The Climb

These time changes have me getting up earlier and earlier. In reality, I am waking up at the same time just slowly moving farther west and the curvature of the earth is causing the Sun to be lower. It helps getting to my destination faster though. The drive from New Mexico to Arizona was much livelier than what I was expecting. Driving through the Tonto¹ National Forrest was going up and down through elongated curves. I don't drive a motorcycle, but all the groups of bikers made me want one.

It was the first time that the mighty Toyota Corolla didn't seem up to the task. Fifth gear was no match for the uphill battles that the car was facing. Many times having down shift to fourth or even third gear to get any sort of acceleration to get up a hill many times ending up 10-15 miles under the speed limit. I thought that it was possible that fifth gear kept slipping out of gear, but it ended up being fine on flat roads. Catastrophe averted.

I went outside Phoenix to eat at Joe'sFarm Grill. A concept restaurant that makes food from a connected farm called agritopia. I got the Barbecue Chicken Pizza. It was good, not amazing. I appreciate the idea, but when people try to persuade me that organic and locally grown food is just better tasting I scoff a bit. Can it be better tasting? Absolutely, but most of the time its better chefs preparing that food. The cilantro on the pizza was no different than other cilantro and the red onion didn't jump out.

Thirty minutes later I arrived early to Lost Dutchman State Park. The Map that was given to me at check-in was terrible. It is not to scale at all and I'm pretty sure that campsites are mispositioned. Not a very large park so it was easy to find your way around. I was at #12 and walked NE and hit 66. I am not entirely sure how that is possible. I took the Siphon Draw trail up to the Basin at 3100'. Supposedly this was only a mile and a half from the Amphitheater. Maybe it was the 100° weather, maybe it was the elevation, maybe it is the fact I'm quite out of shape, but it kicked my ass. I brought three water bottles to ensure that I would not be short on hydration, but the original goal was to get up to the top to the Flatiron. I was so exhausted by the Basin I touched the large rock and came back down. I was not even sure I was at the basin, the ranger said whenever the trail got rough and looked less trail-like. Armed with this knowledge I had no idea what he was speaking about. I had stopped seeing wood 4x4 every 200 feet and hadn't seen a trail post in about 1000 feet, so that was my decision that I was at the basin.² I was too tired for a picture, so I touched the rock and came back down for some shade.

Pictures will come later.

1I have not investigated to see if this was named before or after The Lone Ranger, I would like to believe after, but logically that makes no sense.

2In this picture it's basically that first stand alone rock in the crevice. <Picture in Transit Use This for Now>