We had visiters!

My sister Theresa and brother-in-law Dan arrived January 22 for a one week visit. The weather was gorgeous, not too warm but sunny. We love having company because it gives us a chance to show off this beautiful state we live in 6 months of the year! Theresa and Dan are avid hikers so we had a hiking in the Superstition Mountains book ready for them and they decided on 3 hikes to do while they were here. We also determined what sites we could visit in a week without killing ourselves.

First thing Dan had to do was pick an a orange from one of our trees in our back yard. We had a plentiful supply this year and they are so delicious. Two of the trees we have finished the oranges on them and these are the last ones left on the one tree. The blossoms are starting to bud out so we need to finish these oranges off so the tree has the energy to blossom and we get lots again next year. They should be in full bloom in the next couple of weeks and I remember how wonderful the scent was last year so can't wait!

I had to insert this picture of an Ocotilla flower as they have just started to bloom in the desert. Considering this is the last week in January, this is early for them. Our weather has been so mild this winter with above average temperatures, that I guess everything is a bit ahead of normal. These flowers are so beautiful, I can never get enough of them.

We took Theresa and Dan for a ride up to Lost Dutchman State Park to show them a couple trails we thought they might be interested in. This is the Lost Dutchman peak in the background.

This is the old Lost Dutchman Mining Camp that has been restored and now houses a restaurant and gift store. One of the trails Theresa and Dan wanted to do started at the far corner of the parking lot so we were scoping it out. You can see the Lost Dutchman Peak in the background. Theresa and Dan hiked the ridge trail almost to the top of this peak!

The next day we took them on the drive on the old Apache Trail over to Roosevelt Lake. We were near the top of the trail at about 6000ft above sea level and the wind was howling so it was quite chilly as I am sure you can tell by the picture!

Of course we had to stop at Canyon Lake for the requisite picture! Too cool and windy yet to go on the boat tour of the lake. Hopefully when Doug's brother and wife are here or when Catherine comes in March, it will be warm enough to do the boat tour.

It was just so amazing to see wild flowers blooming all on their lonesome so high up the mountain sides at the end of January! They were so pretty and boy they must be hardy!

We come again to the famous canyon with the pools of water and small stream running through it. This is at the end of about 30 minutes of driving around hairpin turns and long hills to get out of the mountains and back down into the valley floor. We parked here and got out to walk over to the bridge to look down into the water and take pictures of the mountain side.

There was a sandstone cave up the hillside so Theresa and Dan decided to climb up to it. I only had my birks on my feet so no climbing for me. Theresa said the cave went way back with a natural ledge for sitting on and they could see where the native people had fires in the past and the roof of the cavern was charcoal black with soot.

This was as far as I could get with sandals on without turning an ankle or falling into the canyon! Theresa thought you could probably climb into the canyon and hike quite away back - my thought was go to it lady, not my cup of tea.

We ate our picnic lunch at the Roosevelt Lake lookout and then headed to the Tonto National Parks Cave dwellings. This time we decided we would hike up to the lower dwellings. You need a reservation and a specific time to hike to the higher dwellings as it is a guided hike with a ranger and friends that did it last year said it really wasn't any different than the lower dwellings and the lower dwellings had a much more spectacular view. It was a about a 1/2 mile hike zigg zagging up the hill, quite an incline and a good workout. Of course Theresa and Dan got up there before us but they are younger and in better shape than we are!

Here's me calling to Doug and telling him he can do it! I was very impressed that he kept plugging along and made it to the top. It was definitely a strenuous hike and not easy for someone with knee and hip problems let alone with us being overweight!!

The whole you see was the original cliff dwellings entrance but of course we didn't have to go this way.

Dan is taking a picture of us as we are arriving at the last steep hill to the steps up top the dwellings. Of course Doug has to take a picture of Dan taking a picture of us! Typical Doug :)

 This is just a picture of one of the cliff dwellings that has collapsed onto itself

Dan's picture of us in the final stretch up to the dwellings. It was a welcome site to see the end of the hike. i was warm by then and had my jacket off. I figured Doug couldn't have worked hard enough as he still had his sweatshirt on!

This was the view once we got to the top! It was magnificent. Looking down over Roosevelt Lake and the Salt River Valley. We have a new appreciation of what life must have been like for these American Indians (Salado Indians) who had to do the trek from here down to the river floor where they grew crops and then back up to their cliff dwellings at the end of the day! Whew, they would have been in good physical condition.

 

Doug looking up at the roof of the cave and where the second and third floors of these cliff dwellings would be. This is about all that is left of the dwellings. They have been here since about 1200AD so still incredible to see what remains.

You can see way down to the parking lot below and this is where we climbed from to get to the cliff dwellings. It kind of puts it into perspective as to why we were huffing and puffing as we made the trek upwards!

 Another view of part of what is left of one of the cliff dwellings, really quite amazing when you consider how far they had to carry the rocks and mud to build these dwellings

You can see in this picture how deep the cave goes and the houses go right back to the far wall with the second and third stories coming out to the cliff edge.

This was looking up to the roof of the cave showing how rough it was. The timbers are originals from 1200AD, most likely ironwood that is virtually indestructible and then they used saguaro cacti poles in between to hold the rock and mortar for the next floor above.

Theresa, Dan and Doug telling me to come down from the floor above as they have seen enough and are ready for the trip back down.

Half way down the hill we stopped for a rest on a bench as it almost seemed harder coming down the steep path than going up it! We gave Doug a much needed hug as he was doing so well! From leaving Tonto Cliff Dwelling, we then drove to Globe where Theresa and Dan wanted to go to the Bash Be Gowah Archeological ruins. Since I posted pictures of this ruin already, I didn't post them again.

This was just one last picture of Dan taking a picture of Doug when we were at Bash Be Gowah! Those two were continually doing that to each other. We had a lovely full day of exploring with good company!