My own most memorable hikes can be classified as shortcuts that backfired.

After work today I'll be packing up and heading off to the mid-west for a week. I'm flying into Phoenix early Thursday morning, hanging out for the day and then RVing down to El Paso with about 14 other hashers for the Tex-Mex Fiesta Hash Weekend (you can see old pics and other info). This will be a 4 day party weekend with a few good trails and some cross-border excursions into Juarez, Mexico. I get to hang out with a bunch of great people that I hadn't seen since the September cruise or maybe the DC Red Dress Run in October. The folks over there have been really great in helping me get set up and aiding a fellow traveling hasher.

We're heading back late Monday and I think I have made arrangements for them (or some other kind person) to drop me off at Saguaro East National Park outside of Tucson. I'm planning on doing a 3-4 day hike around Rincon Peak and along Tanque Verde Ridge. Right now the weather looks like it will be clear, but still be pretty darn cold (probably the mid-20s F at night). This will be my first real cold weather camping experience, so it should be interesting!

In case you are curious: this is where I'll be staying for the weekend:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=4151+N.+Mesa+St.,+El+Paso,+TX&ie=UTF8&z=14&ll=31.793129,-106.509347&spn=0.048003,0.10849&t=h&om=1

This will be the local weekend weather in El Paso: http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/weekend/USTX0413

The weather stations closest to where I'll be hiking for 4 days next week is here:
http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/local/USAZ0247

Of course, I'll be several thousand feet higher when on the trail, so it'll be interesting to see how the weather turns out. I'll be filing a trail plan with whomever is going to plan to pick me up and will of course have an extra day or two worth of food, so I'll be prepared. It should a pretty good time, and if it doesn't turn out well, then you all can have my stuff.

Vaya con dios.