Noon Creek Picnic & Ladybug Saddle Hike

Spring in Arizona is a glorious thing, not because we had a hard winter but because we know: Summer is Coming.  Hot, hot days like today where it got a up to a 117 degrees and all of us just stayed inside the whole day and didn't go swimming even.  It was just too hot.  I tried not to feel guilty about it; I figure when it is in the single digits back east during winter people just hunker down and stay inside too.  Thankfully days of 117 are not to often.

This day when we all (including the Germaine's) went on a picnic it was in the low 80's just right for a hike and a picnic.   Noon Creek Picnic Area is a short drive up the mountain.  It got its name from back in the pioneer days, when the women and children would escape the heat by traveling up the mountain for the summer and half a day's journey by horseback would land you at Noon Creek where I supposed the pioneers ate a picnic lunch too.

Pa and Nona enjoying the day

Eddy and Zany 

The boys has so much fun climbing over the rocks

Quinton center, McCoy right, Archy middle, Eddy back

Zany trying an acorn, rare where we live, but quite abundant at Noon Creek

After our Picnic, we decided to check out some hiking trails

As the boys hiked they looked for javelinas since they saw quite a bit of javelina droppings.

What's this hiding in the brush?  

Not a javelina but a friendly Quinton

When we came to the Ladybug Saddle Trailhead our party separated. Most went back to our pinic spot and the rest (Ashlee, Rhiannon, Declan, and Quinton) went on to hike.

Ashlee and Declan

A rare photo in the wild of Ashlee, who usually is the designated photographer but I seized the camera so I could take photos of her trying out her new black diamond poles.

Lovely specimen 

(You say that when you don't know what the proper name is)

Dec, Ash and Quint

Quinton and Declan (red shirt) considering the descent

Another photo of Ash

We were happy to discover running water and a waterfall.

Declan crosses after Quinton

You wouldn't kick a guy while his down would you Quint?

It was a very nice hike and would be even more beautiful in the fall with the leaves changing colors. I am always wanting Ashlee to take up hiking with some plein aire painting.  That's my dream we hike, then we set up our little easels and portable paints and companionably paint together and then resume our hike.  Don't worry I'll talk Ashlee into it one of these days, sisters who hike/paint together, stay together (I'm pretty sure)!