Revamp

Last year about this time I changed the layout and background of my blog. I don’t know if it’s because of the start of a new year or because of something else but again I’m looking for new ways to re-energize my blog.

This year I’m not going to change my blogs ‘look’ but, to shake things up I want to tweak my blogs content. I want to more often and more regularly. I also want to write about a wider variety of topics…I’m not really sure how long this will last but I can dream. I’ll still post about what I do with Lynette, my family and the scouts, but I also want to throw in more posts about what I’m currently thinking.

I can’t say if I will be writing about sports, politics or something else entirely because I have no idea what I will be thinking about this year. All my posts will be based on something that I’m doing, so current events are definitely fair game. We’ll see how this turns out—I do know this will be interesting, but it may be interesting to only me.

In the great scheme of things this ‘goal’ is not the most important of my new year’s resolutions, but this is something I’d like to do. Hopefully I’ll keep it up. So, if you continue to read Upside Down Map this year than you will learn not only about what’s going on in my life, but what’s going on in my mind as well.

Thanks for reading. Happy New Year.

Picketpost

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In my last blog post I mentioned that we weren't able to make it to the top of the mountain we intended to climb. That disappointment made me want to get to the top more than anything. So, the day after Thanksgiving, my sister and I with a couple of nephews decided to go for a hike.

It was cold that day and I worried that it would rain, but it didn't. When we got to the trailhead, we couldn't even see the top of the mountain because the clouds had lowered and gathered near the summit.

Still, I was determined to get to the top, so we did.

There wasn't a trail, so we followed cairns sometimes, and often we followed arrows that someone had spray painted on the side of the cliff. We had to do some 'scrambling' in parts. The scrambling resembled mountain climbing but on a smaller scale and with out the need for ropes.

The main "feature" about this hike is that someone has carried a mailbox to the top of the mountain and posted it at the highest point. Inside are journals where hikers have written their names and thoughts. The views were good too.

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Once at the top, we sat and rested. Looked in the mailbox and then came back down.

It was a fun hike and I am glad I got to go with my sister. We went on a hike last year after Thanksgiving so I think we are starting a new tradition.

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Blog Catch -Up

I wanted to get a post up here about the scout outing that we took in November. This was far from the most exciting outing that I've ever been on.

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We went out to Superior and camped in the desert just outside of town. The place I intended we pitch our tents was already occupied by an RV. So we went further down the dirt road and found a great little spot that was secluded from everyone.

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Before the sun went down, I and the other leaders were commenting on what a beautiful night it was. It wasn't too cold and definetly wasn't too hot. The sun was going down, the boys were behaving and everything was just going good. It's times like that when it's easy to be a scout leader.

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Later that night, after the sun went down, and after eating dinner the perfect condidtions began to change. First the wind started up in the form of swift gusts that would blow over paper plates that weren't secured and the camp chairs. That was irritating, but bearable. Then, shortly thereafter the wind really started to blow. The sparks from the fire were being carried into the desert so far that we decided we needed to put it out before any accidents arose.

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After the fire was out there wasn't much more to do except wonder what was going to blow over next. The boys decided to climb in their tent and see if they could get some sleep.

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Well, they couldn't. The wind continued, and actually picked up speed to the point where their tent began blow over. I was pretty impressed with their 'solutioneering' but it was all to no avail. A couple of the tent sticks failed and the tent ultimately caved in.

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Meanwhile, the other leader and I were watching the boys struggle through this trial. Maybe I should have been helping them, but it was pretty entertaining to sit back and take some pictures.

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But, just so you know...ultimately, I did help and the boys all ended up sleeping uncomfortably in one of the vehicles.

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Here are some pic's

3 scouts didn't fit very well in this:

The next morning we got up early and set out to hike this mountain:

Here's one of the guys with supplies to last a week in the desert:

But, we made a wrong turn and ended up hiking 4 miles on the Arizona Trail instead for heading for the summit of the intended mountain.

We returned to the car tired and dejected. Luckily, one of the guys dads was there with his horse. The boys took it for a ride around the trailhead area.

So, although there were some redeeming events, you can see why this outing was less than exciting, we didn't even make it to the top of the mountain. Driving back I vowed to climb it over Thanksgiving...which I did (pics to come later).

I can't leave that mountain un-climbed.

Yukon Cornelius

For scouts last night we went to an old people place and sung Christmas carols. That was pretty fun. The care facility has a bus that we rode to the facility from the church. After singing we went joy riding in the bus to see Christmas lights. Afterwards we drank hot chocolate. Mmmm.

On the bus we watched Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer. It had been a while since I had seen it so it was fun getting reacquainted with characters.

