ANOTHER BUSY WEEK HAS SPED PAST

Yes, no boredom around here for me.  I led three rides again this past week after three the week before.  It gives me lots of photo opportunities which in turn leads to a lot of computer time to get them edited and organized.   On Wednesday, we along with four friends, went to Barleen's Arizona Opry in Apache Junction to a midday musical variety performance.  On February 7th we will return for a country jamboree show. 
We got together with the four friends several times for games and meals as well.  Aileen's knee is still improving, but very slowly.

I led a group on the south side of the Gila River the other day.  This is South Butte.

Moving a bit more to the south gives us this view of Grayback Mtn

I liked the colour on this prickly pear cactus even though it may be a sign of impending ill health 

We call this the waterfall even though there is water flowing only during the monsoon season

A male Gambel's Quail

An American Kestrel hanging on in today's wind

And just down the road this Red-tailed Hawk was hanging on in the gusts in a tree

A resting hummingbird on one of our afternoon walks

A male House Finch on our morning walk

Mitzy and I walk past this fan palm on our way out to the desert

Ranching Arizona style

Lunch on the trail

Looking down on our lunch spot

We call that pillar in behind The Thumb, so here we are giving it a thumbs up

Top of the World trail

The ridge north of Box Canyon along the Martinez Mine Rd

Desert dwelling cow

Hummingbird resting

At this time of year, there are a lot of sheep grazing the fields between Coolidge and Casa Grande

White-crowned Sparrow

A nice grouping of Saguaro Cactus

More cactus in Cottonwood Wash

From our riding area looking across to Superstition Mtn in the center.  To the left of it is Gold Canyon and Apache Junction.  From there to the left is greater Phoenix for about the next 50-60 miles.

A dead end trail a couple of us explored the other day.  You might be able to spot our RZRs.  Greater Phoenix is on the distant horizon. 

Male Gilded Flicker

STILL BEHIND!

Aileen's knee is slowly improving and she has been able to get out of the motor home.  The first day was when we took Ken and Marie to Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale for Marie's appointment.  I wandered
around the nice nature trail they have adjacent to the parking lot while Aileen stayed in the car with her Sudoko.

I led three rides this week so lots of photos to edit in the evenings.  We played cards a couple of days also.  Ernie and Atha, friends from Colorado, arrived Monday so instead of going to the ATV potluck, we had a welcoming supper for them with Ken and Marie.  Last night, we went to the Riverbottom Grill to help them celebrate their anniversary.  There were seven of us and we were lucky enough to score a table right off.  The place is a madhouse, specially on Fridays.  It was very noisy inside and really smokey outside where there was live music (very good singer) and dancing.  We adjourned to Ken and Marie's for pie and cards afterward.
We've had a long windy spell this winter and the temperatures were pretty nice by mid day.  We are forecast to have some cooler weather for the next little while.

Prickly Pear Cactus

Barrel Cactus with old tree stump

Saguaro skeletons

Petrified wood end section

More petrified wood

Agave

Cute little cactus

All of the above were taken at Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ

On the Martinez Mine Road

South Butte

A favourite perch for this Northern Mockingbird.  He is often there where we park the trike to go into the desert.  Mitzy and I walk by about twelve feet underneath and he usually remains in place.

Looking east from the Little Spine

Face off.  Male Lesser Goldfinch on the left, I think.

Morning break below Box Canyon

Looking toward the bottom of Box Canyon

Martinez Mine Road looking west to the cattle guard pass

Harris' Hawk

Mineral Mountain from the 7-9 mile crossover road

THE FASTER I GO, THE BEHINDER I GET

Life keeps hurtling along for me, it seems.  Aileen is still pretty much laid up with her knee although it is slowly improving.  She made it out of the motor home yesterday for the first time since New Years Day.  We took Ken and Marie to Scottsdale for Marie's appointment at Mayo Clinic.  Afterwards, we met Marie's cousin and husband for supper at a Red Lobster and had a pleasant evening.  Leaving there though things went down hill.  We came on a recent accident and had quite the time making a detour.  Then we had several more either accidents or breakdowns with red and blue flashing lights.  We'd left Mitzy home as she doesn't like travelling and she sure was glad to see us.

Spotted these drowsing horses driving the back roads home from Coolidge one day

Discovered these Crested Saguaros while geocaching another day

Phainopepla

Mitzy and I saw this rooster quail on our morning walk last week

Hand held of the moon the other night

Northern Flicker also while Mitzy and I were on our morning walk

On our last Friday's ride, some of them get comfortable

Last Friday

Northern Mockingbird right above where Mitzy and I park the trike for our desert walks

Some sheep on our Monday ride

Box Canyon

Along the Martinez Mine Rd

Taken right above where the previous photo was taken

And just a little further along the Martinez Rd

Red-tailed Hawk this morning after watching fifteen ATVs go by

This American Kestrel stayed put while thirteen ATVs blasted by and let me take a few photos

House Finch taken on our morning walk