Tom's Thumb the best hike by L. A. Keller

-
I make no secret of my love for Arizona - the weather is amazing, the desert speaks to me and I find I've never been happier than when I'm here.  When time permits and the sun isn't toasting me to the extreme you can find me walking or hiking through the desert.  This is a hike up Tom's Thumb in the McDowell Mountains and is one of my favorite places.







To get here you can take the long route from the Gateway loop in the McDowell Mountain park. That trek is more than eight miles one way. If you want to cheat just a little, drive around to the north side of the mountain and hike it from there. Be forewarned that the road to the parking area can be rough so don't drive a car with low clearance. You will still get a difficult hike but without having the same distance. The trek is worth the effort as the views on the path to the summit are almost as fantastic as the peak itself. Bring plenty of water because none is available on the route.


Happy Trails,

Leslie

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Does the Wine Glass Matter by L. A. Keller

-
Image
As part of my restaurant series, this post is about the vessel you use to consume your juice - the fermented grape juice variety. Personally, I love a beautiful glass from which to drink wine. The more shapely and delicate the more I enjoy the wine - not because it always makes the wine dramatically  better but it adds to the pleasure of the act.  I also tend to break them routinely so I go through lots of different glassware. The first question you may ask is whether to have stemware or stemless (also known as a tumbler).  There was a trend a few years ago to move away from glasses with stems.  I agree that the stemless version is sturdier all around. You are less likely to knock the glass over and unable to snap off the stem when washing. These are easy to load in the dishwasher, but not always advisable for any wine glass depending on the quality of the glass. However, the biggest issue with stemless glasses is that you are holding the glass, and thus the wine, in your hand.
Read more

I Don't Believe in Happily Ever After by L. A. Keller

-
I've been so busy writing Reunion in the Desert and trying to finish the third book in the Jayne Stanford series that I left this short story hanging. I'm including part Nine with the new installment as a brief review.  You can read the entire series in my blog posts or email me for one complete copy.  Part 9 “I gave up on happily ever after. Maybe I'm not cut out for a relationship. Maybe, I just don't like being committed to one person for longer than two weeks.” Clare kicked off her running shoes at the back door of her grandmother, Mae’s house. She winced when she thought about how much she spent on them but the fabric absorbed manure like a sponge and there was no way they would ever come clean. She figured she may as well throw them out, along with all her plans for this weekend. Hours of chores around the farm had worn her down more than all day client meetings. Mae hummed a tune as she prepared their lunch. Clare knew she had been guilt tripped in
Read more

Jayne's Restaurant Review - Fabio on Fire by L. A. Keller

-
Image
I was meeting friends for dinner and wanted to select a place I've never been.  My friend suggested Fabio on Fire in Peoria, Arizona. When I viewed the website, I thought it looked like a casual pizza joint. I was partially right in that it was small and casual but I was wrong about it being just a pizza place. I am officially obsessed!   Located in a small strip shopping area the outside may not impress you but the food definitely will. I dined right before they closed for Labor Day weekend to expand to a larger space in the same location. I can't wait to return to see the changes and to sample more of the amazing food.   There were six adults and a child for dinner. We started with the Caprese and Charcuterie with prosciutto and delicious cheeses. I could have dined exclusively on these starters but we moved on to the lamb chop special, butternut squash ravioli, gnocchi and short rib ravioli.  Each dish was presented well and impeccably prepared. I've hear
Read more