Today, thanks to Nana and Papa, Kim and I got the chance to work off our new cat-related stress by going on a vigorous hike in Ventana Canyon, which she had just explored for the first time with Sami a few weeks ago and which I had never seen. We jogged as much of the way as we could, and completed the circuit from the base of the canyon to this lofty perch and back in a little over two hours:

That's the sprawl of eastside Tucson down on the valley floor, with the Santa Rita Mountains on the distant horizon. The foreground showcases freshly leafy ocotillos and, right at the bottom, a pink-and-red fairy duster.

It was a beautiful trip and went a long way toward making up for the fact that we were unable to go away this weekend. I realized during the more intense portions off the ascent that Kim and I would be happier together if we did this sort of thing more often. We've always loved exploring, particularly when there's the prospect of a view to motivate us.

Mode: salty
Muse: the washer and dryer