NBC started its pre-pre-pre-pre-pre game show at 8am for a 4pm local kick-off time. That gave us time to take the dogs up the Mule Mountain Trail. I wanted to explore the canyon there with Kevin. I was last there over the Christmas school break and wanted to see more of the canyon. I was not disappointed.
One other hiker and his dog were ahead of us, so instead of hitting the peaks we opted for the canyon first where we didn't expect to see a soul. Kevin brought his GPS along: we started out at a 6870' elevation. I didn't think we were that high.
It was a pretty day, with warmth and blue skies. The canyon had standing pools of icy water which Sara used prolifically. This canyon got prettier the lower we trekked down the mountain, as the naked rock either widened or narrowed over impressive rock walls. Oaks, Desert spoons, agaves, manzanitas , grasses, hedgehog cacti lined this canyon. At times I felt I was in Sycamore Canyon (outside of Nogales) or Sykes Pool east of Tucson. This was untamed wilderness with just the five of us. I wouldn't want to be there during a monsoonal rain.
I could have explored more but the canyon walls got very narrow at one point and water pooled at the bottom. Neither I nor the dogs were willing to climb up and over the rocks; we had gone further anyway and had to trek back up to finish the Mule Trail to its end facing the northern slopes toward Tombstone.
Kevin is at his finest when out "scouting." I enjoy watching him when he gets pensive in the wilderness. I took him to the limestone overlook and there he stood for quite a while, looking through his binoculars at whatever it was he was spotting toward the north. This is Apache Country and I'm sure he was thinking of all sorts of battles the Natives fought against White Eye in these mystical hills. He is the epitome of an infantryman, moving slowly while keeping an eye out on his target. While he was out scouting I meandered with the dogs further up the exposed rocks...only to see more rocks sloping downward. What hidden treasures were in these foothills?
"Thanks for thinking about this place" said Kevin as we got back to the truck. I'm glad he finally got to see these hills. My thighs were sore as we got home and the dogs were exhausted.
The Cardinals-Steelers game started shortly after we got home. I was busy downloading pictures of the hike and reading other websites. I never saw the first half although the game was on the TV in the same room. Nor did I see my favorite part: the commercials. And when Kevin went to bed before halftime I knew the game was lost.
It was a good game, from the tidbits I saw of it. The Cards had a three-point lead in the last two minutes of the fourth quarter and it looked like they would win the game, but the Steelers grabbed another touchdown at the very end. They won 27-23.
I was rooting for the underdog, the Cards. I had a co-worker years ago who was an avid Steelers fan. He was a creepy sort, always pretending to be a spy whenever we'd travel on business and he made me uneasy when in public. His cellphone was a headpiece that wired behind one of his ears and he'd speak into a hidden mouthpiece tucked under his collar. He'd call his wife every five minutes to make sure she was at home (!!!). So when the Steelers won I thought of this guy, knowing that he was ecstatic somewhere back East. Even spies need to have fun, too.
I have to admit that Card fans were well-behaved, both here and in Florida. Even the KVOA announcers who broadcasted live from Tampa admitted that it was the best game in Super Bowl history, as well as the longest at over four hours. All the KVOA announcers were dressed in red, even today at a post-analysis game.
The announcers did apologize about a ten-second pornographic feed after the Arizona touchdown that Comcast viewers in Tucson were exposed to. (We here in the corner get only Cox Cable). The station repeatedly has told its viewers the porn did not originate from KVOA and that officials are investigating the matter.
There is always next year. I'm not crying by any means but a local win would have boosted the economy in the Phoenix-Glendale area for the Cards. At least the Cards won their division league and have bragging rights for coming from behind. Two weeks ago I had no idea that Arizona had a professional football team. Now I hear about the Cards all the time. I learned a lesson.
The worst part about the end of the football season is the start of baseball. Ugh. But at least there is basketball!!! Now that I can enjoy.
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