Camp Lowry:That's How We Roll: Hiking, Javelina and meeting IL friend

We've been busy the last couple of weeks. It's so great to be in AZ with some many of our friends. Some we've met on the road and some in the RV park here. Hiking is one of the things I came to AZ last winter for and we're doing it again with our friends this winter.

Last week we got together with Dave and Faye from The Wandering Camels at their new home at Cave Creek Regional Park. They originally were going to try workamping at a Mega RV Resort in Mesa, AZ but the expectations didn't meet the need so they were able to leave that job and found one with Cave Creek Regional Park. They work at the Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area in Maricopa County. They get to take entry fees and sell water and souvenirs three days a week. For this they get a FHU, propane and laundry use for free. Well not exactly for free. They do have to do some work but what a great job. Anyway, they invited us to come to Cave Creek and go hiking on the Spur Cross Ranch trail. The trail has a wash or Riparian area with lush foliage and some desert with Saguaro, Cholla, Jojoba and Palo Verde. We found a cave that Dave thought his people might have inhabited but none of us would go in to find out. He said he's going to keep looking. (this is Dave's quest in life) We had a great hike and then they took us to their favorite pizza place in AZ. Gio's Pizza in Anthem, AZ.

Riparian Area

The Cave

Love the landscape

We went back to their rig and had some refreshments and conversation until the sun started to set and Dave wanted to get some sunset photos. However we did get invited back to a couple days later to meet some other bloggers and enjoy some great Philipino food, smoked ribs, chicken and desserts. I'll try to write another post soon on that wonderful evening and great new friendships that were made. Or you can go to Faye and Dave's blog and get a fantastic account from them. Faye is much better at this than me. (I want to be like her) :-)

Then over the weekend we had the opportunity to hike with our Canadian friends, Ron and Patsy, to The Wave Cave. Take Highway 60 East toward Gold Canyon. Turn left on to FS77 which is Peralta Road. Follow FS77 5.6 miles to a left and up turnoff. Continue 0.6 miles to Carney Springs Trailhead. No Water and No Restrooms. The hike is an in and out hike of about 3 miles with elevation gain of 800 feet. The trail is marked by cairns and moves steadily upward. The last 1/4 mile is the steepest and rather rocky with some climbing over boulders. But the reward is the great cave and the wave rock. It's an iconic view out of the cave once you're in there.

We're going up to the mountain in the distance

The cave from below

Rocky trail

The Wave

I did this hike last year when I failed to complete the 5057 hike that starts at the same trailhead. The 5057 hike is a challenge hike of extreme difficulty. I came back down and decided to go to the Wave Cave with a couple I met in the parking lot. I wrote about this fail in a blog post Superstition Mountain Fail....Wave Cave Redemption

Glenda had never been on a hike of this difficulty so this was a great challenge for her. We took our time and moved up the mountain. After about an hour or so we arrived at the cave. There was a nice young couple there enjoying the view.

So we joined them. After a while they got up to go but offered to take our photo on the wave. So we did the typical "Riding the Wave" pose all together on the wave.

Hooray we made it

Riding the Wave

We had some lunch in the cave and rested up for the return trip to the parking lot.

Looking out

The cave

Everyone made it back down the mountain safely. I slept very well that night. What a fun day and a nice challenge. Glenda did such a great job. She was very happy to have made the effort.

We were standing in the street at the park near the desert side the other day and as we were talking I looked up and a Javelina came running out from between a couple of park model homes and headed toward the desert. So I followed as quickly as I could but cautiously to get some pictures.

It became obvious right away the reason for the Javelina to head to the desert. You see this was a male Javelina and just around the corner was a female Javelina and he had something on his mind.

We're all adults here and nothing X rated just two pigs doing what pigs do.

So we let them go about their business after we snapped a few quick pictures. We have been looking for an opportunity to see a Javelina but not exactly that much. Who would have thought we would see them IN the park.

The other day I was on Facebook and noticed that a friend from IL was in Sedona, AZ and would be traveling to Sun City, AZ to see her mother. So I sent her a message and we were able to set up a lunch date yesterday. I looked at the map and saw that The Tempe Market Place Mall was about half way between us and our son had taken us to The Thirsty Loin Pub and Grill so I asked her to meet us there. Beth Lamb is a good friend that was a member of a running group I joined back in the days of my running races and trails. It was such a pleasure catching up on what she was up to these days and what our lifestyle is like. The food and conversation was perfect. It was nice meeting her mom and Gene. We talked about getting together before Christmas when we drive back to IL to visit family for the holidays.