After an extended hiatus...

We all know the holidays are CRAZY, and that I tend to go a little nuts (along with the rest of my extended family). But, we're over that wall now and coasting back through a new year. Huzzah! So, what are your resolutions for 2010? Lose weight? Get in shape? Balance your checkbook? Take those vitamin supplements your doctor recommended? I've got a better one:

LIVE IT!!!!

These folks know how: (And be warned, there's a touch of backlog and catching up in this one!)

One of my personal heros - Sirena. This photo was taken when she "crossed the finish line" on her hike of the 800 mile Arizona trail to raise awareness about Fibromyalgia. You've got to check out her blog!

Hank on Byous Butte in the Tonto National Forest. Has he found the Lost Duchman Mine?

Or was he being held up by bandits?

Up on Wasson Peak, Ray got a whole new group doin' it!

Anne on the Bell Trail in warmer days...

Tiffani got Sponge Bob intot he act when she visited Vegas! He's stealing my moves!


Tiffani again - this time out in the wilds at Miner's Needle in the Superstition Mountains. Yup, this girl gets around!

Joe Bartels on one of the Four Peaks of the Mazatzals. I think he's got a cabin or hot tub or something (stash of illicit substances?) up there...

Ambika and Angela took turns celebraing the light at the end of the tunnel in their hike on the Goldfield Ovens Loop!

Go Angela!!!

John and Linda on the Quartz Peak Trail. Starting to see a specialty category of "Wendy on a Rock"...

Bob with more "Wendy on a Rock" - at Black Cross Butte Nothing short of awesome!

Angela achieved a personal goal with John and Randy in tow - she dragged them up Flatiron in the Superstitions! Go girls - um, I mean girls and boys!

...I told you there was some catching up to do here!!!

Lucky, Bonnie, Te Wa and Robert in White Canyon with an Arizona Backpacking Club Trip.

That's a throwdown!

Okay, so I'm embarassed to admit, I don't know anything about this photo other than that it's someone named Tyler and he's on a Sunrise Hike. Anyone know where I've lost my brain today?


Tim! My man in Asia! Another world first - Throwing a Wendy in Thailand!

Trust me, he's learning to smile there!

My main Wendy Throwing Maniac, Angela with her photog buddy Ambika on the trail to Basset Peak in the height of the foliage frenzy. Feeling a little left out, but loving the pictures they come home with!

Here's my own fall foliage trek into the Chiricahuas in Southeastern AZ. I didn't want to block the scenery this time!

Wendys continue to fall in place!

More examples of why fall is my favorite season here in the southwest. Mom nature has pulled out all the stops!

Joe Bartels and Berk Forbes doing the Four Peaks "Mother Load". Again. These guys are NUTS!

Lucky was out of his depth in the Zion Canyon Narrows!

Shannon does a double...at Zion on Angels' Landing and in the narrows!

Rick tosses the leaves to celebrate fall in Icehouse Canyon in the Pinal Mountains...

The Grandview Trail at the Grand Canyon - incredible hiking!

Kerri and Matt on the Tonto plateau. It feels great to be embraced by the canyon!

Shannon models the latest in home fashions - ala 14th century America at the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument.

Ahhh...The warm and theraputic waters of Jordan Hot Springs in the Gila Wilderness of New Mexico. Sarae, myself, Shannon, Jason, Jamie and Sean (the ABC!)

Angela and Kat on the road into Sedona. Redrocks and hot women! Great!

And the prize for the "furthest away Wendy" goes to Drew and Taube in Japan! Sugoi!

Climbing mountains and Exploring Ruins...

Something about the approach of fall just makes it the perfect time to go climb a mountain!

Nick Fraley on Pusch Peak 09/09 - Enthusiasm and views at their very best!

Joe on Malpais Mountain in the Superstitions - foreboding clouds can't bring him down!

Up on Mt. Wrightson, all covered with cheese...

(I wish I hadn't gotten my big old head in the way of our guest's Wendy! Bad form!)

Sarae, John Guest and me!

After hiking to some ancient ruins in southern Utah, the group from HikeArizona just couldn't contain the happiness. Potsheds and corncobs and metates, oh my!

(Mike, Rob, Anne, Randy, Anglea, me and Megan!)

Angela's very special victory dance for coming in 3rd on the hike home! Go girl!

Catching up with New Wendys

It's catching on all over.

This is Hell's Half Acre Canyon, a tight side canyon just off the narrowest part of Aravaipa Canyon in southeastern Arizona. These are all members of the Arizona Backpacking Club who were brave enough to wander into this most wild and wonderful spot with me. A special shout-out to Tiffani, whose BAGP (Big Arse Gorilla Pod) was kind enough to support the photo.

In photo (left to right): Mike Stivers, Me ;), Linda, Mike Eichinger, Tiffani Allen, Sarae Hoff, Carrie Vande Burg, Angela Romain, Anne, Cherie Clements

Aravaipa Canyon, AZ 9-2009

Here I am on another ABC trip, this time to the West Fork of Oak Creek Canyon. This is the moment where, after having searched the canyon for nearly an hour fearing I had dropped and lost my camera, I realized it was just in another side pocket. Nothing is quite as relieving as realizing you're just a little bit of an idiot, rather than a huge idiot without a camera!

West Fork Oak Creek, AZ - 8-2009

And now for some awesome submissions from trips I missed:

This is Kat, aka 'Snakemarks', on her first visit to the Chiricahua National Monument. Another hikearizona buddy, she was overwhelmed with the spectacular scenery and amazing rock formations that are found on the Echo Canyon/Wilderness of Rocks hike. I think it looks like she's holding up the whole of the mountain range all on her own!

Kat - Chiricahua National Monument, AZ - 8-2009

Randy sent me this one from his backpacking trip to Mt. Baldy in eastern Arizona. I have a feeling that Baldy's are found in just about every state - sometimes more than one. See a peak with a rocky top and amazing views - call it Baldy. You've got a greater than 50% chance of being right!

Randy - Mt. Baldy Wilderness, AZ - 9-2009

Brian visited Multnomah Falls in Oregon - one of the most picturesque waterfalls in the world. You can just see the jubilation that adventure brings!

Multnomah Falls, OR 8-2009

More crazy backpackers visiting Havasu Falls. Denny (above) and Bob (below) had a great trip - though poor Bob had a photography mishap and wounded his big toe. I guess there's no goin' to the market for that lil' piddie for a while! I certainly appreciate his efforts with the floatie - even if you can read some of the pain in that victory in his face.

Denny and Bob, Havasu Falls, AZ - 9-2009

And last but by no means least, we have what was termed a "premature Wendy" by Tim on his way up to Mazatzal Peak...a tough trail by any account. Sure, it's usually best to throw the pose on top of a peak or in a moment of unique victory. But maybe just being alive, outside and lovin' what you're doin' is victory enough! I definitely give it high marks!

Tim , Mazatzal Peak, AZ - 9-2009