ARIZONA RAIN BUT FUN WITH FAMILY

Well believe it or not it does rain in Arizona but it doesn't happen very often. Busy week here in Arizona with the 2015 Super Bowl Feb 1st and the town is full of people from all over the world. 

My son was lucky enough to get tickets and was arriving with his Dad Steve on Friday evening from LA as it was way to expensive now to fly to Arizona just because of Super Bowl prices from Bellingham went from $180 round trip to $1800...

My son Skylar arrived friday evening and it of course was still raining. The next day was a little better. 

We took a drive in the rain to see what the sand draws we normally ride in looked like. 

When Steve and Skylar arrived they both took Ron and I out for dinner in Scottsdale to a really nice Mexican restaurant called Los Sombreros. 

Steve and Skylar with Super Bowl tickets in hand. :) 

I had a crab salad yum yum (pictured above) 

You can go to the web site at www.lossombreros.com 

Skylar and Steve enjoying the scenery too bad for the clouds but at least the rain has stopped. 

I took them up to Goldfield to see the town. 

I sure wish Skylar had more time to visit but both Steve and Skylar run a paving business (Called S&S Paving)  in Vancouver and only could take so many days to come to the Super Bowl. 

The guys at Goldfield

Hanging at high noon in Goldfield. 

They didn't hang them they just put them in jail LOL

After Skylar and Steve left for the day to do see some of the Super Bowl events we took a drive up the Apache Trail to Tortilla Flats and all the way to Roosevelt Lake. 

Pictures above all taken at Tortilla Flats 

A heart shaped Pear Cactus 

The Apache trail very narrow you would not want to do this drive with any long trailers LOL 

Looking down below to the Apache Trail highway .... Above and below..

This is a very scenic drive. 

This is Apache Lake that goes for a long time before you hit the dam and Roosevelt Lake

We ate rib eye steaks cooked by Skylar as we watched a beautiful sunset... No more rain for a while...

The next day Steve and Skylar left early to get to the Super bowl and we all headed to the Hitching Rail to watch the game. Very good game but sorry for Seattle's loss :( 

My favourite part was the commercials 

Here are the top 10 new Super Bowl adds for 2015

PASS MOUNTAIN TRAIL MAY GET YOUR BLOOD GOING

If you really like scenic and love to live on the edge this trail could be for you. 

This trail is in the Usery Pass Mountain park on the Usery Pass road. It is west of the Superstion mountains in Apache Junction AZ. Heading from say Goldfield AZ on highway 88 take Lost Dutchman Rd right (West) it will turn into Brown Rd. Then you take a right on N Ellsworth Rd just before you get to 202. Ellsworth will turn into Usery Pass Rd you will see the park just on the right pass the Usery Pass gun range. 

It is $5 a day to park and ride. 

Pass Mountain trail to me is a advanced trail. I would give parts of the trail a 9 out of 10 for difficulty. Going clockwise is you best bet. I would rather ride up a steep difficult trail then ride down it on a edge. 

We rode to the right (clockwise) heading to the right out on the trail.  You start out going down a little then on the flat then the trail starts to climb. Beautiful views like of the whole valley and over to Superstition Mountain. 

This is a tuff 7.1 mile trail but beautiful. 

The trail starts out nice and easy but does not stay that way for long. 

The trail takes you towards the Superstition mountains. 

The trail slowly starts to climb. 

There is lots of hikers. 

Some narrow passes but no problem fitting through.

As the trail climbs up the mountain the views get better and better. 

Looking back at the narrow trail. 

More views right over Mesa to Chandler. 

The last bit of the trail before the "saddle back" it is rocky and steep but you are best to ride up it don't get off to walk it.  

Looking back down at the twisty steep trail below. 

Peg and her mule Rita just about at the saddle back. 

This last trail before the saddle back is a little scary but just breath and let your animal find his/her footing. 

Looking back at the trail we just came along at the saddle back. Yes all our animals were very good. Lucky no one was coming the other way :) 

We are about 1/2 way now. Lunch time for us and rest time for out mules and horses. 

I tied Hunter to a rock LOL

Lots of hikers taking pictures of us. Ron way up above on the rock. 

Heading to the side of Pass Mountain. 

Beautiful views the whole way. 

Alan and Foxy

The trail gets a little narrow and uneven it can be a little unnerving but we all did well. 

The views on this side of the mountain are towards Coon Bluff and the Salt River. 

Over looking the valley towards Saguaro Lake 

The wind picked up a little. 

Alan and Foxy over looking the Phoenix area 

Heading down the trail towards the parking area

What a super ride. 

Another great day and super sunset.