Saguaro and Jenni—a complete coincidence, if you can believe that. Sonoran Desert near Apache Junction.
Canyon Lake, Tonto National Forest.
Who knows from where the next threat will emanate? Who could anticipate the latest virus that has created panic and may I add, a touch of hysteria, fueled by the media and anyone trying to seek fame, perhaps even for just a few moments. I digress but it seems that the human condition is such that we’ll do anything to have our names in lights. While not wishing to downplay the threat and after all, we are over the magic age of 65 and apparently it makes us high risk candidates for death should the corona catch us. Definitely not funny and accordingly, we do not treat this lightly. Then again, how should we react? How to behave? We’ve heard so many different versions of the etiquette in this new era. Frankly, we’ve tended to call a ‘spade a…whoops, it’s so difficult to know what to say these days—fortunately, I’m writing which might make a difference. (continues at end)
Canyon Lake as we commence a hike, keeping our heads above water.
Camelback Mountain, Phoenix—a great city challenge. (To clarify, that is not a camel's hump.)
The trail we took toward Superstition Mountain although it was not our destination on the day. Perhaps superfluous: The deserts are delightful places outside of the summer months. This scene was impregnated in my brain...in a manner of speaking.
Jenni returning on a difficult and strenuous climb. Strenuous ascent, difficult descent.
Iguazu Falls it's not. Everything in perspective; suddenly a waterfall in the desert takes on a new meaning.
Returning from Massacre Falls, the Sonoran Desert, which is in a word: Gorgeous.
Sometimes, pictures cannot capture the moment.
Do we lock ourselves inside our house? This presents two distinct problems. The first is that we don’t think we could survive for too long in isolation. There’s far too much to do, see and experience. We know, we know…there is a pandemic all about. Therefore, does one become serious and somber. Are jokes no longer permitted? Who knows the correct decorum in times of a virus. Must we now disregard truth? While we learned that the virus emanated in China, which country decided to withhold vital information about it, thus endangering the world, this has been updated to in fact praise China and blame the United States. It can only be a matter of time before the 'real culprits' are identified—the Israelis, of course. The Italians, who are suffering severely, unfortunately, have a mayor in Florence who feels so bad for the Chinese that he encourages everyone to hug a Chinese person. How sensitive. I’m thinking of doing this myself as a show of solidarity but am waiting for a curvaceous Chinese woman to pass by while Jenni is somewhere else. A man has to do his bit. With well over a billion Chinese in the world, hugging could become a dominant pastime. Although this may not be in the spirit of the mayor’s wishes, our hearts go out to the Italian people who are suffering and in fact, everyone else. In addition, the suffering is not just due to this virus—so many people suffer each day. It’s hidden and mostly ignored because after all, the media don’t get much of a bang from those type of stories.
At midnight, a couple of kids were making a noise in the parking lot where we were staying in Mesa, Arizona. Seemed unusual. The following morning I took a look around and noticed a family of four—homeless—two kids of 3 and 6. You want heartbreak…
Before forgetting the second problem mentioned in the earlier paragraph, we do have a serious issue about being housebound. We don’t have a house. In fact, we don’t have a structure within which we can live. If martial law is declared, will our tent suffice as a place in which we can confine ourselves within the law. I doubt whether Jennifer realized the risks when she agreed to marry me. When we departed from San Diego recently, we threw into the trunk (boot) our tent, sleeping bags and surprisingly, a few rolls of toilet paper. I’ve actually been using the term bathroom tissue in the last few years because I believe the former description may be considered harsh and insensitive, even the super-soft high quality stuff. To whom, I wonder. But(t) surely not to cheeks.
We recently cancelled our booked trip to Nepal because our plane trip envisaged stopping in two Chinese airports en route and for the return journey, too. Imagine how much hugging a person could perform. In fact, the Chinese airline was quick to refund us the fare without argument which might indicate some culpability for the virus. However, as mentioned in the opening paragraph, there are a number of Westerners who live outside China but think everything about the communists and their system is superior. I would not wish to mention how many people the communists have murdered over the years; instead, I’ll ask a rather simple question in keeping in sync with my brain. Why do so many more people, and by a huge margin, wish to enter the United States rather than depart from it? Just asking.
We decided to re-visit New Zealand, a country we find attractive, its inhabitants, too. We also understand their language and they understand ours which makes life a little easier. Okay, you’re correct. It’s all about the beautiful land and lakes. As the virus ‘went viral’, things became unhinged. Even before New Zealand imposed a 14 day quarantine period for visitors, we decided for a number of reasons to cancel. By the way, no refund was forthcoming. Then again, we weren’t flying a Chinese airplane, just an old Boeing.
Following Hike-about 44, a 7-week trip in the deserts of the Western United States, we returned to see the ‘kiddies’ and take a rest before the next sojourn. After cancellation of the second trip, we decided to wander in the west again. A person can spend one’s whole life in this region and still experience only a fraction of what’s on offer. Before our planned stay in San Diego had elapsed, (we did not have a more permanent form of residence booked as we were supposed to be in Nepal), the motel we were ‘enjoying’, decided for the benefit of guests and employees, to withdraw a number of services. This proved to be uncomfortable. With the grandchildren in a state of semi-isolation and things becoming and feeling weird, we took to the road a week earlier than planned. Within a day of arrival at our destination and after enjoying a great experience on a mountain in Phoenix, we felt for the first time in ten days that we were living again.
We have undertaken five glorious hikes at time of writing, four with very steep climbs. The problem we have experienced thus far is that trails are extremely busy. Many young people, mostly students, are no longer in class and so they have taken to the slopes. Generally, other than a few well-known trails, we don’t see many people. Now it’s quite the opposite. It’s a good problem to have but we’ll seek more isolated regions as we move.
We wish you all good health and hope that we all keep ahead of this scourge.
Cheers,
Jenni and Jeffrey
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