A Short Walk in Flagstaff, Arizona

Flagstaff is a great place to take a walk. For one thing, the summer weather is gorgeous! Plus, there’s the Flagstaff Urban Trail System (FUTS), a network of over 56 miles of walking and biking paths throughout town.

Wheeler Park

When we were in Flagstaff recently, I wanted to take Quijote on a short walk before we went to meet up with family. I found a nice little quarter-mile route downtown from Wheeler Park to Heritage Square.

Wheeler Park has a central location with free parking nearby. I recognized the park name from Happenings List events that take place there, like Flagstaff Art in the Park.

I had done a quick search, and it didn’t seem like anything like that was scheduled for that day.

chaotic mural — “Sound of Flight” mural on the side of the Orpheum Theater by Sky Black and Mural Mice.

Unexpected Hullabaloo

But there was. The sidewalks got more crowded the closer we got. The street we planned to turn on to get to the park was completely closed. As we circled around the block, we realized the entire park was fenced off. And so was the parking lot.

The cause of all the hullabaloo was, in fact, Hullabaloo.

The “fun and funky” festival that had taken over the park was Hullabaloo Flagstaff, an annual community celebration that also raises money for local non-profits. It somehow had completely eluded my search results.

Orpheum in flagstaff — The Orpheum Theater in Flagstaff.

An Even Shorter Walk

When we finally did start our walk, Quijote had been sitting in the sun and was already approaching being overheated. (These days he gets too hot or too cold pretty quickly.)

So we went as far as the Orpheum Theater, and then turned back towards the car to get Quijote cooled off.

If we hadn’t been running so far behind already, we may have found a lunch spot with a shaded patio and let him cool off there. (Diablo Burger was temptingly close by!)

But it was time to leave downtown Flagstaff for the day and move on.

Getting Around Downtown Flagstaff (+ Beyond)

Even the center of a smaller city can have a lot going on that makes it tricky for visitors to navigate. Here are a few tips I’ve learned…

detail of Flagstaff urban trail map — Part of the FUTS map via City of Flagstaff.

1. Get on Your FUTS

Get a physical Flagstaff Urban Trails System map at City of Flagstaff offices or find the PDF version on their site. The FUTS map will also show you which paths are paved, which ones are specifically for bikes, where you’re likely to see wildlife, where to find water fountains, and where there are bus stops along the trail. It’s especially helpful since these trails don’t necessarily show up on Google Maps.

Flagstaff Hullabaloo banners hanging on the temporary fencing around Wheeler Park.

2. See what’s going on

I had kind of forgotten about Flagstaff365.com, but they have a pretty comprehensive event listing that you can filter by date, venue, etc. I bet if I had checked there first, I would have known about Hullabaloo Flagstaff.

little free library — Little Free Library near the Orpheum.

3. Maybe skip the parking…

…and take public transit instead.

Mountain Line Day Passes are just $2.50. Bring exact change to pay on the bus.

2 bus lines stop near Wheeler Park:

Route 2 – Blue, stop #28
Route 5 – Orange, stops #2 and #30

4. But if you must drive…

Watch for Downtown Flagstaff parking signage that lets you know if you can park in a certain space and if it has a time limit.

City and County lots are free after 5pm on weekdays and all day on weekends. (Employees only during the workday.)
Pay-by-plate system: Instead of parking meters, pay at centralized kiosks by entering your license plate number and using a credit/debit card or (at certain kiosks) cash.
The Flowbird app allows you to pay for parking and extend your time. It has a $0.23 per transaction fee.
Pay-to-Park spots are $1/hour starting at 9am daily. These lots (and curbside parking spaces) are free after 5pm Sunday—Thursday and after 8pm Friday—Saturday.

December 17, 2020December 17, 2020

Top Fives of 2020

We humans are weirdly resilient.

"Dirty P" art by John Carrillo. — “Dirty P” art by John Carrillo.

A few years ago, I wrote (through tears), “Life can be such an off-balance mix of highs and lows, beautiful moments and heartbreaking ones all scrambled together.”

It remains true at the close of this tumultuous, challenging, disorienting – and, yes, often heartbreaking – year. There are points of light, even in dark times.

