sunset walk up part of the Siphon Draw trail. We will do more of it tomorrow. It is my favourite trail here. Bring plenty of water! We did get just a small moment of sun that lit up the flat iron portion of the mountain.

Correction: Those delicious and way too sweet treats from Buc-ee’s are called Beaver Nuggets, not Beaver Bites. You would think that with the number of time I reach into that bag for a few morsels that I might have noticed the name.

It’s raining again. Did you know that in an average year Pheonix, AZ gets 36 days of rain. On any given day you have a ~10% chance of getting rain. Two days, well we have now seen 1/18 of all of the rain Phoenix will get this year. Tomorrow it shall me sunny, but not too warm. We did pick up the USA equivalent of Solarcaine today so I must be done with getting sunburnt.

Tomorrow we stay put. Some hikes. Maybe a nap? Make mine a cheeseburger!