Happy Summer Soltice!

This was an early shot, given that it was the longest day of the year. Mother Nature gave us...the clearest sky imaginable! So, I've flexed some Photoshop muscles and dropped in a sky worthy of the first day of summer. Honestly, it was a beautiful morning. Chilly for summer (Monument Valley is at 7000 feet).
I was just hoping for something, well, spectacular for the occasion. Instead, I took it on as a personal assignment to do it justice. We'll be revisiting the spot and the concept again.

Iconic Arizona landscape

Knock something off the ol' bucket list!
A trip into the 'greater metropolis of Tuweep,' as the sign reads at the ranger's outpost, has been on the to-do list for a long while.
This is no easy task as it requires more than 60 miles of off-road driving before getting to the last and most exciting three miles of the journey. We attempted this drive last summer and were thwarted by the summer rains that turned the road to mush. The warnings from the National Park Service that the average visitor experiences "one or more flat tires" and a tow from the nearest service station can run up to $2000, were well heeded. Alas, the only thing we took away was about 50 pounds of clay dirt that glued itself to our car.
As the monsoon season is yet weeks away from rolling into the state, the road was distinctly different this year: dusty but passable. We knew we were 'out there' when we did not maintain cell service for the duration. THAT never happens, no matter how far afield we get!
Our little group of four doubled the population of the campground that night (not counting the two dogs that also took up residence out there for the evening).

This vantage point sits over 3,000 feet above the Colorado River, facing due-east. It is not as high as the North Rim and not blessed with the tall ponderosa pines there. This is slick rock desert terrain along the edge, warm in summer. Not surprisingly, we totally missed sunrise, somewhere around 4 A.M.
We hope to visit this area again, perhaps when it's a little cooler. A LOT cooler.
And, no, we didn't lose a tire nor require a visit from Jake's Service Center in Fredonia.

See us at the Gallery

For a limited engagement, we have installed some new works at the Easy Street Gallery in Carefree. We don't often get the opportunity to exhibit our framed artwork, so we're enjoying this chance to show off a little bit.
The gallery is an open-studio concept, so we're working there once or twice a week. The gallery is located behind the Carefree Post Office on Easy Street (natch!) and is open varied hours or by appointment. Check out the webiste, easystreetgallery.com for more information.

Discovery Days

One of our favorite events of the year is next weekend--the V-V Discovery Days, March 24 and 25 at the Vee Bar Vee Rock Art Site. Besides being able to see the awesome rock art on the boulders at the site, there are interpretive displays and activities for all ages, like throwing an atl-atl or tasting roasted (not distilled) agave. It should be from 10 to 2 or so at their location south on Rt 179 off I-17 (the Sedona exit, but in the opposite direction of town).
We're considering to head up and offer some time autographing the posters that we published for the Forestry Service. [NB: brazen product plug! For $10 you can support the efforts of the Friends of the Red Rocks and the Arizona Natural History Association to help maintain the site and provide educational programs there AND get a spiffy poster. What's not to like?]. See you there?