The Stanky Leg
So what is the Stanky Leg? According to Urban Dictionary, the Stanky Leg is:
A dance which originated in Texas consisting of bending ones knees and rotating a leg like a jump rope. It is the lamest dance ever created.
So why oh why am I telling you this?
Because every so often, people email me and ask me if I can do a blog review for them. If it’s a blog I really like, I usually mention it in a post or help spread it through other social networks. If it’s a blog I really dislike, I usually move on. However, sometimes it’s a blog that makes me say “wow” to myself.
These are the blogs that deserve a full review.…
Continue Reading »The Peralta Trail
Hope everyone had a great holiday! Now, time to share another hiking experience. I recently did one of the most popular hikes in the Superstition Wilderness known as the Peralta Trail. It’s located here in Arizona east of Phoenix. I thought I would share it with everyone since it was a lot of fun.
Starting Off At The Trailhead
The reviews I read of this trail were not lying when they said this trail is used often. There were quite a few cars in the parking lot along with a lot of people. Anyways, the start of the trail was relatively flat. It reminded me a lot of South Mountain which I have hiked a few times. The trail follows along the canyon bottom for more than a mile and then starts to get a little steeper. Eventually, you start to hit some switchbacks and the scenery gets a little more interesting.
The Freemont Saddle
After hiking about 2.5 miles, you reach the Freemont Saddle. This is where most hikers turn around and make their descent back down to the parking lot. It’s a great place to have a picnic if you decide to bring along some food. I brought along some granola bars and a turkey sandwich and was thankful for it. I was starving by the time I got to the saddle.
The view from the saddle is amazing. Here is a picture looking south from the saddle:
Weaver’s Needle
That isn’t the only nice view from the saddle. Looking north, you can see Weaver’s Needle. A 1,000 ft. high rock column that is awesome looking.
Continue Reading »White Sands Backpacking
Tags: Backpacking, Hiking, New Mexico, White Sands
This weekend, I took a road trip out to New Mexico and Texas. Both were states that I had never been to before. Along the way, I stopped at the White Sands National Monument to do some backpacking.
If you’re unfamiliar with backpacking, it basically means you hike away from your car carrying everything you will need for the night. No coolers or cases of beer on this hike. So let’s get started…
First Impression
My first impression of the White Sand was “Wow!” I have never in my life seen something this cool (and weird) looking. It feels like you are either walking through a blizzard of snow or a gigantic bowl of sugar. Check out this picture to see what I am talking about:
White Sands, New Mexico
Continue Reading »The Doe Mountain Trail
This past week I did another hike up in Sedona known as the Doe Mountain Trail (#60). It is right across the street from the Bear Mountain Trail which I previously did awhile back. As you can see from the picture above, it offers some awesome views of the red rocks around Sedona.
The Hike to the Top
The Doe Mountain Trail is only a 0.7 mile journey to the top of the mesa, but it is definitely worth doing. It gets a little steep near the top, but it is well traveled so it is really easy to follow the trail. Along the way, you start to lose focus of how fast you are climbing and before you know it…
Continue Reading »The Hike to Browns Peak
Tags: Arizona, Four Peaks, Hiking
This weekend I took another shot at climbing to the top of Brown’s Peak. It is the tallest of the Four Peaks with are located outside of Phoenix. It is also the highest point in Maricopa county with an elevation of 7,657 feet. If you don’t remember, I previously made an attempt at it and ended up taking the wrong trail. You can read my post about my first attempt here.
On this attempt, I made it within 100 feet of the peak but stopped because of the weather. So I am still satisfied with the outcome because I could have easily made the last 100 foot stretch on a clear day.
Anyways, Instead of opening with a explanation of the hike, I thought I would share this video I put together of the hike. I want to start doing more videos so here is the first attempt:
Continue Reading »Humphreys Peak Hike
The Trail To the Top of Arizona
This weekend, my girlfriend and I managed to accomplish one of the hardest things we have ever done. We made the 9 mile round trip hike to the top of Humphreys Peak. Humphreys Peak has an elevation of 12,633 feet, which is the highest point in the state of Arizona. The peak is located near Flagstaff, in the Kachina Peaks Wilderness. So check out my journey
Continue Reading »Hiking in Arizona: Four Peaks Wilderness
Tags: Arizona, Four Peaks, Hiking
So the last few months, I have driven by Four Peaks a few times and have always wondered if hiking to the summit was possible. If you are unfamiliar with these mountains, they are located about 60 miles northeast of Phoenix. Browns Peak is the highest peak in Maricopa country with an elevation of 7,657 feet. For those familiar with Phoenix, that is roughly 400 feet shy of being three times the height of Camelback Mountain.
- Four Peaks Up Close
Time To Give It A Shot
Yesterday, I decided to finally give it a shot. I read up on what trails to take and how to get to the trailheads. From what I found, taking a dirt road over 12 miles was the only way to get to the starting trailhead known as Lone Pine Saddle.
Continue Reading »Hiking In A Lightning Storm
Why It’s Probably Not A Good idea
This weekend was another adventure out in the wilderness. I did some hiking in Sedona, Arizona and almost got struck by a massive bolt of lightning. It was pretty intense, but luckily I got some pretty cool pictures of the whole thing.
I’d like to start this story from the end with this picture I snapped of a lightning bolt at the bottom of the hike:
That’s Not Good
I am no expert on weather, but I am smart enough to know that lightning and thunder at relatively the exact same time means get out of dodge.
Continue Reading »Tonto Natural Bridge State Park
I had the privilege of checking out the Tonto Natural Bridge, near Payson, Arizona this past weekend. It was a really cool experience and I would love to share it with everyone.
My Photographs
I took a lot of pictures, but narrowed them down to a few I would like to share. So check them out (click to enlarge):
Top of Tonto Natural Bridge
The Hiking Trails
There are three separate trails to hike, and they all lead to different places. Here is a little information I gathered from the trail guide they had at the park:
Top of South Mountain (w/ Photos)
I took my camera and tripod along because I am looking to get back in to photography. I have been slacking with it lately but hope to hop back into it. There are so many cools things to see around Arizona, I just need to get out and get some nice shots. Here are a few of my favorite shots from the top of South Mountain:
View of South Mountain and Phoenix
Continue Reading »
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