Oak creek canyon

Since the forest fire has the road closed 12 miles up the canyon, it is one of the few times you can reasonably travel up the narrow winding road by bicycle. I rode along with the road mostly to myself. First uphill with oak creek dropping down below me and red cliffs still riding above. Then I reached the beautiful bridge spanning the creek which was far below, with the narrow valley it has cut through the red rock lush with greenery. Then the road gently drops down into the cool of the canyon, now the green trees are a canopy above me and the air picks up the coolness of the creek and the smell of wet sandstone as I ride next to the water. There are deeper cool areas, and white rapids.. All of it flowing along swiftly but without any rush.  Around one of the bends are little cottages to rent or a private home and a sign for a general store. 

Mmmmonsoon

Mint chocolate chip ice cream and the first monsoon rains after a hot Tucson summer- both so cooling and delicious!

Red rock dweller

The tall cliffs dominate the landscape, so it is fun to spot the little details as I go running through the soft red dirt. The foliage is so green against the oranges, pinks, reds and yellows of the stone and dirt. It makes me wonder about using this dirt for clay. Definitely imagining the feel of adding water to this ground and squishing the mud into clay, and molding that into pots, sculptures, images of things like this beetle.