What would Stallone do?

Whether its purpose is to convey a personal journey in the shortest time possible, to skirt the tedium that true character building activities can embody or to make it look like your protagonist has done MUCH more work than the actor himself, the movie montage has become a staple of modern American cinema.  (Evidently it is also a staple of cinema in places like Asia, but I don't watch those films, so they might as well not really exist.)

A favorite of mine was from Robin Hood; Prince of Thieves which featured the now-infamous arrow shaft Go-Pro style shot.  Another was the way Museums got cool in Ferris Bueller's Day off.  However, it's really Rocky's many montages (Rocky I, Rocky II, Rocky III, Rocky IV, Rocky Balboa, and Family Guy) that made the practice a standard for movie makers.  I think it also calls to our widespread desire for instant-gratification and immediate results: don't have the time to spend 2 months training for a big boxing match?  Put together the right montage and you've gone from flabby to rock solid in about 3 minutes.

So, what does this have to do with me?  Or my blog?  Or exploring the human capacity for the absurd?  

Ah my friends, it is central to all of the above.  For, while I spent months this summer burying my head in one epic adventure after another, I don't know that I have the patience to tell each story as a separate blog post.  I'm not sure you have the patience (as my loving audience) to listen.  

So, instead, we have "Wendy Training for Nothing in Particular: A Montage".  I like to think Sly would approve.

April 20-21 - Barnhardt Trail, Mazatzal Wilderness, Arizona (here is a full report by my companion, Angela, aka "Tibber", aka "The Tibbernator", aka "Trail sister)

 The Mazatzal Wilderness was among the most rugged parts of the state until a massive fire in 2004 laid waste to more than 180 square miles of the range.  Now it's one of the most rugged parts of the country.

There are many beautiful things to see besides ruined forests and pokey plants, though...

Views to the east from the trail (see Lilo in the left corner?)

Throwing a Wendy by a waterfall.  Classic.

May 11-12 - Sycamore Reservoir - Beginning Backpacker's Trip with Arizona Backpacking Club

Hiking in with the newbies

Always one of my favorite places for a camp

May 18-28 Bahia de Kino, Sonora, Mexico  - Happy 40th birthday to ME!  (I have more captioned photos with associated story line here.)

View from the bluff above the beach where we camped the first few nights.   Impossible to capture how beautifully rugged this Sonoran seaside is.

Then a week at the house in Kino Nuevo.  Living the dream!

My passengers had a great time, too

June 12-19 Rafting in the Grand Canyon, Take 1 (more photos? click link)

Floating in June means blue skies, clear water and temperatures that exceed 120deg.  It's pretty much a good time guarantee. 

Throwin' it Redwall Cavern style!
And then, Sirena gets her first chance to run the big rapid at Granite...

July 5-9 Pinetop, White Mountains - Introducing Sir Percy to his new family.

Percy gets a new home, and Aunt Glenna gets a new friend

Something told me right away that they'd get along famously!

Gary floating in the clouds on a high-country lake at the start of monsoon season

Wait a minute...didn't I just take this photo in Mexico?

One of these days I'll stop being shocked at Monty just jumping in the water and swimming 30-40 yards to get to someone...but it's going to take a while.

July 14-20 The John Muir Trail, Sierra Nevada Mountains, California.  When Tiffani invited me to hike a part of the JMT with her, I was certain I'd have to back out because I found a job and didn't have the time off.  So, when I was still free to go, I was super excited!  Of course, I was also infinitely unemployed, but whatever.  See the whole set here.

Fresh smelling and full of excitement, we start from the Yosemite Valley...

I'm pretty sure that you'd never really get tired of the sight of Nevada falls, but I'd be willing to hike up there over and over to find out...

Hiking into the Sunrise High Sierra Camp's alpine meadow setting was like something out of a backpacking magazine

Throwing a Wendy on Donahue Pass - my highest point for the hike, but just the beginning of the climb for Tiffani - who would hike all the way to Mt. Whitney almost 190 miles away.

Thousand Island Lake

Banner Peak reflected in the morning quiet at Garnet Lake...my last morning on the trail.

July 20-25 Hanging in California with Phosie and Gary.  Nothing like ending a long hike with some quiet time in the mountains with the family... More photos and story here.

Gary and his mom picked me up at the Devil's Postpile National Monument, and Tiffani kept on hiking without me.  It was hard to watch her go, but the ache in my feet made it a bit easier to bear.  

I'd hoped to get Gary into one of the lakes or streams for some of the world class trout fishing they brag of there...but some horses won't drink even if they're knee deep in that water.

Gary did, however, enjoy the visit to the abandoned Consolidated Mine near Mammoth Lakes.  Rusty equipment and ruined buildings...right up his alley

We spent a couple of evenings watching the sunset from the docks at June Lake.   

Of course, one of the major attractions of the Eastern Sierra is Mono Lake - and Gary and I made darned sure we worked our butts off to see some of it ;)

August 2-6 Back up in Pinetop to spend time with mom and see some White Mountains Monsoon green!

We took a long drive through the White Mountains, stopping for sweeping views, wildflower-dotted meadows and pie shops.  And we had to wash calf poop off my little dog.  Sigh.

We also worked on remodeling the bird house to make it more attractive real estate.  I'm not sure the avian community appreciated our efforts. 

August 25-September 4 Back on the River through the Grand Canyon with Sirena.  This time, rather than oppressive heat and clear water we had endless rain and chocolate milk to float through.  Here's the whole set of photos - with lots more WATERFALLS!

My first trip to Stanton's Cave...the place felt very sacred 

Days of rain beyond what is normal for monsoon season meant spontaneous waterfalls on the canyon walls - often red, muddy and violent

Also my first hike up to the Nankoweap Granaries - with mists clogging the view downstream

I was left with plenty of time to enjoy the base of Deer Creek falls, though my fever and oncoming cold symptoms made it a little less fun

Floating down a chocolate river into another storm system.  That's life in the Grand Canyon!

I considered this to be the close of my summer season, though anyone who lives in Arizona knows that there are still at least 2 months of hot weather after August leaves.  Maybe being caught up like this, I might be able to get a blog entry or two on my "early-fall" activities out before things get out of hand once again!

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