Wild Iris in Jerome
A couple weekends ago Rich and I went to Groom Creek to boulder on the crisp, granite boulders shadowed by massive pines above Prescott, Arizona. The Monday after we got back I found out I had strep throat again! Ahh, twice in two months! So, after two weeks of rest, we went back up -- since we had such a great time last time.
This time I got my throat checked for strep before we went to Prescott--I wasn't feeling good again and wanted to be sure. I got the "all-clear" from the Doc and we headed south. We checked out a new area near the school house that some locals Brian & Bart told us about the previous weekend. They were great warm-ups and then we went to the main area. I was feeling pretty rough by then so napped on my cozy Voodoo pad while under some tall, sun-sheltering pines and nestled in a cove of boulders. Rich wandered the large eggs like a kid in a candy store. Champ followed him like he was wearing a cloak of dog treats, but I think he was just enjoying the exercise and being with his pops. Rich sent his V7 project on his second try (five overall). Pretty easy for him.
We had an early dinner at our new favorite burger joint the Prescott Brewing Company. Man, they have the best burgers in the WORLD--that I've ever had.
This time I got my throat checked for strep before we went to Prescott--I wasn't feeling good again and wanted to be sure. I got the "all-clear" from the Doc and we headed south. We checked out a new area near the school house that some locals Brian & Bart told us about the previous weekend. They were great warm-ups and then we went to the main area. I was feeling pretty rough by then so napped on my cozy Voodoo pad while under some tall, sun-sheltering pines and nestled in a cove of boulders. Rich wandered the large eggs like a kid in a candy store. Champ followed him like he was wearing a cloak of dog treats, but I think he was just enjoying the exercise and being with his pops. Rich sent his V7 project on his second try (five overall). Pretty easy for him.
We had an early dinner at our new favorite burger joint the Prescott Brewing Company. Man, they have the best burgers in the WORLD--that I've ever had.
Look, our little Toyota makes for a killer bivy
All the campgrounds were open now, so we headed to the Wolf Creek campground--down the road from the boulders. As we sped downhill on the dirt road there we spotted more and more boulders dotting the hillside--the wolf creek boulders? There were two other cars in the campground and we picked a spot I had eyed two weeks ago when the campground was closed. The site was right next to the creek.
We walked down to the creek to find a graceful series of waterfalls moving down in three stages on snow white granite slabs and boulders. Skipping through the stone pads along the water we ventured down for a bit and then went back to set up camp.
The last time we went to Prescott for the weekend we had intended to spend the night in a motel. What we discovered that weekend and this, is the town of Prescott fills up on the weekends and the motels don't look so nice anyway. The last time we went to Target, bought a $12 sleeping bag and slept in the car in the woods using our bouldering pads for bedding. We found that our little Toyota, properly equipped with the correct-sized Voodoo pads could sleep two people and a dog quite comfortably. Actually a single sleeping bag was not so comfortable. However, this weekend we came equipped with super-puffy, down sleeping bags and memory foam pillows. As you can see in this picture, we were set UP! I slept like a log, or my dog--either way it was good.
We walked down to the creek to find a graceful series of waterfalls moving down in three stages on snow white granite slabs and boulders. Skipping through the stone pads along the water we ventured down for a bit and then went back to set up camp.
The last time we went to Prescott for the weekend we had intended to spend the night in a motel. What we discovered that weekend and this, is the town of Prescott fills up on the weekends and the motels don't look so nice anyway. The last time we went to Target, bought a $12 sleeping bag and slept in the car in the woods using our bouldering pads for bedding. We found that our little Toyota, properly equipped with the correct-sized Voodoo pads could sleep two people and a dog quite comfortably. Actually a single sleeping bag was not so comfortable. However, this weekend we came equipped with super-puffy, down sleeping bags and memory foam pillows. As you can see in this picture, we were set UP! I slept like a log, or my dog--either way it was good.
Sap everywhere--sap ass
On Saturday we awoke to another lovely day. After breaky and a trip to the pit toilet we were at it again. There seems to be a lot of sap all over the place at Groom. I don't know if it's left over from all the ugly logging that was done -- those guys left a real mess -- or if it's just what pine trees do this time of year. As you can see from the circles on my britches above, I picked up quite a bit of it. Probably the end of these pants now :( I only sat on rocks too.
We went to some areas that are not the main area and started having a good day. I did about five problems I couldn't do before -- okay only two. I like to exaggerate. I may have done three of the tallest problems I've ever done. It was very exciting. On one problem Rich kept telling me to come down because there weren't any holds on top. But I knew I could do it. I knew I wouldn't fall so I kept going and I did it. It was very exciting!
We went to several other areas and kept bouldering until our tips couldn't take the sting of that sticky, sharp granite and we decided to leave. Going home a different route, we headed through Prescott Valley, Jerome, Clarksville and finally Sedona before we hit the road to Flag.
We went to some areas that are not the main area and started having a good day. I did about five problems I couldn't do before -- okay only two. I like to exaggerate. I may have done three of the tallest problems I've ever done. It was very exciting. On one problem Rich kept telling me to come down because there weren't any holds on top. But I knew I could do it. I knew I wouldn't fall so I kept going and I did it. It was very exciting!
We went to several other areas and kept bouldering until our tips couldn't take the sting of that sticky, sharp granite and we decided to leave. Going home a different route, we headed through Prescott Valley, Jerome, Clarksville and finally Sedona before we hit the road to Flag.
Support Hillary in JeromeJerome is a town with a lot of character, not reminiscent of most western towns (well, it's not modern) and I love it for that. Here is a photo of one of the town's political statements. Had to get a shot of that one.
Champy pre-bathI've never seen Champ this tired. I took him on a REALLY short jog after we FINALLY got home. He couldn't keep up--and I'm slow. Poor guy. Then he got a bath, turns out he's grey not brown..wow.
Looking up at Jerome
More Iris's in JeromeThat's all folks...wait for the next adventure -- maybe Ryan Kwan Do will start again soon -- ahhhhh!
