Ballcourts and Blowholes!!!!

Saturday, we decided to go on a National Park adventure.
Destination, Wupatki and Sunset Crater. We started at
Wupatki, with Indian ruins and worked our way back
towards Sunset Crater. Some of the things we saw
were really amazing, some we had never seen or heard
of before.

June 27, yes there is still snow on the back side
of the peaks.

Entering Wupatki National Monument.
These ruins were built on the edge of a canyon.

The canyon the ruins were on the edge of, and
where the indians planted their crops and got
their water.

We just happened to catch this gecko sunning
itself instead of selling insurance.

This was the next ruin up the trail, much larger.

This guy had just had a fight with another lizard.
He was running away I guess.

Arizona desert Lily.

David really likes to take pictures of dead trees.

This was a big sink hole behind one of the ruins.
The back side is all volcanic rock.

Wapatki Ruins!!

The big cirlce enclosure is called the ballcourt.
There are over 900 of these throughout Arizona.
These were the very first indoor soccer arena's.
These were built specically for different ball games.

All dad needed was a soccer ball and all of his
sons to play. It is 100 feet long and 70 feet wide.
Do these deminsions sound familiar?


This rock has been carved out the weather.
This ruin sat on top of a very large rock.

This is out in front of the ruin in a large gathering area.

This picture was taken from inside one of the small
rooms at the top of the ruin. At one time the ruin was
at least three stories high.
Making the transition from the desert to the trees.
This is looking back down at where Wupatki is from

Sunset Crater.

The backside of Sunset Crater.
One more odd shaped, dead tree.

This trail leads you on a walk along some of the Lava
flow at the bottom of Sunset Crater. You are no longer
allowed to hike to the top of the crater. David and I both
have actually hiked to the top of the crater. That was a

long time ago before they stopped people from hiking on
the crater.

We were amazed at how trees and plants could
just prow through the hard lava rock. This is an
Aspen tree.

The lave flow and I am trying to hold up one large rock!

This is a cone hole where the lava would blow out of.

This is part of Bonito lava flow, the largest lava flow.

Hope you have enjoyed our little adventure. The

pictures capture alot, but it is much better actually

being there and hiking all of it. Next adventure for the

Miller's is Walnut Canyon. To be continued...........

33 Years & Still going strong!!!

Where did those 33years go. It seems like yesterday we were just dating and going down Oak Creek Canyon on a date was the thing to do. We took our bikes for a long ride, boy how times have changed, we now climb into the Beamer and away we go. Sunday was our anniversary and so we decided to drive up Oak Creek Canyon. The air was nice and cool and fresh and it was beautiful.

David loves to drive the BMW along the winding road.

And away we go down Oak Creek Canyon!


Yes, that is where we are going!


Beauty beyond belief that can only be found in Arizona!!

Does this bring back memories? This is the orchard that we use to take all the kids to pick apples.

More of the apple orchard that we use to pick apples from with a homemade apple pole.

Red Rock State Park, we use to come here for free and at any time of the day. It was closed when we got there, so all we could do was take a picture.

The Sunsets in Arizona are hard to beat. On the way home we captured these, on the longest day of the year, the first day of summer.

This pull over is across from where me and grandma Brady would take the kids to Midgley Bridge. Remember the fun times there and the tree limb switch that Grandma used on you kids that day? So many fun memories from Oak Creek Canyon. It has been a great 33 years and we are looking forward to another 50. Love to all our children and grandchildren.

Maxwell Trail- West Clear Creek

Saturday David and I hiked down the Maxwell Trail in West Clear Creek. It started out sunny and bright and when we came out, as you will see, it was raining. It was a great adventure.

Nice and warm on the way down.

The clouds are beginning to build.

What a neat rock formation. Looks like it would be fun to climb.

Hoping to find some fish.
We saw a lot of fish mostly small but a few were
six to eight inches long. Lots of Arizona Lobsters.

What we found was an Arizona Lobster(Crawdad)
We crossed the creek several times.
Is this what I think it is? Maryjane or could it be wild mint? What do you think?
Everything is so green!

This is one long bug. We are not sure what it was doing.

This is where we stopped to eat lunch, and then start back.

Waiting under a tree while it is raining.

The canyon looked so pretty with all the rain. It was thundering and lightening.

We got a good soaking coming out of the canyon.

One more successful and fun hike, even though we were soaked.