Arizona will be represented at the races by Robert Naughton of Flagstaff, Rich Ronco of Glendale and Fooddrill Morotsports of Peoria.

Round 3 of the Off Road Racing Series gets underway on Saturday with practice at 10:30 am and races staring at 2:30 pm and the gates will open at 9am. Admission is $30.00 for adults and $10.00 for kids 6 to 12 years of age. Don’t miss the Margarita Party after the races from 7 to 11 at Chuy’s Mesquite Broiler in Surprise.

On Sunday Round 4 will begin practice at 8:00 am and admission will be $30.00 and $10.00 just as they are on Saturday. Races will again start at 2:30 pm.

Speedworld is an off road park which accommodates everything from BMX races to radio controlled model airplane competition. For further information call the track hotline
at 623-546-1605 or go to RaceSpeedWorld.com. Overnight camping is available for the weekend.

This competition was mistakenly listed previously as taking place on last weekend.  We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

                                                                        the  West side of Phoenix near the White Tank Mountains.  This

                                                                        is the perfect time for a family hike in the White Tanks.

1. The first thing I want to suggest is that you begin looking a little closer to home this year. It’s a lot of fun to take the family out to the coast or up to the mountains for a few days to a place that is entirely new to everyone but if you stop to think about it there could be such a place right in your own neighborhood. Many organizations sponsor camp outs for kids and families. I will never forget the camping trips I went on with the YMCA when I was a teenager. After I got a couple of years experience camping I was able to go to camps as an aid and I then camped for free as long as I was willing to be a counselor for younger campers.
2. If you are looking for a low cost family vacation then camping has to be one of the first things you consider. Whether you go camping in a pop up trailer or use a tent you’ll save a bunch of money on your sleeping arrangements every night. Each year you can add a few pieces of new equipment to your gear or you can shop the local yard sales and save a little extra on you purchases that way. The Goodwill store can be a great source of used equipment that can be in excellent  condition.
3. There are always lots of things to see and do in your own area. For great discoount family vacation ideas, start at the local office of tourism. They will have suggestions for many great places to visit and lots of places to go camping with your family. You will find that your local Chamber of Commerce will also be a very good source of information about places of interest and places to stay. 
4. Talk to family members and see if anyone has a time share that isn’t being used this year. It may be possible to vacation with another part of your family or you might be able to make use of an unused timeshare that might otherwise go to waste. However it won’t be a low cost family vacation if you decide to attend a presentation and end up buying your own timeshare plan. (Just say NO!)
5. Here is an idea that has become very popular recently and can save you a bundle.You can make arrangements to trade houses with someone who would  like to spend their vacation in your area. There are several large home exchange clubs that can easily be found on the web. There are rarely any problems with these arrangements and they can certainly lead to some interesting new acquaintances.

Spring training gets into full swing at the end of February in Surprise Arizona. The teams have finally arrived in the area, workouts are underway at the training fields and many games have been scheduled over the next month. Follow this link for this season’s schedule.

Be sure to plan on attending the first game on the 4^th of March. Its the 8^th annual Sundancers Charity Game and the action starts at 1:05 pm at the stadium in Surprise Arizona with the Texas Rangers facing the Kansas City Royals.

This is going to be a great way for you to start Spring Training in Surprise because you’ll have a chance to visit with the players and pick up a few autographs while you’re there.

Every morning around 10:00am the practice fields will be open for the public to watch the Texas Rangers or the Kansas City Royals work out.  The teams are usually there until around noon.  There is plenty of parking and some bleacher seating is provided around the outside of the fields.
After the game if you want to head out to a local restaurant there isn’t much within walking distance but there are a large number of eating places within a couple of miles of the Surprise Recreation Complex.

If you need help with transportation from your hotel to the Surprise Arizona Stadium your best bet is to call a local town car service.  They are quick and reliable and provide dependable service.  Contact Copper Trails Towncar Service at 480-650-6147 for service valley wide.

Palm springs is a desert city in Riverside County, California located in the Cachella Vlley desert region right along interstate 10. The area is sheltered by mountains on all four sides. It is one of nine adjacent cities that make up the Coachella Valley (Palm Springs area). As the western gateway of the Cachella Vlley, Palm Springs draws visitors from all over the world with its beautiful landscape, rich culture, fine restaurants, spectacular resorts, outstanding attractions, and a climate that boasts 350 clear days every year.

We arrived on Friday evening and made our way to the rooms at Marquis Villas which is actually a time share facility that rents suites in the $125.00 to $175.00 range. They had a very nice work out gym and an outdoor pool and jacuzzi, there were tables for pool and ping pong and we were all very satisfied with our sleeping arrangements. Right next door we stopped at Sherman’s Deli for supper. On the tables were slices of dill pickles and sourkrauut provided to work up your appetite just like chips and salsa in the Mexican restaurants. I had a huge Pastrami sandwhich with a scoop of potato salad on the side that cost $9.99 and was it VERY GOOD.

We spent the first morning at the Living Desert which is a little to the east of Palm Springs in Palm Desert. We set aside about three hours for the visit there but could have used up two or three more hours with no problem. One of the first things we ran into was one of the largest displays of G guage model trains in the world. It ws all out doors and that attests to the great weather they have there. The Living Desert exhibits included animals from the American Southwest, Mexico and Africa. There is a botanical garden that includes plants from these same areas and also from Madagascar. There are over five miles of hiking trails at the facility and they range from easy loop trails to a wilderness trail across boulders and narrow switch backs along the base of Eisenhower Mountain. There is a petting zoo for those who want to get a little closer to the animals and of course there are wildlife shows which feature the animals who live at The Living Desert.

