Tomorrow Rosalea and I start our next big adventure, hiking the Arizona National Scenic Trail from the border with Mexico all the way to Utah. The trail spans over 800 miles and traverses through a huge variety of Arizona’s natural wonders, from the sky island mountain ranges and saguaro cacti in the south, to the great pine forests and Grand Canyon in the north. It will definitely test our physical and mental fortitude, but will hopefully present us with lots of wonder and excitement too.

Today we picked up a rental car in Colorado Springs and drove southwest to Sierra Vista, AZ, a small town near the border that acts as a gateway to the trail’s southern terminus. The drive was 800 miles… and it really put into perspective how long it will take to hike this same distance we drove in a single day. Buckle up!