Dog — Quijote hanging out with me before polling place setup in November.

I asked a few friends to think of some good moments they experienced in 2020 and share them in the form of a top five list of things they did or simply enjoyed.

Their lovely responses (and fun photos!) are below.

Handmade clothes and quilts — Craft projects by Kelli.

Kelli Donley Williams: Top 5 Things I Made

These are my top five favorite makes of 2020 – a year that provided ample time for me to be creative.

1. Cornflower Yoke Cardigan from Vintage Baby Knits for my niece, Maxine Eleanor. She was born August 1.

2. No. 1 shirt from designer Sonya Philip. I learned how to sew basic garments this year. I made several of these and lived in them all summer!

3. I participated in Denyse Schmidt’s Proverbial Quilt Along. The quilt reads, “The Darkest Nights Make the Brightest Stars.” I gave it to my eldest niece Alexis, who headed off to college in August and was having a hard time with everything she’d been forced to miss due to the pandemic.

4. My best friend Meghann turned 40 in August and asked for a quilt in her colors. This is the most ambitious quilting project I’ve ever completed. My mom quilted the top with her longarm, to make it extra special. The pattern is an Ohio star.

5. I completed Morning Sky sweater in cornflower blue and have enjoyed wearing it. I really like the scalloped edge and the fit. I made it from inexpensive yarn, and it has held up nicely!

Healthy meals — Serious meal prep by Christin!

Christin Underwood: Top 5 Ways I Stayed Healthy during 2020

1. Meal prepped weekly to stay on my nutrition

2. Made sure to do at least 3 home workouts a week

3. Made sure to hike weekly for Vitamin D

4. FaceTime and Zoom called my family once a week

5. Journaled and did meditation for mental health

Lucrecer Braxton portrait — Lucrecer with some of her many plants, who she plays music and dances with.

Lucrecer Braxton: Top 5 Songs I’ve Been Listening to This Year

1. Diana Gordon, “Woman”

2. Almondmilkhunni feat. Evander Griiim, “Grapefruit”

3. Yung Baby Tate, “That Girl”

4. Maxine Ashley, “Lobster”

5. Koffee, “Toast”

Sangeeta and Shanauk got the beet. — 2018 photo that I dug up on Sangeeta’s Facebook.

Sangeeta Agarawal: Top Ways I Learnt To Do R+R This Year

1. Call and Zoom friends

2. Walks in nature and meditation retreats

3. Cook fun recipes

4. Clean and decorate house

5. Coloring and calligraphy

6. Reading spiritual books

7. Being in pajamas

8. A little bit of gardening

Dog in a tent — Laurel says her dog, Honeybear, is an excellent camper!

Top 5 Things I Enjoyed in Spite of 2020…

• from Laurel Shane:

1. Camping trips

2. Cuddling with my dog

3. Reading Solutions and Other Problems by Allie Brosh

4. DIY projects like sewing masks and making home improvements

5. Rewatching The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

• from Vesna Taneva-Miller:

1. I went on my first meditation retreat in Stockbridge, MA a week before everything shut down because of COVID. This was on my 2020 list before 2020 arrived.

2. I went on an epic hike in Yosemite and hiked Half Dome. I was sooo lucky to be invited on this hike as going all the way to the top requires a permit that is given through a lottery system.

Stamps — Two of Vesna’s hand carved stamps.

3. I was able to stay home for 6 weeks when COVID first hit. We did a lot of walks in local parks. I also learned how to edit videos and filmed 3 classes for Skillshare.

4. I planted two fruit trees in my backyard: a fig and a pomegranate. I will always remember that they were planted during COVID year (haha)!

5. I am joining Carve December, and I am determined to carve a stamp a day during this month.

Happy campers — Lori camping with family.

• from Lori Meisner Cleland:

1. Socially distanced camping trips with my brother and his family

2. Discovering new (to me) music, like Gregory Porter

3. A slower pace

4. Increased support of and appreciation of small businesses

5. Seeing all the amazing creativity going on as people work to navigate this crazy year together

Food and beverages — Photos from some of the local restaurants Lori supported this year.

