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Living in Arizona

Living an active and outdoor lifestyle in Arizona affords opportunities for many adventures. Some of my favorites are backpacking in the high country of Central and Eastern Arizona, boating on Lake Powell in Northern Arizona or cycling in the Sonoran Desert.  Even in the middle of Summer.

"It's a dry Heat!"

All kidding aside, Arizona is a fantastic place to live and work.  We enjoy diversity in our population, culture and environment.

Volunteering

Once you have developed your talents and abilities, it is important to share those talents with others around you.  Service to others improves individuals, communities, societies and nations.  My goal is to always do what I can, whenever I can.  Mentoring youth helps them develop needed skills to address life's roadblocks and prepares them to be productive societal members.  We can all do something.... So do something!

Boy Scouts of America, Merit Badge Counselor

• Archery • Backpacking • Horsemanship • Cycling • Camping

• Personal Fitness • MotorBoating • Cooking • Woodworking

• Athletics • Emergency Preparedness

High School Athletic Coach

•Wrestling • Track & Field • Conditioning • Speed Coach

Hobbies give life meaning and enjoyment. One of my favorite hobbies is archery. I began shooting when I was 12 and have been hooked ever since. I enjoy sharing this talent with others by volunteering to teach through BSA, supporting youth activities and donating time to local school education programs.

Archery is the perfect blend of skills including, strength, balance, concentration and patience.  Archery is a great object lesson for physics and geometry.  Students enjoy seeing how physics and geometry are translated into a real world application.  Archery crosses cultures, impacts history and is still used and practiced around the globe today.

With new technologies it is easy to record the beauty we see.  Almost every phone has a camera.  Look around, capture it and share it.  Some shots may not express everything we (as the photographer) want them to.  I constantly hear people, "I can't take pictures."  Don't let that stop you.  Snap away.  Everyone knows the saying "A picture is worth a thousand words."  Well, even if your picture is only worth 499 words, that's still a great story.

That's me after a 14 mile, two day hike in the central mountains of Arizona.  Being bone tired, a barrel cactus is not the place to rest your head.  They may look soft and cuddly, but don't touch.  Center right is a thunderhead which rolled into the Phoenix Valley this summer.  The sun was going down making the colors pop and the shadows dramatic.  So stop and smell the flowers and while you are at it, snap a picture and share it with a friend.

Cycling is a way to stay physically fit and active, without impact trauma to your Ankles, Knees and Hips.  I started cycling in 2007, in preparation for a 50-mile BSA Merit Badge activity, then kept doing it.  I enjoy both Road Biking and Mountain Biking.  The old saying "You'll never forget how to ride a bike," may technically be true, but it doesn't come close to expressing the pain needed to get back in cycling shape or to stay in cycling shape.  And even though you may know how to ride a bike, inevitably there will be times when you fall off.  Physically, mentally or emotionally, it's hard to say which hurts the most.

I've now had the opportunity to experience many Sunrises and Sun-sets with good friends on the trail and road.  Although there have been a couple scratches, bumps and bruises along the way, I hope I can keep riding well into my later years.  I'm continually inspired by the beautiful vistas I see and the people I meet.  As a group of cycling friends, we enjoy riding in the Tour de Tucson, each November.  The group has changed over the years, but we have ridden in every event since 2010.  We look forward to many more.

When we do want to get out of the Arizona heat, we really get out of the heat. There is nothing better than being 60-70 feet under water (with SCUBA tanks of course) to cool you off. The color and sea life are amazing. Above are photos I took of an Anemone Fish or Red Clark's Fish (a cousin to the Clown Fish) taken in Beqa Lagoon on the Southern side of Fiji's, Viti Levu Island.  The left center image is a Nudibranch taken while diving in Cozumel.  There are thousands of varieties of these soft bodied animals.  they are hard to see.  This one was only 3/4 of an inch long.  So watch where you put your flippers down.

To the right center is a Squid photo taken while diving in Bonaire.  Bonaire is part of the A-B-C islands in the Southern Caribbean.  This Squid was one of what looked to be two mating pairs.  It was the most curious and daring of the group, coming to within a couple feet of my camera lens.  Finally to the right is a juvenile Drum Fish.  This picture was taken while diving in Cozumel.  You will usually find them where shelter is readily available.  They are relatively small at 1 to 1 & 1/2" and are constantly on the move.  Capturing this shot required some good timing and a lot of luck.

As you can see, I love to take pictures.  It helps me to remember where I've been and what I've done.  But most of all, it allows me the opportunity to share the things I do and the places I go with others.

So whether it's a Pink Clark's Fish in Fiji, a cold Winter day in Idaho, a garden in Boston or a new puppy in Kansas City, Kansas.  Snap a picture and share it with your family and friends.  You never know what will put a smile on their face and a touch of warmth in their heart.

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