Feb 6, 2023 Day 3 Lost Dutchman Apache Junction, AZ

It’s a bit chilly this morning but temperatures climb throughout the day, making a pleasant day for hiking. We decided to take Justice up to the dog park and then checked out a nearby trail adjacent to the dog park. Fortunately, we had the camera with us because we spotted what we believe to be, a Golden Eagle. Although it was quite a distance away, it was evident that this was a exceptionally large bird. I got a few photos, and I am pretty confident it’s this magnificent bird.

To take advantage of the nice temp’s, Ron took a 3-mile hike up to the foothills of Superstitious Mountain and got some great photos of the valley and campground. He also got a photo of a new hummingbird and when he got back, he picked out an optimal route for me and Justice to hike later after work.

This was also a great hike towards the foothills of the mountains, rocky in places but overall, a good trail that winds through the desert before heading down to the campground. I think it was a little over 2 miles but in checking my watch at the end of the day, we had a total of 5 miles in. Ron would have another 3 on top of that. Justice loved the hike, he looked so excited and happy. I think he loves the smells and being with us on these hikes, but at the end of the day, he is pretty tired.

Beautiful scenery was in abundance on our hike and part-way through, I accidentally pocket-dialed Lori! She returned my pocket call, and we had an enjoyable conversation, catching up with her, Pete, and Conner. The clouds turned dark and rather threatening-looking during our call, and we decided it’s best to get back to the camper in case it rains. We got a few sprinkles but the cloud formations over the mountains, created some interesting photo opportunities.

Since it was a little cooler today, I decided to fix a meatloaf in the oven. Nothing like smelling meatloaf baking all afternoon, except of course, getting to eat it then! It was really good and best of all, there are leftovers for another day or two. After the clouds cleared towards evening, creating a colorful sunset of red clouds which reflected on the mountain, making them a brighter red and creating another photo opportunity I couldn’t pass up.