And the horribly perfect weather continues. High 60’s, warm sun, a vague chill in the air, not a trace of cloud visible (until after 1400). Got out to see the sights, stretch the legs, and retrieve the last PMC checkpoints.

My poor camera does not do this view justice; today was as clear as I’ve ever seen it.

It is actually late fall, visible not only in the long shadows at noon, but in the falling of the few deciduous leaves you’ll find on this ridge at 7k.

Who the hell was rooting around in those needles, anyway?

Getting out on a “usual” loop in the middle of the day is a luxury: the sure sign of a holiday. Normally I’m either restricted to early mornings and afternoons during the week, and weekends are for resting or running amok elsewhere. Not something I intend to corral or restrict anytime soon, but stopping to realize how good I do have it here is healthy, particularly when we just bought tickets to Iowa and Ohio for Christmas; the grand midwest family tour will no doubt replenish my sense of proportion, and keep me from complaining too much about Prescott’s traffic and lack of snow.

Tomorrow, of course, we’re still off to The Ditch. That is another goal for the winter, seeing more of Arizona, something Yuri and Chad and Scott are making easy.

Cheers!