The bikes parked in the Hotel Monte Vista Parking lot. We had a great time there. The Cafe was nice, but the Lounge was even better. The crazy part was that it didn't get busy until after 11pm. Matt made some great shots the first night we were there.

Matt & I stopping off at the overlook to take a break.

Tired and ready to check into the hotel in Flagstaff, I looked back on the road we just travelled up from Oak Creek Canyon.
















On the way from Sedona through Oak Creek Canyon we caught a little rain from a monsoon storm. Good thing the lightning stayed to the West of us. It cooled us off just enough to finish the ride comfortably.

Montezuma's Castle. After living in AZ for 7 years I finally went to this National Monument an hour north of the city.

Buddy Matt from San Diego & I on our first leg of the weekend ride from Phoenix to Flagstaff via Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon.

Two hours later, wet, tired and hungry, I was ready for some sassy Alaskan Salmon!


After driving around for a bit trying to make sense of the two maps of the same location that looked different, I finally found the parking area at the trailhead.


I couldnt resist making my mark. Spirals,Fibionacci Series, Sunflowers, Pinecones, Nautilus Shells, DNA, Galaxies...



There were still tons of great blueberries on the ground to pick. What a treat.

Flattop Mountain is a 3,510-foot (1,070 m) mountain in the U.S. stateof Alaska, located in Chugach State Park just east of Anchorage. It is the most climbed mountain in the state.

It is usually reached by driving to the Glen Alps trailhead and following a well-maintained 1.5-mile (2.4-km) trail, with an elevation gain of 1280 feet (390 m) from the parking lot to the summit. Since it is the most accessible mountain to Anchorage, Flattop is a very popular location for hiking, climbing, berry picking, parasailing, and backcountry skiing. Campouts are held on the summit at the summer and winter solstices.

Flattop is known for its panoramic views of Anchorage and the surrounding area, including Denali, Mount Foraker, and Mount Spurr.

Oh yeah and its crazy the amount of bears around... makes ya a little cautious.

I think over again my small adventures, my fears, These small ones that seemed so big. For all the vital things I had to get and to reach. And yet there is only one great thing, The only thing. To live to see the great day that dawns And the light that fills the world.

-- Inuit Song

Even though we didnt catch anything last night, how can you beat fishing here?!? The 4-wheeling we had to do to get to this spot would have challenged me, and yes, even you Ed. ;) Fording the streams was a little uneasy but we were lucky to have Katie's buddy leading us in on a quad so we knew where the shallowest pars of the rivers were. The great thing about it up here in Alaska is that you can work all day and there's still enough light to go out and have a blast afterwards. The bad thing is it's light till 11pm, so you dont get too much sleep because you have so much light to have fun by.

Unless you're the lead sled dog, the view is pretty much the same.

I had some time this afternoon to get out of Anchorage - yep yet another trip, and one more state down. Amazing to think that seeing all the states in the US is so close in my grasp. Even though it's been rainy the whole time here it is still beautiful.

I am thinking that next march I'd like to get back to see the finish of the Iditarod. Being the Husky fan I am it would be awesome. Unfortunately there arent any summer dogsled rides here in Anchorage or I'd be on one.

Guardsman dies of heat illness near border

Aug. 11, 2006 12:00 AM

A National Guardsman died of heat illness Thursday while working near the border in Yuma, a Border Patrol official confirmed.

The woman, whose name was not released, was on assignment from Pennsylvania. No other information was available.

More than 6,200 troops are working in four border states, with more than 40 percent deployed in Arizona. The temporary border assignment has tapped less than 2 percent of the National Guard's total force. Most of the deployments last no more than two to three weeks.


This was a sobering day at work today. It left me feeling like I should have done more, sould have done better, might have done something to make a difference. No chance. At the end of the day, feeling depressed, inadequate and a failure in my job of keeping our troops in Arizona safe - I looked in the mirror in my bathroom and realized, I try my hardest, work my ass off and do the best job I possibly can.

A soldier still died.

As I left work this afternoon, among all the feelings there was one that came up stronger than the depression of feeling like I failed in my job.

Anger.

• Anger at the big businesses that are pissed we'll drive the minimum wage up.
• Anger at the people who think that this is a free ride in America without taxes, without licenses to drive, without auto or health insurance, without even bothering to learn English.
• Anger at the drug lords running liquid, and powdered death into our country.
• Anger at the politicians who sat on the issue while mile long tunnels are dug into Arizona to traffic poisons for our kids, friends and families.

I will continute to work my ass off and do the best I can do.

What else can I do?

I'd like to thank everyone who sent a prayer out to Mike. He's a great guy. He's doing better and things are looking hopeful for him. I believe that the positive energy all you guys sent helped in some way. Thanks again!!!

Save this man! I'd like all my friends and family to send a prayer out to this guy. His name is Mike, and he's a great guy. Right now he is fighting for his life. He had a stroke and is on life support. Thanks and may whatever God(s) you believe in bless you for it.

Took some R&R this weekend out in San Diego. Such a great town! The ride out was great except for a few rough spots. First was the flat tire on the outskirts of town in Avondale. Luckily there was a dealer, Coyote Honda only a mile away! These folks saved my trip.

Buddy Matt & I at Pacific Beach

Next were the winds in the mountains heading into CA. I had to go 45mph for about an hour because my bike was being tossed around like a rag doll. The rest of the weekend was spent having a great time. Met some new friends, and reaquainted with some old ones. I did make it to the Zoo on Sunday. My buddy Chett told me that I had to see it while I was in San Diego. He was right. It was really cool.


On the way home I threw my bike in the back of Chett's truck so he could have a co-pilot. I missed riding home in the rain in CA, and got to sleep all the way to Yuma. Thanks for being a trooper and Driving the whole way Chett!

The Bimmer Wreck

No, dont worry it's not mine. It is a sobering moment when you see your own car - same make, model and color wrecked. I don't know what it was about Denver last week, but I kept seeing trashed BMWs there. This was the first one.

Independence Day show of Fireworks in Central Phoenix. Thanks to Chett for the great BBQ before hand! Great spot to start out at then walk to the park to see the fireworks show. Today - back to the grind for a few before heading off to CO for an OSHA course on Industrial Hygiene next week, my favorite :) I hope everyone had a great day yesterday and was able to spend it in the company of family and friends. For those who continue to make the sacrifices for our freedom over in the twenty something countries we are deployed to, in the sky, on and under the Oceans - I salute you.