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Es werden Posts vom August, 2020 angezeigt.

A Quirky, Quiet Place in Sedona

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A QUIRKY, QUIET PLACE IN SEDONA Looking west from the trail. Serene, solitary walks in Arizona’s high desert are good for the soul.   Even in times like these when conditions require us to distance ourselves from others, an occasional escape from the din of civilization can refresh a stressed body and mind.   The route traces the west flank of Bear Mountain Revered for its scenic beauty and restorative powers, Sedona is a go-to destination for mental and physical renewal.   A corral near Robinson and Red tanks Miles of hiking trails offer escape into gorgeous red rock canyons and cacti-studded mountaintops where the soothing sounds of ravens and digeridoos echo from russet escarpments. When times get tough or just plain confusing, it’s only natural you’d want to make a road trip to Sedona. Silverleaf nightshade blooms along the route Yet, once at the gateway to deliverance, you’ll likely discover that everybody else kind of had the same idea. There's plenty of solitude on this who-

Corner Lake

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CORNER LAKE Gate at the north end of Corner Lake points to Mormon Mtn. The lone coyote skulked among clumpy grasses and stunted trees barely 30 yards from the degraded two track where I was hiking.   Creeping, crouching, sniffing the air and casting wry glances in my direction, it was clear the stealth beast was on the hunt. Coyotes are Arizona’s most common predator, but they will eat just about anything. Their subsistence staples include j uniper berries, mesquite beans, eggs, insects and even garbage and small pets where their territories intersect human populations.  But this day on Anderson Mesa, the coveted item on the menu was pronghorn. Hike is in the Anderson Mesa Wildlife Protection Area A tank near Corner Lake sustains wildlife Located southeast of Flagstaff along Lake Mary Road, the mesa is home to several popular fishing lakes including Ashurst and Kinnikinick in Coconino National Forest.   While the elongated land mass has a few densely-wooded areas, most of the 25-mile-l

Buck Mountain

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BUCK MOUNTAIN  Buck Mountain fire tower Remember 1973? The year was rife with high-tension world events, political controversy and noteworthy bright spots. There was the Watergate scandal and the resignation of President Richard M. Nixon, the opening of the World Trade Center and U.S. involvement in Vietnam was winding down with the Paris Peace Accords. View from the summit of Buck Mountain. On the home front, tennis great Billie Jean King beat Bobby Riggs in a match hyped as “the battle of the sexes” while the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade spurred debate over women’s reproductive rights that’s still roiling today. But all this was overshadowed by two events that got personal. The hike's last mile is open to foot travel only First, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) oil embargo caused angry confrontations at the gas pump, price gouging and fuel shortages. Next, in an ominous precursor to 2020, there was a run on toilet paper. Ostensibly, Led Ze