In a pretty much unanimous decision all the scouts thought that I best represented Yukon Cornelius. After realizing he is a good guy (a friend to the misfits) I decided that was ok. I, uh, he even battled the abominable snow monster. When Cornelius did something weird the boys kept saying, "see that's something you would do."

Anyway, I thought that was funny. Here are some pics... (I don't see any physical resemblance, but hopefully I at least resemble him metaphorically.)

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ps. I know it's been a while since I've last written. I'm going to try to write a little in reverse to get caught up.

Life is Good

Last night, I was filling Lynette's truck up with gas and just had to take a picture...

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Life is Good.

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Oh yeah...and thanks to everyone who came and said hello at the Mesa Arts and Crafts sale. We are lucky to have such supportive friends.

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Have a great day!!

Let the Bidding Begin

Every once in a while I hear a news story about weird things being sold on Ebay. Leno occasionally features these items and I find that segment very entertaining. You can buy anything on Ebay you can find Barack Obama's image on a peice of toast, bid to name somebody's baby, buy a spare shadow, or find unaltered potato chip with a perfect cut out of a cross.

Well, tonight while doing the dishes I found a possible Ebay find of that caliber...When I picked up a spoon that had been resting in a day old-finished bowl of Speghetti-O’s. The residual sauce from the soup combined to form a perfect smiley face on the back of the spoon.

Even if I don't get any Ebay money for this 'phenomenon' it at least made me chuckle and brightened my day.

Red Hot & Rivetting

Don't forget to come to the Mesa Art's and Culture Festival (see post below). Lynette has been working hard to make lot's of great stuff. Her jewelry will be on sale and you will be able to see other art's and crafts by many other local artists.

It should be fun, even if you don't end up buying anything.

This picture is great, isn't it?

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ps. Red Hot & Rivetting is the ASU Metal's Club slogan.

Christmas Shopping?

Confession: I get abnormally annoyed when Christmas starts too soon. For example, it bugs me when radio stations play Christmas Carols before Thanksgiving and this year, I even saw Christmas decorations being sold at Walmart before Halloween. What's up with that??? Our 'commercial society' extends the holiday season to unusual lengths. I'll admit, occasionaly I think it's good, but most other times I don't see the cup half full.

Anyway...I know this may seem totally hypocritical but I want to advertise the upcoming Holiday Art and Music Festival on Saturday Nov. 22nd. I will be there selling Lynette's jewelry.

Lynette will be there too, but I'm not exactly sure when. She is teaching an art class for the City of Phoenix on Saturday's so she will start at the Art Festival, go teach her class, and then come back. If you haven't been by Lynette's blog, website or shop in a while please click here to see what's new.

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Come and buy hand made stuff for your favorite friends.

Here's the info you need to know:

HOLIDAY ART & MUSIC FESTIVAL
When: Nov 22, 2008

Start time: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Where: Mesa Arts Center

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See you there.

Scott

Halloween 08

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Here are some pictures of my families annual pumpkin carving activity. This year was fun. Next year I need to bring a pumpkin.

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This is my third pumpkin carving event since I started my blog. To see the other posts click here: 2007 and/or 2006
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Scott

I guess he really likes Goldfish:

I miss my beard.

Tucson

Last weekend Lynette and I went down to Tucson to enjoy the weekend with her parents.

Lynette just completed her first major review as a grad student. From what I heard, she did great. I am very proud of her. This is what she had to say about that review. Here's what she wrote about our trip.

Down in Tucson I helped Lynette's dad replace a toilet that wasn't working. I also tried making pizza in a dutch oven. I think, from now on, when I go to Tucson my new 'thing' will be to try a new dutch oven recipe.

The pizza turned out pretty good, but the pizza crust didn't turn out perfectly. At least I know there is room for improvement.

Here are some pictures.

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Back to Normal

Well, now that the election is over my blog will be getting back to normal…so, here’s another scout outing post:

Last month I took the scouts on a nice little hike near Payson. We camped in a beautiful location near a creek and the next morning we hiked up to an uncompleted railroad tunnel near the top of the Mogollon Rim.

Tonto Forest published this about the tunnel:

In the early 1880's, the Arizona Mineral Belt Railroad made plans to cash in on the need for transportation of ore from Globe to the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad in Flagstaff. The scheme called for a tunnel to be excavated through the Mogollon Rim. The plan was discarded after they twice ran short of funds. Now all that can be seen of the tunnel is a hole in the rock.

The boys had fun, the tunnel itself wasn’t all that great, but it was neat to arrive someplace at the end of the hike.

We had hamburgers with all the fixin’s—including French Fries made from real potatoes. All in all, it was a great trip.

Scott

Ride up:

Here one of the guys is cutting the potato's into fries:

Frying them up:

A little slower, but much better than fast food.

A rock structure adjacent to the tunnel:

One Crazy group: