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wibornz

wibornz

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We are spending the day lounging. Yesterday hike kick our butt. Only a four miler or so, but it dropped about 1200 feet in elevation in about two miles then gained about 1200 ft of elevation in a mile and a half. That hike was tough . It did give us some great views though. We immediately took a nap when we got back to camp.

We started at a nice overlook of the valley with the town of Cottonwood in the distance.
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The trail appeared to be well traveled.
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In the distance we could see the mountains that make Sedona so beautiful. I think the mountain is about 30 miles or so away.
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A couple more pics from the trail.
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After making the climb back to the top of the mountain, we came out at a spot that people fly hand gliders from and luck was on our side a guy was getting ready to take off.

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Great hike and the nice thing was the Jeep was waiting in the shade to carry us back to our base camp.

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wibornz

wibornz

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This is the first time I have ever seen a dude take off the edge of a mountain cliff with a hand glider. Pretty cool. After he takes off, his daughter will drive down the mountain and pick him up. His longest flight time has been over four hours. He will call his daughter with a cell phone and she can track his location as he flies.
 

Chief_Dan

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Wow, definitely a lot of adversity. But, glad you have a great attitude about it all.

Be careful & keep on trucking.
:rock:
 

blnewt

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You & Carla are truly an inspiring pair! So very cool to have a mate that's all-in w/ the life you love.
Sorry to hear about that payroll debacle, luckily she hooked up w/ the right guy that doesn't leave anything to chance :)

Way to keep on keepin' on Ted, hopefully your great days keep on outnumbering the "iffy" days by a huge margin!
 
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wibornz

wibornz

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Wow, definitely a lot of adversity. But, glad you have a great attitude about it all.

Be careful & keep on trucking.
:rock:
That is the plan. Keep on keeping on.
 

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HeygirlHey

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Then Carla’s drama. I have not typed about this yet. We were camping in Big Bend back in January and Out of internet service. We leave and I check our account and Carla’s retirement check did not deposit. We call retirement services and they tell her she is not eligible to retire. They say she only has 24.996 years of service not 25 years of service. So she will not receive her retirement checks or medical benefits. She is devastated. She thinks she has to go back to Michigan and reapply to get her job back. Now I was in management for 25 years doing payroll. I know that her HR has her payroll messed up. Her final check said she had 52079 hours of service. A year of service is 2080 hours so 25 years of service is 52000 hours. She has the required amount of service to qualify for retirement and they have entered her service hours incorrectly before submitting them to the retirement department. It is a mess, high stress for Carla that bleeds over to me because I am the one that told her when she could retire. I know my stuff is correct. After all I have done payroll for 25 years. So it took them until the first week of April to figure out their mistake. You know Covid and everyone works at home thing. They ended up shorting her about a thousand dollars on here last check and found where they made a mistake on her hours and that she was eligible. So then they back paid her retirement check to January. She received her first check April 13th then her first retirement regular check on April 25th. And this is why we don’t live paycheck to paycheck. I had enough in reserve to carry us with out her retirement check. I knew it would get straightened out and they would catch her up eventually, but it was still stressful after every call for four months without them telling her she was eligible and going to get her pension.
This alone would have had me all messed up in the head since January! 24.996 years!! SERIOUSLY - they would make her not eligible for retirement over THAT? I'd have been so distraught and probably crippled with "what do I do now?" fears. Good for her for trusting in your numbers and pushing through anyway, and I'm so glad they got her straight!
 

306overland

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Thanks for the reply Ted! Adversity and all, still makes for great memories. And, I agree that the wind is a huge pain. Looking forward to more of the trip details. Cheers!
 

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Ted that wind was brutal. We are moving in opposite directions, but we had two miserable days in Monument Valley, three miserable days at Capital Reef, and finally rolled into Moab and it’s stopped on day two…..hit Fins, Top of World, and Poison Spider post wind.
 
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wibornz

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This alone would have had me all messed up in the head since January! 24.996 years!! SERIOUSLY - they would make her not eligible for retirement over THAT? I'd have been so distraught and probably crippled with "what do I do now?" fears. Good for her for trusting in your numbers and pushing through anyway, and I'm so glad they got her straight!
I knew their numbers were wrong along. That’s why we did not go home. Over the years, I have seen some crazy mistakes made by employees and helped many get employer mistakes corrected. I just did not expect then to take as long as it did. Carla was stressing pretty bad and I had to keep reminding her that it would all work out in the end. Still didn’t make it easy on her. She would ask me areyou sure we are going to be okay and I would tell her if I didn’t think it was okay, we would head home. We are NOT heading home.
 
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wibornz

wibornz

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Ted that wind was brutal. We are moving in opposite directions, but we had two miserable days in Monument Valley, three miserable days at Capital Reef, and finally rolled into Moab and it’s stopped on day two…..hit Fins, Top of World, and Poison Spider post wind.
Back in Michigan we just do not get the wind that we have experienced out west. Weeks of unrelenting wind. I am beginning to think wind is worse than rain.
 

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Back in Michigan we just do not get the wind that we have experienced out west. Weeks of unrelenting wind. I am beginning to think wind is worse than rain.
Texas has had one its windiest springs in a long time. DFW April was worse one since like 96

We are having July heat in mid-May too.
 

mnjeeper

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Wow did I have some catch up to do. As usual, amazing pics and storytelling. This episode was a bit of a shocker with losing two more characters and the retirement snafu. Glad you two are still making lemonade!

