The mountains are calling, I must go. I love the desert, but I need a dose of the woods and wilderness at least once per month. 

We were at it again, this time at our favorite spot off of Stoneman Lake Road in Northern Arizona. This popular spot is fantastic because if you have an OHV license and vehicle, there are miles of trails that will take you to many tree-lined routes in Coconino County. It's also a great spot for trail running.

I started training for a half marathon and had a chance to do my first two trail runs! Friday I tackled a 4 mile route, and Sunday I spent a good chunk of the wee hours of the morning huffing and puffing for 8 miles in the elevation. The forest made me appreciate my low-elevation morning desert runs, but goodness, waking up cold and starting cold was an absolute treat. I used my new Salomon running hydration vest and it worked like a charm. I don't know why I haven't bought one of these before. They are life-changing! 

In lieu of popular sports, I have developed a fixation on the sport of  ultra-running. I am fascinated and hooked! How do you long-distance runners do it? How are you able to push  your body to 30, 50, 100, 200+ miles in one race? It's amazing and awe-inducing. I signed up for a trail half marathon at the end of September, even though it may be cancelled. I have missed running, and adding trails to the mix is a long-term goal. We'll see how this goes! 

The best thing to happen from this trip, was our laser dance party with the kids, and our daughter learning how to ride her dirt bike! We are on two wheels, people! M is a natural too. She took off, and didn't want to stop. Nearly every hour she was on the bike and learning the trails and terrain. I'm so proud of her for being brave and tackling some pretty technical routes with her dad. CJ said he wants to wait until he is 5 to try the bike, and that's good, because once he has chance, I know these kids are going to race each other. 

Once again I didn't want to leave because for me, camping is the normalcy I have been craving! I am incredibly thankful for our access to the wild lands of AZ, and pray they are kept safe and out of harms way so we can enjoy them for generations to come. The campsite wasn't too messy and I didn't have to pick up as much trash. Thank you to the people who were there before us because it was left in good condition. 

I've been traveling with my Canon M50 rather than my big DLSR. I like the lightweight flexibility of a mirrorless camera, but I definitely feel more at home with a DSLR and fixed lenses.