Hiking the Ammunition Box Trail and Deer

Today was yet another picture postcard day.  It was just spectacularly stunning.  We are so happy to be here and not where it is cold.  Although we are somewhat bored with Tucson, one can not argue with the perfection of the temperatures in the upper 70s.

We hiked out of the Genser trail head parking lot.  Going up the reservoir road let us by pass Rock Wren trail.  We headed up the trail at the five way intersection and kept going.  It’s a rocky trail, with boulders and loose rocks in what appear to be drainage swales. 

Instead of going to the first overlook, we went to the one on the right, which is about a half mile away.  It’s just beautiful up there.

There used to be an ammunition box with a book to sign in it, but we couldn’t find it. 

These two rode their mountain bikes up the trail we just hiked.  They did have to do a fair amount of pushing on some of the worst parts of the trail. They are now at the other over look.  See the one mid photo in the grey shirt?  He’s scoping out how he will ride down that pile of rocks.

After riding down that pile of rocks, they rode over to where we were.  Grey shirt successfully climbed up several large boulders.

We headed down the trail, and heard them talking.  Red shirt is standing at the top of the hill.  Grey shirt is scoping out how they are going to ride down that rock face.  We didn’t think they would actually do it, and so continued back down the hill.  They did ride that and they both lived.  I am totally impressed with their skill levels.

It was a longer hike than what we have been doing.  By the time we were close to the truck I was pretty whooped.  It was good to do that.

This just tickles the living snot out of me.  See the deer on the golf course?  A resort employee drives a golf cart around the course.  The deer scatter and sort of flow into the vegetation.  The golf cart leaves and they come running back out to the bright green tender grass.  Life is good at the resort.

The other advantage to the golf course is the bow hunters can not shoot at them.  We were talking to a couple of hunters who acknowledged that the deer like the resort a lot.  Every year I am surprised that bow hunting is allowed in Tucson Mountain Park, along with the hikers, mountain bikers and horse back riders.  Those are Muley deer.

I hope you all have a good New Year’s Eve.  We are, as always, hoping that none of the ammunition that will be fired in the air by our neighbors will land on the roof of the RV.  So far we’ve escaped any damage, and with any luck that trend will continue.