Tell Gary I will buy that trailer if mine keeps getting delayed :LOL:
 
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wibornz

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Wow did I have some catch up to do. As usual, amazing pics and storytelling. This episode was a bit of a shocker with losing two more characters and the retirement snafu. Glad you two are still making lemonade!

Tell Gary I will buy that trailer if mine keeps getting delayed :LOL:
I will let him know.
 
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wibornz

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We jeeped and hiked Soldiers Pass today. What a great day.

Started in to the trail and it was rockier than expected… or maybe I was lazy and thought I didn’t need to air down.
Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. 5C2E1474-9096-42B4-94FF-ED4AC0B2F659


Airing down can really smooth out the ride and help you avoid getting flat tires. A tire at a low pressure will give and flex instead of puncturing or cutting the tire.


Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. F7483CFC-E933-4B07-8826-C2E159D448D6


Sedano has incredible views everywhere I look.
Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. 54B3D997-8CF4-4D44-A4BB-B0C48C926B72


Sedona mixture of green trees and colorful red rocks and soil make for some beautiful backgrounds.
Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. 669A77DB-F48D-497B-97F8-BA6C89E65DDB
Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. 955094AA-5CA5-4936-9B6A-7D153B0DB84B


Our first stop was at the sinkhole.
Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. E57EBFA5-FC18-460C-9B10-E3AF8B7703C0


While I am on the edge, I am hardly edgy.
Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. CDF2136A-1543-4E17-B859-BD2AFA97C333

Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. 31E56F2C-F9BD-41DF-866B-7E46868DD0BC


Then back on the trail.
Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. 28B58A46-72EA-4F3C-861E-6F9B81F358BF
Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. 12509661-DABA-4135-B1FE-8D365E063CDA


Our next stop is was at the Seven Sacred Pools. Kind of dried up and well yucky looking.
Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. 8DFEA81D-5659-46C1-877E-222AADE06D28

These rock formations had names and you could only get the correct view from the location I was standing in. From left to right ..
The first one is called the Coffee Pot. The second one is the boy with the coyote hat. The third one is the mother with a papoose, and the last one is the Chief.
.
Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. 1FE4384A-403D-4C08-B391-31F20BF60EF4


We hiked from the Sacred Pools to the Soldier’s Pass cave. I think the hike was about three miles round trip.
Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. 9EFE0497-0967-44F9-BE16-09B8288FBE03


Carla led the way for the most part.
Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. 18803F70-D73B-46CE-9D39-B8B53C91DBDD
Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. 35573454-6FC2-4232-921A-144A8C0740DA
Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. 8DBC69E2-150F-4999-BBFA-DD14AFA082BA


This dead tree was surrounded by life in the high desert. Even dead it still looked mighty among the other trees.
Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. 1D60886D-84A8-4E0F-A853-3F5BEF965F07


Me wishing Carla would slow down a little. I think she is trying to wear me out with the hiking in 95 degree weather.
Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. 83DABEBD-2983-4C09-8189-27FC1A5A64D0
Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. 6290EDCE-AC02-48C5-AF8C-4DFEAE4B0776


We hiked up to the cave and then climbed up into the cave.
Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. 71F38EF3-F9B2-4963-AC89-D8E0C82EBA10


The cave had a windows and a natural bridge. The pics do not do it justice.
Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. 41E38501-9A56-4E14-92FD-809F6F8002EA
Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. E95AC9F3-5EE8-42F6-821C-F7D5F7AA665E
Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. B8431FDB-1B65-49DC-BF7D-E309C4B2464F
Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. 03A8C680-F518-4268-8977-8680ACD06E8D
Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. BB2CAAB6-99F3-4960-99C9-624BB8D2DD2A
Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. 0D2212C7-E93A-4BE8-81AB-F0BF1087E170
Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. E23E1035-F9B1-4229-82F7-8A3E401438DF
Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. 4C552EEE-DE5C-4BCB-BF3B-6C756582189E


The hike back to the jeep made for some different views.
Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. 0561115E-A688-4C75-B0CB-5EE7BBA02CF7


Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. 3385EAB0-1648-4024-AAF0-2E230239116C

Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. 7F847FCF-A6BB-473D-B195-C830B81BD818


If you do wheel Soldiers Pass make the hike up to the cave. You do not have to hike as far as we did. If you drive to the end of the trail to the turn around, it will cut the hike in about half. We missed the Devils Kitchen on the way out. We drove by the pull off and was by the exit of the trail before we realized we missed it.
 
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wibornz

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We did run another trail today called the Ranch loop. We did not do the whole loop, We used it to take a back way into Cottonwood from Sedona. Did not snap any photos as nothing really stood out . Did come across a couple thing in Cottonwood that made for random pics.

I need a scooter with a sideca In my life and maybe a small dog with goggles
Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. 0F90D7EA-96DB-4969-87A6-AEAD1868FF8F


Not sure About the Rubicon Penthouse.
Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. 868445BB-14FF-44B4-B4FB-FDC4D81AA8A1


I need some more stickers on my camper.
Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. 1CBE281A-4C88-4031-B428-B46D7CDADE8A


There is a bench on the cliff overlooking Cottonwood from our campsite on top of Mingus Mountain. I captured this twilight shot.
Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. 24DF699D-B277-4948-B884-B4321EF2C889


Then these night shots of Cottonwood from the same cliff .
Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. 2AD4374D-7638-4A7F-B012-F943158A9285
Jeep Wrangler JL So it begins Michigan to the Mexico border to Alaska and back.  Three JLUR and campers. 36C1C5EF-FE1A-4D74-9105-FABA95F07111


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