I like this word.
And, I like the way it sounds as the syllables roll off my tongue.
I like the definition…A fortunate happenstance or a pleasant surprise
And, I like when serendipitous events occurs.

Our Minnesota friends Kim and Kurt Martinson have been traveling through Arizona and after a few texts we arranged a meet-up in Apache Junction. They reserved two adjacent campsites at Lost Dutchman State park located at the base of the picturesque Superstition Mountain and we spent three days together hiking and sharing meals. One evening the two baseball fans, Stephen and Kurt drove to Phoenix and watched the Giants defeat the Diamondbacks while Kim and I mountain biked across the park. It was three days of bliss…a serendipitous meet up …and so much fun to be with like-minded outdoor enthusiasts.

In my last post I wrote about the unnerving night flying helicopters. We had a repeat helicopter “show” at Lost Dutchman, but this time it was a mountain rescue of a teenage girl who lost her way after dark. We all thought it was ‘big drama’ watching this unfold but apparently there are mountain rescues that occur several times a month. Earlier in the day Kim, Kurt, Stephen and I climbed this same mountain..it’s a tough climb. I’m sure this teenager was shaken and will probably take a friend and more water on her next hike.

We had to let go of our Utah plans due to forecasted snow and instead travel to Lake Roosevelt in the Tonto National Forest. First on the agenda was a visit to Roosevelt Dam which we didn’t even know existed. It was an impressive structure like the Hoover dam but with none of the crowds.

Yesterday (due to a last minute cancellation) we were able to join a four hour climbing trek to view Salada Native American cliff dwellings. We visited a 40 room structure built inside a cave on the side of a mountain. It was fascinating and quite amazing that these structures have survived for hundreds of years. These tours are by reservation only and booked weeks in advance…we were fortunate to snag two tickets immediately.

Today we hiked a five mile segment of the Arizona trail which covers more than 800 miles from Mexico to the Utah border. It was a challenge but the views were impressive. Sunday we celebrate our 29th wedding anniversary. We are bursting with fullness because of this amazing time we’ve spent together and the incredible beauty that surrounds us.