Photos that go with the lists are from the respective listmakers.

P.S. Dinah Liebold’s list of gift ideas that was so detailed and timely that it got its own post last week, so be sure to check that out if you haven’t already!

July 30, 2020July 30, 2020

Colossal Cave Coatis

We were already on the road to Colossal Cave Mountain Park, when we realized we’d overshot our original destination. We had heard about the cave but hadn’t ever been there. So, instead of doubling back and trying to find the entrance for the nature preserve we had probably just driven through but weren’t sure how to access, we kept going!

We weren’t even sure if we’d be able to get into the park or if it was still closed due to the coronavirus. And we certainly weren’t planning on going into any caves since Quijote was with us. But it was Phillip’s birthday, and he voted to go see what we could find.

Colossal Cave Mountain Park

Colossal Cave is a dry cave system under the Rincon Mountains in the Tucson-adjacent community of Vail. Before being developed into a tourist attraction by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s, the cave had served a variety of functions, including a shelter for the Hohokam people, train robber hideout, and guano mine.

What to know if you decide to visit:

The park around the cave is open for hiking, camping, and taking in the views. (Free entrance. You just pay fees if you’re going on a cave tour or camping.)
Cave tours have restarted on a limited basis – currently only the Classic Cave Tour is available.
You can choose your tour time and book tickets online. (Adult $18 / child $9 / military or first responder $14) You can only enter the cave on a tour.
Face coverings and social distancing (six feet apart) are required during tours.
Under the roof of this cool rock structure built by the CCC is the cave entrance, Terrace Cafe, and gift shop.
Because the CCC were so instrumental in developing Colossal Cave Mountain Park, there’s a statue in honor of the CCC workers at the entrance to the terrace.

There are also nice hiking trails outside the cave – I’m sure they’ll be even nicer when it’s not summery hot.

Coatimundis

We were looking around the terrace when I overheard one of the staff tell the group waiting for their tour time that they often see coatimundis going in and out of the cave.

That stopped me in my tracks.

A coatimundi (or “coati”) is a long-nosed member of the raccoon family that mostly lives in Central America, but has also found its way into higher elevations of the Southwestern U.S. and Mexico (Mt. Lemmon, for example).

Phillip and I have been on the lookout for one ever since we went to Chiricahua for the first time and didn’t see any there.

We had no idea there’d be a chance to see one that day. Apparently, though, they’re a common sight, going in and out of the cave and hunting around the park for trash (which, of course, is on-brand for the raccoon family).

Moments later, we saw a young coati atop the hill above the cave entrance! He started sniffing along the edge, and then scampered down its sheer face and into the cave.

Phillip barely had time to snap photos, and I had my hands full with Quijote.

But we saw it.

It was like nature gave Phillip a colossal birthday surprise!

September 18, 2017

A Hike in Le Marche

At about the halfway point in our Italy trip, we took a break from museums and city streets and headed to the country.

We went to Le Marche, a region east of Tuscany that stretches to the Adriatic Sea.

One morning, we hiked up a hillside to some ruins of a city that had been abandoned there hundreds of years ago.

Coming over one ridge, we spotted a pair of horses grazing. One had a bell around its neck (like a cowbell – apparently it keeps porcupines away).

They seemed as curious about us as we were about them, both parties making our way cautiously toward each other bit by bit.

We stared at each other awhile until, finally, Phillip and I turned to scramble up the next hill to see the crumbling stone houses there. The horses continued to mosey down their path.

April 17, 2017March 23, 2021

Nests

I love it when I’m walking and spot a nest in a tree.

It feels like a small discovery, like finding an Easter egg (no pun intended) or a secret door.

From the time I was a little kid, my dad taught me how to look for signs of what’s going on in the natural world, pointing out the high waterline above a dry riverbed, animal tracks in the dirt, cottonwood trees where there’s water, and all kinds of habitats – burrows and holes and nests.

At the Arboretum recently, we saw a man was pointing out a nest in a tree for his grandson.

“You guys should check this one out, too.” I showed them a large nest right in the middle of a cholla cactus that would’ve been hidden from their viewpoint.

I can’t think of a safer place for a home – or a trickier place to build it.