FR 97 to Jack Shoe Canyon

We took off early this morning to check out FR 97 to Jack Shoe Ranch and the canyon beyond. We'd heard the trail had been washed out and wasn't in passable condition, however, the road turned out to be just fine with some careful maneuvering. We didn't spot any critters much to our surprise, but there were a few more people on the trails so the critters probably made themselves scarce. Weekends bring people to the area with their ATVs and added noise, so usually we prefer to hit the trails on weekdays when we have the roads to ourselves. It warmed up once the sun came up but thankfully, there's still a hint of Fall in the air.

It's a beautiful clear day here, the desert air is wonderful and sweetly scented, I wish we could bottle it and share some with all of you.

Chili Omelets and Blacktail Rattlesnake

Neat trip! We headed out this morning with Larry & Jean to have some breakfast at Tortilla Flat on the scenic Apache Trail. The morning was clear and cool with a definite nip in the air. Along the way, we stopped to admire Roosevelt Dam, a nice place to take in the beautiful scenery.

Breakfast was great, although, it's the kind of eating that we'll probably pay for later in the day. "Killer Omelets" consists of a three egg omelet stuffed with Tortilla Flat's "Killer Chili", topped with cheddar cheese...GROAN....I must say, we did it justice, but I must offer a helpful hint, don't eat a heavy breakfast and then go bouncing along on an unpaved, washboard road.  Tortilla Flat Arizona 

On the way back along the trail, a Blacktail Rattlesnake posed for pictures. He didn't appreciate his morning bask in the sun being interrupted, so he coiled, rattled and buzzed angrily at us.  Blacktail Rattlesnake - American International Rattlesnake Museum

It's sure nice to get out and do some good Jeeping again, we've all missed it.

Check out the album to see some good snake pictures.

Tags:  Blacktail Rattlesnake, Roosevelt Dam, Tortilla Flat

Gila Monster in Gila County

The temperature stayed cooler for a nice change this morning, so we headed out for our first jaunt of the season. A-Cross Road is always good for spotting critters and today was no exception. We saw a rattler, but he didn't stick around long enough to smile for the camera.  This morning alongside the road, warming himself in the morning sun we came upon an adult, fairly large (about 16 inches) Gila Monster. Although venomous, they're non aggressive so we stopped and annoyed him long enough to take a few pictures.We'd seen a Gila Monster one other time, but he was off in the distance and we couldn't get a good look. The only other critters on today's trip were a Ground Squirrel and a Great Blue Heron. It was a nice ride, it's sure good to get out in the Jeep again. Gas prices and temperatures willing, we'll be doing lots more of it soon.