Nutria Canyon

Another annual tradition. This year it happened to be on the same weekend as the Wild Thing.

Each year we hike this beautiful canyon.

We usually try to do this as the first hike of summer, but this year the timing didn't work out.

Christopher, nephew 

Matthew, nephew

Ed, Chris

Peggy Sue after a swim

Casey, Matthew, Dustin, Carli

Christopher, Peggy Sue, Chris

Lunch Break

Samantha, Dustin, Carli, Ed

The Guys

Ed, Dustin, Chris, Jim, Casey

Wild Thing

Every year we attend the Wild Thing Bull Riding Competition. It is all bull riding, no other rodeo events. It's like watching a demolition derby with bulls and crazy cowboys. You cheer for the bulls, and although you hope no one gets seriously injured, you're watching for that next good crash.

At intermission there is a Navajo comedian (yes, there is such a thing), woolly riding, the best (and loudest) fireworks show I have ever seen (it's in a red rock amphitheater), and bull poker (four guys in the middle of the arena with a Mexican fighting bull on the loose, last one sitting wins).

It is such a fun night. Out of town friends make a point of joining us for this annual tradition.

Dustin and Jim

Dustin, Jim and Chris

Mulin' in the Mountains

On Independence Monday, with not much work to do, we headed to the mountains. Chris and Dustin had rented some mules for a job. The rental place was closed in observance of Independence Day, so we got a fun freebie.

We drove all day on four-wheeling trails through the pine trees. We passed some beautiful overlooks in between some fun rock-crawling and old logging relics.

Both mules had truck beds, so we had plenty to eat from the coolers. For lunch we carved our own roasting sticks for hotdogs, brats and s'mores.

Chris, Sarah and the boys had a two-row mule. Henry did surprisingly well in the front pack and also belted in with the car seat. At lunch he took a nap in the Pack n' Play.

As opposed to four-wheelers, we liked being able to talk sitting next to each other. It was a wonderfully enjoyable day.