For the Afternoon we decided to take the Ariel Tramway to the top of Mt. an Jacinto.
The tramway is located about 6 miles from Palm Springs and is easy to get to. The ride will take you through five distinct life zones and an elevation gain of over 5,000 feet. At the top we found a wonderland that is Mt San Jacinto State Park. There was a shorter 3/4 mile nature trail that gives you an introduction to the pristine 14,000 acre wilderness and then a total of 54 miles of trails for hikers from novice through expert. Primitive campsites are located throughout the park but permits are required. We had a mixture of ages and decided to stay a little closer to the tram station and nature trail.

That evening we had dinner at the Blue Coyote, a Mexican restaurant thats been in town for about thirty years. Meals ran from $10.00 to $15.00 and the plates were piled high with food that was delicious.(Be sure to ask about the Margarita specials)

On Sunday morning several of the men decided to play golf and there are lots of golf courses to choose from. We went to a smaller nine hole course and only spent about thirty bucks apiece. The women went for facials and body wraps and by two o’clock in the afternoon most of us had decided we really didn’t want to leave.

We found a lot more than we expected in Palm Springs and are already talking about when we can get back and head for the top of Mt San Jacinto early in the morning and take one of the longer hikes in the Alpine Wilderness.

In a very unusual coyote incident, a nineteen yard old woman was hiking alone in Eastern Canada this week and was attacked by two coyotes. By the time rescuers reached her she had lost a large amount of blood from bite wounds and was in critical condition. Taylor Mitchell was airlifted to a hospital in Halifax Nova Scotia where she died the next day. 

On the other side of the continent in another coyote incident officials in Los Angeles ordered a coyote hunt in the popular Griffith Park after a man was bitten on the foot.  Trappers killed eight coyotes in an effort to stem such attacks in the Metropolitan area.  Coyotes are found all over North America and although attacks against humans are highly unusual the animals seem to be adaptable to areas that are usually occupied by humans.  This will lead to many problems as the animals hunt for food in residential areas.

In an unrelated incident in Sun City Arizona a resident was attacked in her own yard as she held a small dog in her arms.  The coyotes were able to wrestle the dog from her and tried to make off with their anticipated meal but she prevailed with rocks and sticks and after a trip to the local vet and surgical repair of the wounds the dog was saved.  In Sun City there are several golf courses and the coyotes are drawn by the open spaces and large numbers of birds and animals that they can hunt for food.  They never turn their backs on a pet that may be available in someone’s yard and it appears that they don’t care if the owner is present or not.

 Although such incidents are rare and certainly not anticipated they do underscore the importance of not taking Mother Nature for granted.  Always have an emergency pack with you while in the open spaces and it would be a good idea to have a repellent such as Mace to ward off attackers whether human or otherwise.

The Echo Canyon Summit Trail and the Cholla Trail are both strenuous and not for the novice.  You can expect to scramble over boulders and loose rocks on some stretches and there are also areas of slippery rock. Camelback Mountain rises 1400 feet above the Phoenix valley to 2704 feet above sea level. 

Where to Park 

Park on Invergordon between Camelback Road and McDonald Drive, then take a walk up Cholla Lane to the trailhead. Parking spaces are really scarce and you may find yourself waiting 15 or 20 minutes for a spot to open up. If you are hiking at Echo Canyon you will find a parking lot that will probably be full after 8 in the morning. There are a couple of parking areas within a half mile along McDonald Drive. Parking can really be tough on the weekends and you may have to take a little hike from neighboring residential areas but the views really make it all worth while. 

Trails 

Trailheads on Camelback Mountain are usually open from sunrise to sunset. The main hiking trail loops around the covered picnic area at Echo Canyon. Then it takes off  through some spectacular sandstone rock formations and you’ll be rewarded with remarkable views from the top of the mountain out across the city of Phoenix.  

Echo Canyon Trail on the Northwest side of Camelback Mountain, just off McDonald and Tatum, is considered to be one of the most difficult, extreme park trails located within an urban environment in the US. At the Echo Canyon Summit Trailhead you can find portable toilets and a water fountain which is sometimes actually working. Be sure to bring your own water. Echo Canyon is now closed to visitors at night, but I think that is a small price to pay for the access that the area provides in the daytime. Hikers going down yield to hikers going up and hikers with kids and dogs yield to everybody. Hikers must walk up on the south side of Cholla Lane. 

There are a couple of easy to moderate trails that loop around the scenic portions of the bottom of the mountain and will give families an opportunity to enjoy the views without having to make the climb to the summit. Once you get started on the trails and have a chance to see the views you will probably want to join the other hikers, rock climbers and fitness buffs making their way to the summit of Camelback Mountain. It may be a tough hike but the views of Phoenix/Scottsdale and the mountains in the background are unparalleled.     

Camelback Mountain is a marvelous blend of luxury homes, golf courses, resorts and rugged mountain trails that seem to come together within a natural setting that permits a blended existence of gracious lifestyles and outdoor recreation.The View From Camelback Mountain

Discovery Hike on South Mountain 

Start making plans now for the Petroglyph Discovery Hike at South Mountain on Saturday, November 21.  The hike will be led by an experienced museum guide and will take about three hours.  Advanced registration is required and the cost will be $10.00 per person.  The discovery hike will be on the Mormon Trail which is just south of Baseline on 24^th Street.  Parking is limited at the trailhead and you won’t find any restrooms there. The hike will be about three and a half miles long and is considered fairly difficult. .

Pueblo Grande Museum: 4619 e. Washington st. Phoenix, AZ 85034

Ph :602-495-0901