Secret Spire

Gopher Flats
April 2, 2017
Moab, UT
Golly gees, its been a long time since I sat at the computer to do a blog post.  We have been busy, we have been lazy, most importantly, we have been enjoying our first few weeks back in Moab.

The apple trees are budding/blooming at Gopher Flats.


 Red rock and the La Sals heading out to Kens' Lake.

Low clouds on Moab Rim...our view to the west from Gopher Flats.

An important activity we have added to our schedule is working out...  

Moab Recreation and Aquatic Center is a beautiful, well equipped  center for getting/staying healthy.  Both of us are working on body strength as well as cardio.

Sunday, Moab Friends For Wheeling (MFFW) did a mellow, easy trail ride to Secret Spire with a side trail to Dellenbaugh Tunnel.  

Our group had 10 vehicles which included our leader, Carole Hahn.  





Carole did an awesome job guiding us as we rode along the mesa top between two of the Green River's large tributary canyons, Hellroaring and Spring Canyons.

The clouds sure added to the scenery shots... 

Landmarks play such an important part in the vistas here.  Below is Tombstone Rock. 

Our first stop was to check out the pools where water rushes into Spring Canyon from the mesa.  

 Then is was off for a lunch stop at Dellenbaugh Tunnel.  The tunnel is a watercourse that has cut through the Navajo Sandstone.  It's about 100 feet long and so worth the heebie-jeebies to go through because the other side offers spectacular views of Spring Canyon.


Looking east...

 and west.  Of course it's more impressive in person !

You can't see Secret Spire from the main trail.  We took a right hand turn onto a loop that lead us right to the spire made of Navajo Sandstone standing all alone on a dome like base. 

 If you look closely, you will see Ginny standing at the base of the spire on the right hand side.  

 With all the cracks and holes, it's amazing it stands at all !

 The up shot from the base...

And the view from the base...

Secret Spire is rated a 3 by Red Rock 4-Wheelers.  It is not listed in the Charles Wells Guide to Moab Backroads & 4-Wheel-Drive Trails.  The trail itself features sand, slick rock and a sandy wash which any stock jeep can do. 

Parked on the slick rock to explore the pools.

Dee getting photos of the pools.  The designs in the sand was so pretty.

Some of the group standing on the edge of the cliff as I came out of the tunnel.

Susan and her puppy Cinder heading towards the spire while Joe (not my Joe) and Ginny (top left) explore on top of another mound of slick rock. 

It was a fun day.  Thanks again Carole ! 
Until next time, take care and...

HAPPY TRAILS ! 

Catalina State Park

Tucson/Lazydays KOA
Tucson, AZ
March 2017

Our final couple of weeks in Tucson have been busy days.  We have new glasses and sunglasses, all my appointments taken care of,  new RV house batteries thanks to The Battery Guy, who replaced them on site (always my favorite way to have service done), new fluids in Belle, and two fans installed in the engine compartment thanks to Rick's RV Service, AND visiting with Carol, Ronnie and their pup Cooper.  

We managed to get in 3 bike rides, 2 days of hikes, and some yummy eats in between all of our appointments. 

A quick water break at Augie Acune Los Ninos Park

The Loop in Tucson is 131+ miles of shared bikeways that connects parks, trails, and bus and bike paths.  The best part is that we can get on it right from the KOA. 



Our choice for hikes was Catalina State Park.  Since Carol and Ronnie had never been to Catalina State Park, it was our choice for some easy and beautiful hikes.  The first day we got a late start due to a bone density test I had done so we hiked the Birding Trail.  The next day, we combined the Nature Trail and Romero Ruins.  It's been warming up to the low 90s here so an early start sure helps beat the heat. 

You have to cross the wash to get to the Birding Trail...fun !

This thick, cool, luscious, grass lined Birding Trail in one section... 

...and I wasn't the only one who enjoyed it !  

I see you Cooper !

The prettiest wildflowers were on the Nature Trail and Romero Ruins Trail.

We did see ruins which cover about 15 acres on a ridge overlooking the Sutherland Wash.  These ruins  are the remains of a Hohokam Indian Village that was occupied between 500 and 1450 A.D.  Also easily visible are the remains of more recent structures (1910) built by rancher Francisco Romero.

 The views from the ridge are very pretty...especially with wispy clouds.

  




Isn't this a beautiful saguaro?  It was huge, healthy, and so full.

















Well, until next time...

HAPPY TRAILS !

Up next, spring in Moab, UT...yippee !