The ways that summer inspires us...

It should come as no surprise that my email box is full of photos of people celebrating life out in the wild places of America... It's high summer, which means play time to millions! Even though the heat index in Arizona is reaching "unbearable", there're still dozens of folks out there on the trail and in the mountains, enjoying the best the season has to offer!

This is a "Wendy before we knew what a Wendy was" from Switchflare on the HikeArizona website. This photo is proof that the pose has little to do with personal preference and much more to do with spontaneous exhibitions of joy...

Sirena was lucky enough to have multiple visits to Aravaipa Canyon this season - surrounded by lush trees, fresh water and amazing cliff walls. Yup. It's rough out there!

Rob in Page spends much of his time wandering about the sheer, majestic red cliffs near his home. There's something just so humbling about our own scale compared to that of nature...

There's simply no way I could improve upon Jake's own description: "Half-hippy, half-Richard Nixon"... All Pirate!

And here's my friendly local Hippypunkpirate up on Humphreys Peak near Flagstaff. His second successful summit was not thwarted by wind as his first had been... Of course he had to show his thanks to the weather gods!

Hikergirl and Juliachaos were climbing about the Enchanted Tower...is it me, or is that strikingly like the beginning of a fairy tale??? Rescue thyselves, fair maidens, from the monotony and boredom of castle life!

The Wendy continues to spread beyond the arid dust of the southwest...here, Crystal at the Famous and Historic Ma Deeter's in Luzerne Michigan shows the world how she feels about life in Oscoda County! Thanks to my buddy Coanbru for continuing to share the joy...

Jim Lyding shared this one from Mount Spokane State Park in Washington: "Bernhard is my aunt & uncle's neighbor in Coeur d'Alene. He's from Switzerland, and loves hiking as much as any of us". Ya think? Sign 'im up!

The always active and dedicated Angela took Anne out to the Spur Cross area for some exploration of Elephant Mountain. Neither sun, nor heat nor blazing light will keep these ladies from their hike!

Taking the ABC Group to the Channel Islands National Park for two years in a row is AWESOME!

Coming down the Montanon Ridge

Hiking and Camping and Kayaking, oh my!

That was a great ferry ride. Yay for the continent!

This image brought to you care of the letters W and R (for Rincon), as well as the Adobe Photoshop Program!

Shannon does a TRIPLE this month!!! Here on Humpherys, nearly catching flight in the gale force winds as the Schultz fire blazes in her wake!

Here she is in front of Charlotte's Dome in Kings Canyon National Park, doing her "Running Man" - she is a woman of many wonderful poses!

And perhaps our current front runner for Hottie Doin' a Wendy (I'll let you decide which!)

The ABC in Kings Canyon National Park, lovin' the flawless weather and great company - not to mention that it was lunch time!

On the way out of the Sierras, we picked up a through-hiker... No, that's not really like a hitch-hiker, it's more like a regular hiker, only more dedicated, determined and...well...dirty.

And to my brother, who braved the barren wastes to bring you this moment of unfettered joy... Or is he wondering where he left his hat??? ;)

Finally, David teaching a tree in to throw a Wendy in Oak Creek Canyon. This movement cannot be stopped!

The most current map of the Wendy as tracked on hikearizona.com (international version coming soon!)

Get out there!

Summertime, and the livin' is easy...

I still remember when summer meant freedom...when those weeks away from school were filled with lazy days on the couch in front of the tv, trips to the park pool, eternal car rides to the pines and melting popsicles. Not much has changed, except that I stay away from popsicles and I've traded cool mountain streams for the park pool... It seems like everyone is getting out there for some fun in the summer sun!

Rosin visited the Navajo Nation in northern AZ and rocked Monument Valley...

Yup, it's June in Arizona, and there is STILL snow on the San Francisco Peaks! My favorite Hippie/Punk/Pirate throws a Wendy to celebrate his ascent to the highest peak in AZ (though he did it safely on the side of the mountain to avoid being blown away!)

The Arizona Backpacking Club high in the Rincons, trying to escape the summer heat. This place is the BEST!

Here's a catch-up Wendy from April... the Arizona Backpacking Club at Grand Gulch, after four days of fighting brush, mud, sand and deep canyon. Ah, but the treasures we discovered hidden on the high canyon walls!

Joe Bartels on Horse Thief Lake dam. Reportedly he was too exhausted to raise his arms, but somehow the spirit came over him anyhow. The Bradshaws'll do that to ya!

