Settled In

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My goodness where does the time go? Our level of activity has really increased. We've been making new friends becoming very engaged in the community We both volunteer at Boyce Thompson. Cindy works the hospitality desk and I've been leading tours. We meet people from all over the world and every walk of life.

Quilting, sewing, knitting, gourding, walking, hiking, biking, carving, rollerblading, reading, eating meals outdoors, volunteering, and watching the sunset while sipping wine dominate our time.

Drew returns soon from a year's tour in Afghanistan. We will be headed to Killeen, Texas (Fort Hood) for the homecoming. We are really looking forward to it.

My Canadian hiking buddy and I just finished a great hike above the Peralta trail in the Superstition Mountains. We hiked up Cardiac Hill and then the Cave Trail reaching heights 700 to 900 feet above the main path. There is a series of caves (hence the name cave trail) the largest being known as Geronimo's Cave. When you get up into the cave a natural ledge exists in the back and hikers for years have been building rock cairns and leaving little memorials.

Boyce Thompson is named after the philanthropist, William Boyce Thompson, one of the wealthiest individuals in the US during the early 1900's. He purchased the Magma Mine in Superior, AZ and had considerable success mining gold, silver, and copper. He started the arboretum with the help of Dr. Grider from the University of Arizona. Hundreds of acres were devoted to arid plants and how they benefit mankind. Thompson built his Arizona casita overlooking the canyon that runs through the 380 acres of BTA. Cindy and I were able to take a private tour of the house a few days ago. Arizona State Parks have re-aquired the house. Our hopes are a restoration project will bring it back to its elegance from the 1920's.

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Photos

The Room With The View
The second room added to the Pickett Post House. What a view! You can sit here and chase the sun all day long.

Cairns Everywhere
Almost halfway up the high trial we came across hundreds of cairns and memorials.

Passing Through
Tumbled rocks formed some wonderful small caves that we could pass through.

Hoodoos
Millions of years of volcanic activity can create stunning vistas.