Gillespie family photos

We've been in quarantine over here with Andrew getting covid last week, then Zara had a positive before Thanksgiving, than Rupert after Thanksgiving, now we're waiting to hear back about Elliot & Avery's test today because they're sick too.

The Gillespie's had covid last month so we went ahead and did their photo shoot on Saturday since I had two negative covid tests last week.  I actually took a few photos of them last year when they moved from one house, to the house next door after remodeling.  They're in our ward and we loved them.  Sutton is in Baa's nursery and preschool class so they're good friends.

I suggested a few places for their photos and this spot came up because it is where we had our family photos taken this year and they turned out so good.  It was an easy choice for them because apparently Jon proposed to Nicole on this lake.  So sweet.  Samson is from Nicole's first marriage and they've had Sutton and baby Charly together.  Such a beautiful family.

They also had their German exchange student in a few photos.  He seemed super cool and great with the kids.

 

Sutton was just not interested in holding her baby sister for photos so it took a couple attempts.  I can't get over how cute Charly's face below when she had a mouthful of sand.  At first she was just surprised and wondering what happened.  Then she was grossed out by the sand. :)  It was worth a try.

Love this beautiful family and I hope I get a chance to photograph them again.

trail running: Pass Mountain

 

Yesterday Dan McKay, Robert McKay and went trail running the Pass Mountain trail in Usery.  Dad and I had just hiked it last month so I had a good feel for what to expect.  The guys let me lead the way and set the pace which was great, apart from the last mile when I ran out of steam.

We went around the mountain clockwise just like Dad and I did last month.  It gives a more gradual uphill and because we had an early start we didn't get any sun in our eyes until just after the halfway point and even then it was just a short while because we headed west soon after.

We took a five minute rest for some food and water at the saddle about halfway.  Such a pretty spot in the shade.  Dan and  brought backpacks with food and water and Robert brought nothing.  This was a good learning experience.  We are all on the same team for the ragnar trail in three weeks so this was really good training.  Neither of them have done the ragnar trail before and this is my second time.  I did one with Charity (Shepherd) Peterson, a friends from high school, and her brother Jacob Shepherd.

This is actually my second time trail running Pass Mountain.  I remember doing it years ago with Rachel Willis, her aunt Karen, Luke Johnson and maybe Emily Dial.  I think it was to train for the Ragnar Del Sol.  I remember we went counter clockwise that time.

Dad and I hiked it in 2 hours and 38 minutes so I thought we could trail run it in under 2 hours and we did!  It took us 1 hour and 50 minutes!  We weren't doing it for time but not bad.

Over halfway I looked up at two ladies coming in the opposite direction and ended up tripping and falling down hard.  My arm stung so bad.  The longer I go the more conscious I need to be to lift my feet high enough.  It could have been worse though.  Thankfully cactus wasn't involved.

Pretty sure I'll be back at this trail before long.  I like how there are always people on it, hikers, runners, and mountain bikers, and everyone is so polite.

Hackberry Springs hike with family

A couple days ago I got a group together to hike Hackberry Springs in the north Superstition area.  Two days before this hike I got the news that my Grand Canyon rim to rim group needed to be postponed to April.  One of the couple's mom's fractured her foot so their babysitter was out and it just fell apart from there.  Honestly, this is for the better since no one in my group trained except me.  I'm a little disappointed and a little relieved too.  It'll be great in April because the group will be more prepared and we'll have more people since Sara and Chris want to join.

I was planning on hiking Miner's Needle with Dad but since the rim to rim got postponed we went with a more family friendly hike.  This was a new trail for Dad and DJ (and Bea) so it was fin showing it off. :)

We hiked this trail in February with friends for our first time.  It was definitely greener this time.  It was steeper than I remembered but then again I didn't have Bea last time.  Honestly he did so good.  Beatrix has a great attitude when hiking and I planned on holding her at times so it was no surprise.  DJ carried her a but too at the end which was much appreciated since I had also ran 4 miles wit Sara that morning.

We took a picture at this "hugging" cactus last time too. :)

This is the actually spring.  The water comes out of the pipe Avery's foot is on.  There's a puddle of water behind dad where you can see little minnows.  Bea just loved this area.

Dad and DJ enjoyed exploring this area for the first time.  There's a campsite or two here, and hiking to the springs a scout group was just hiking out that had backpacked in the day before and camped near the spring.  DJ is interested in possibly taking his scouts there too.  Some elevation on the trail but not too far with a pack.

They had to get on the big boulders just like last time too.  This made me so nervous with the girls helping Bea but it worked out.

DJ helped Zara when she had a melt down about not turning around and going back the way we came.  I wanted to follow the wash back like we did last time because it's so pretty and a really cool hike.  Seeing the little toad (below) helped Zara cheer up.  There were also several puddles of water that were fun to find along the way.  Near the end there's a broken windmill and horse stalls.  It feels like a real adventure.

Dad had just gotten those hiking poles fora  good price at Seagull Book for those longer hikes (like Miner's Needle) so he wanted to give them a go.  There's a bit of a learning curve.  I also got a pair when he told me about them, thinking I'd bring them to the Grand Canyon, but that'll have to wait.

Bea gave me those cute flowers. :)

Love this area of the Superstition!  I can see us making this hike an annual thing.  Maybe more?  It was our second time this year.

Second Water trail w/Chris

Chris tool that photo.  Can you believe that sunrise?  I love watching the sun rise on a trail.  We have a beautiful state and stunning deserts here in Arizona.  I picked Chris up around 5:30am and we started hiking a quarter after 6:00.  I love how close the trails are in the north side on the Superstition.  It really was a great day for a hike.  Nice cool breeze, not too hot.

The trails starts as First water, i believe?  I actually hiked this trail with the kids (minus Bea) and Dad, and Rachel Willis and some of her family earlier this year.  It was much greener this time!  Chris and I saw probably 10 or more desert toads and those black stink bugs.  I don't remember seeing any of those last year.  It's amazing what a good monsoon season can do to the desert.

Here's the turn around point that we saw the week before at Boulder Canyon!  That hike was harder than Second Water (a little further and more elevation) so I'll switch those two hikes training for the Grand Canyon next time.

Coming back we accidentally got off trail a bit.  You can see it in the map above.  Thankfully I was able too check my phone in the RunKeeper app and get back on trail.  After that I was surprised to see a huge tarantula on the trial.  We saw one at Boulder Canyon last week but this one was bigger.  Thankfully they're harmless.

After that I was shocked to hear a rattlesnake right next top the trail on my left side.  I screamed and ran but Chris was still behind me.  With the snake all coiled up and head up Chris took it slow and took a wide sweep off the trail to get back to the trail where I was.  That shook us both up!  Thankfully nothing bad come of it and we made it back in good time. 

I really like that trail.  Second water also loops back to Hackberry which would be fun to do some time.  It crosses with another trail early on, I don't remember which, so it's a great starting point.

The Alltrails app said the Second Water to Boulder Canyon should be 8.8 miles but we did it well under 8 miles, so good to know. :)