Crown King is the jewel of the Bradshaws, and a place near and dear to my own heart. When these two at the Saloon agreed to throw a Wendy for Coanbru, well, I was tickled. I was disappointed to hear, however, that they at first suspected a holdup...

In Woods Canyon - a classic Wendy-on-a-rock!

There are Flying-Wendys, and then there are Wendys-in-flight... What better place than Fossil Springs to celebrate the joy of summer?! Brian doesn't seem to think there is one!

Jim Lyding took his mom hiking up on Mingus Mountain - what a great guy! I think it's clear that she likes hitting the trail with her boy!

Kelli and Brian have been crawling through nearly every narrow canyon in Arizona (and a few in Utah, such as here in Behunin Canyon) since spring...such incredible, beautiful adventures!

And here, in the upper portion of Woods Canyon... I believe I'll call this a Straddling-a-Raging-Torrent-Wendy!

Joe and a few other folks from Hikearizona.com get Red to throw a Wendy up on his fire-tower perch! Awesome!

Tiffani and Mike exploring the creek - and Mike got a little happy!

Justin and Amy do New Mexico - with style and enthusiasm!

Angela created a trip-tich of Lilo and I at Spur Cross on Easter Weekend... I think Lilo needs to figure the whole shoulder-socket thing out!

With Fan and Sarah on our 4 day trip on the Grand Enchantment Trail - here in the narrows of Midnight Canyon. Three days sweating and hiking, and we still like each other! Now THAT's worth a Wendy!

I had to go back to Eagle Creek - such an incredible place! I explored a few of the short, narrow canyons that branched off to the side - just me and Lilo. Alone in one of the most beautiful places on earth. Yup. Life's Good!

Tim continues to bring the Wendy to the world...and perfecting the Flying-Wendy with the girls of Thailand!

Such amazing things to see over there - no wonder he looks so happy!

Practicing the Wendy has unexpected benefits, like helping your arm muscles be strong enough to hold up entire cliffs!

Yup, I'd be celebrating if I was surrounded by such beauty, too...

And in the continuing saga of the Animal-Wendy, we have this entry. As Tim explained "he's doing his best with what he's got"!

And this guy - king of the sky and he knows it. I only wish I had wings to add to my own Wendy!

Okay, so I missed April..

But only because I was out enjoying the FANTASTIC weather we've been having! Not only was April a wonderful month for temps, wildflowers and flowing streams, it was also a time to see and explore whole new worlds!

From Tim, another attempt at a "Flying Wendy" - I believe this one is a "Half-Flying Wendy"

All the way from Egypt, I bring you Shannon and her Wendy for Three!

The Arizona Backpacking Club at Rainbow Bridge...

Carmen was with the ABC group - and she held the bridge up while they made it under!

Tom Summits Battleship Mountain, and celebrates his victory!

Sirena said that it was wild-flower induced spring fever that made her pop a Wendy on top of Wasson Peak!

Shannon makes this entry to the "design your own pose" competition from atop Flatiron in the Superstitions. It's bold, it's daring, it's a Shannon. Yeah baby!

Tiffani's entry...hmmmm. Well, it might have been a combo between a mermaid pose and a Wendy, or she might have just fallen off the rock and been caught by the camera, we couldn't quite decide which...

Rob, our Really Northern Arizona Correspondent, at Alstrom Point in the Glen Canyon Recreation Area...

Tiffani and Mike spent spring break in Joshua Tree NP and Anza Borego State Park, in CA. Here they found incredible mountains, beautiful waterfalls, and Joshua Trees that do the Wendy!

Andy hiking in the Sierra Ancha Mountains in central Arizona. Such an amazing year for snow - it was still everywhere even in late April!

Vaporman Brian has spent the spring exploring some of Arizona's wildest technical canyon - including Seven Cataracts/Willow Canyon in the Santa Catalinas... Have ropes, will rappel!

Berk gets a double this month, or maybe a triple?! Top is his 'bitin' your fingernails' Wendy on the Royal Arch loop at the Grand Canyon. I'm told it wasn't as bad as it looks, but I'm not sure I believe it... Second is atop Flatiron. Don't you think that rock formation is doing a negative-space Wendy???

Angela and I enjoy the riparian beauty of Romero Canyon in the Santa Catalinas

April saw me all over the place, hiking every chance I got. But nothing that month was grander than 3 days in Grand Gulch in southern Utah. Anasazi Dwellings, pictographs, slickrock canyons and monster trees. It just makes me wanna...