Here's a random set of pictures from our late October/early November goings-on. We were getting settled back in Tucson for the "winter" and continually finding things to see and do.
I'm enjoying the Tucson Trail Runners Sunday events whenever I can fit them in. Great for training and motivation to move faster than my normal runs. Even better was the chance to ride a shuttle to one trailhead and finish at another, with a big hike up to The Window in between.
This spot is visible along the northern skyline from much of Tucson, if you know where to look and have binoculars to pick it out. I was lucky to spend some time with Cristina from the orienteering club on the hike up, even luckier that she took some pictures to share:
This is such a cool spot, thanks Cristina for the company and photos!
Don't let him out!
On one of my runs at Robles park, I scared up a javelina and somehow managed to get my phone out in time to get a shot of it trotting away - sorry to disturb you!
One of the funnier sightings at an orienteering meet, Billie dressed as a "mobile control" that we had to find along a path. She added other little challenges to the event and it was entirely the most fun sprint we've done in some time. I'm not sure who took this picture, but it's a good one:
More Halloween entertainment - the yearly (as of last year) software update from Rivian that included spooky sounds like organ music for the door lock/unlock and new visuals for zombie pedestrians. Also for people on bikes - she's a witch!
We popped in at the Irish and Celtic festival, where we enjoyed some excellent music and browsing the markets. Always fun watching sheep herding demos:
People throwing heavy things:
And tossing cabers:
Seen in Phoenix:
Also in Phoenix, at our truck's yearly checkup - so many Rivians in one place!
The big adventure in the first half of November was a trip to the Grand Canyon. Some friends of ours were running the rim-to-rim-to-rim and we were excited to spend some time with them.
John dropped us off at the South Kaibab trailhead before dawn, and Andrew was excited to get going:
Kiefer, Andrew, Chris and I - the guys were doing the full R2R2R, while I was headed to the river and partway up the north trail. I didn't have any particular need to do the whole thing, just enough to have a "big day" and see some things I hadn't seen in a while.
The descent down Kaibab was magical. I loved taking it easy, absorbing the darkness, and stopping occasionally to appreciate the absolute silence around me.
The trek through "the box" was also excellent. I had time to look around, and it was especially nice to have cool weather after previous memories of rather-hot times down here:
Sunrise on the temples:
I debated a side trip over to Ribbon Falls, but that would have involved a creek crossing and I wasn't excited about getting my feet wet on that particular day. So I took a picture from afar:
Zoomed-in view of the falls - looks pretty, maybe someday I'll get over there:
Heading back toward the river:
I met up with John and Steve who had come down Bright Angel Trail. Steve continued north to look for his buddies while John turned around and climbed back up the trail with me. We were still near the river when we spotted a cute little bighorn sheep just above the trail:
The whole family ran down to the drainage below us to forage - super cool!
We were nearing Havasupai Gardens when we passed a version of this sign. A group of guys approached, took a look at it, and one of them said with apparently seriousness, "Damn brah, he drank too much!" John and I were still laughing at that comment later so I took a picture of the same sign up near the rim:
We were over there earlier:
More adorable bighorns near the rim:
Enjoying the other end of the day at the Grand Canyon - so lovely:
Thanks Andrew for inviting us along!
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