Cellpic Sunday – 5 April 2020

Buckeye, Arizona.

It’s spring in the Arizona desert. At The Founders Course in the Verrado development of Buckeye, golfers are busy throughout the three cooler months. Those who are avid golfers find themselves in the heat of summer out on the course in the early morning when the lows are in the mid- to high-80s. Part of the course is adjacent to the Verrado Trail System. As we walked by on a recent hike, the brittlebush plants were in full bloom with their beautiful daisy-like flowers. On the tee, a foursome was just getting ready to take their shots as I took mine with my cellphone.

Cellpic Sunday – 22 March 2020

Buckeye, Arizona.

With my retirement as North Dakota Wing Commander, I give up access to a business phone provided by Civil Air Patrol (CAP). When I took that job four years ago, my personal phone was a Samsung S6. Other than occasional use, most of the time, it was shut off and all calls were sent to my CAP cell phone so I wouldn’t have to carry two phones around.

Cellpic Sunday – 15 March 2020

Washington, D.C.

In late February, I made my last trip to visit our North Dakota legislators on Capitol Hill in my capacity as North Dakota Wing Commander for Civil Air Patrol. During my tenure, I’ve made the trip to D.C. each February. Until this year, it was cloudy, dreary, and rainy. This year, as our contingent walked from the Senate office building complex to the House of Representatives office complex, even though it was quite cold, it was a beautiful day. As we walked by the Library of Congress, I had to stop and capture a cellpic of this beautiful exterior.

Cellpic Sunday – 8 March 2020

Peoria, Arizona.

In the northwestern Phoenix metro area, Lake Pleasant Regional Park beckons on those hot summer days. But I’ve never been there then. Due to my heavy travel schedule this winter, I only led one hike in February, so I wanted it to be a good one. I picked Pipeline Canyon Trail, my favorite trail in Lake Pleasant Park. A relatively level trail with only about a 600-foot (183 m) altitude change, it’s only two miles in length. But there is a small parking lot with rest rooms at each end and after a short break, it’s another two miles back to the cars. We completed the hike in less than 2 hours on a beautiful spring morning.

Cellpic Sunday – 23 February 2020

Colorado Springs, Colorado.

It’s opulence defined. The Broadmoor Resort and Hotel in Colorado Springs hearkens back to an earlier time. The long tree-lined entrance and exit roads lead to the valet parking and a classic town car awaits your ride to the railroad station. For those with the means to afford a stay in a classic luxury resort, they have spared no expense. No, we didn’t rent a room. We just wanted to “snoop” around. The hotel staff was very accommodating, even providing complimentary valet parking though we said we weren’t staying.

Cellpic Sunday – 9 February 2020

Waddell, Arizona.

In the White Tank Mountain Regional Park, one of my favorite hikes is from Mesquite Canyon Trail to Willow Canyon Trail. The climb is slow and steady, almost 1500 feet (457 m) from the parking area to the highest point on the trails. The good news is that the climb comes early when one is fresh and the trek on the way back is mostly downhill.

Cellpic Sunday – 2 February 2020

Buckeye, Arizona.

On January 26, Lynn and I hiked Quartz Mountain Trail in Skyline Park, about two miles north of our house in Buckeye. It’s been a wet winter and generally the terrain is much greener than normal. We are expecting a spring flower show in March. As we rounded a curve in the trail, we saw several people talking and snapping photos of something on the edge of the trail. As we passed by, they clued us in.