Hike in the Estrellas and my new BK7!

[FCFER]

Saturday evening I took my daughter and pudgy puggle for a little hike so we could explore some of the trails around our house. We live a mile and a half from the Estrella Mountain State Park and we’ve been wandering around the trails, going a little farther each time. This was also a good time to take my new BK7 on its maiden voyage. I figured I’d knock some of the coating off before stripping it down.

The pudgy puggle hurrying us along.

A mile and a half in we found some switch backs going up towards one of the peaks. Looks like it takes alot of mountain bike traffic.

Halfway up!

Awesome scenery!

Almost there!

The way we came.

Lunch!

The pudgy puggle intruding on my nap.

From the peak. The storm rolling in!

We can see downtown Phoenix from here!

The desert floor from the peak. The wind from the incoming storm was amazing at the peak! As we crested the top it hit us pretty hard. It was at that point I figured we'd better head back before the storm rolled in. That night we had a pretty impressive down pour!

The next peak we'll be tackling on our next trip.

My new BK7 in Spec-Ops sheath and Knights Cutlery Micarta. The sheath is not quite the color I wanted, but the price was right. I changed out the faux-paracord that was included with with my own paracord. Thought it mixed it up a little.

The beast unsheathed! Unfortunetly saw very little action do to the need to hurry before the rain fell. Also rode the last leg of the way home in the pack. I think I was scaring the sheople wearing it on my belt.

 

[digdeep]

Looks like you all had a good time. Nice pics. I've always wanted to hike the Arizona areas.

Are scorpions as bad a problem as tv makes them out to be or is it just live and let live?

Thanks again.

 

[FCFER]

Scorpions are out mainly at night and not too much of a bother as long as you watch what your grabbing. We kill at least a dozen every year in and around the house though. So no, not live and let live so close to the homestead.

 

[blade1981]

i hate scorpions. stepped on one buried in the sand one time barefoot and it lit my ass up. my foot looked like a football with lil nubs attached.

 

[FCFER]

Yeah, they are not fun. My wife rolled on top if one that crawled into our bed.
She just about hit the ceiling. Of course we also found out she was allergic to them this day also.
She has scorpion proofed all the bedroom now. None of the bed clothes against the wall, plastic cups on the bed posts, no pictures over the beds, etc. Not fun. We also have a 36” black light that we sweep the rooms with now too. Those little boogers glow like fire under the black light. Otherwise they are almost invisible against out beige carpet.

Helps having a cat too. My 10 year old tomcat had quite a few scorpions under his belt!

 

[Greybush]

That's some great terrain you have near your home...beats the woods and small stream I have behind my house by a mile...and for the record, can suck it...

 

[trailbum]

That is some great country.
I went to the Mojave while in the army and thought that was the greatest place in the world.

 

[P. McKinley]

FCFER - Wow those photos bring me back!

Many years ago I hiked the same State Park. I was with a group headed to the Kofa NWR and we had a few hours to kill after our flight landed in Phoenix. We hiked up one of the peaks, not sure if it was the same as you were on though. Stunningly beautiful! Thanks for the memories!

 

[MikeyJ]

Nice! I've never done any true desert hiking. Looks awesome! In the southwestern part of Colorado it looks a lot like that. I may have to give the arid, hot climates a try!

 

[orangish ducktape]

WOW! What a cool place to be, sure looks like you had an excellent time

---

-orangish ducktape

“Simplicate, and add lightness”
-Colin Chapman

 

[s7brad]

Great post and pics buddy. Always good to get out with the kids. That's a good looking 7, still my favorite Becker.

 

[ocnLogan]

I grew up riding Dirt Bikes and Jeeping not too far from there. Doesn't look like much has changed in the last little while (still brown ). Looks like you had a great time out there with your daughter and your Pudgy Pug (had a friend who called his pug the "pudgy pug" as well... must be something about them).

Scorpions were never much of a problem, unless you for some reason had large piles of vegetation around your house. Also, they seem to like citrus, because the orchards always seem to have tons of scorpions in them. On a side note, chickens love scorpions. Most people that I knew with orchards in AZ also had chickens running around back there to help reduce the scorpion count.

 

[Montanablade]

Looks like you had a good time.We were at Winter Count last month,not all that far from where you were.

 

[The Warrior]

Looks awesome. Thanks for sharing.

 

[FCFER]

Thanks for the kind words folks! I'm making more of an effort to get out this year. Last year I took no vacation at all and really regretted it.
That and I may be moving soon so trying to enjoy the mountains while I can. Thats one thing I will miss about living so far from the city.

 

[wasatchdan]

You Arizona guys and your pics keep making me homesick. I miss the Big AZ all the time.

Then late Spring comes and so does the heat, and I'm suddenly glad I moved to Utah.

Great pics, FCFER. I like that BK-7 setup. You happen to have a link to the makers of the micarta by any chance?

 

[FCFER]

Actually no. I could never find a website for them.
But if you go to the popular auction site and search for becker knives, they will turn up.

Actually, the heat is the thing I loath. We dont have earthquakes, blizzards, or mudslides, but the heat is nuts.
On the other hand, you dont have to shovel heat!

 

[tknife]

Love it, that is my kind of area :thumbup:

 

[BRL]

Awesome photos brother. Made me wish I was in Arizona, then I realized I am in Arizona, and I was all