"May you live in interesting times." By Jen Rinaldi What a time to be alive.   With the world so quickly changing and prophesies coming to pass I can’t help but speak of the convergence of a few stunning events that will take place in this year, the year of the dragon, specifically, the wood dragon in Chinese mythology. Wood being a dynamic life force, it is associated with deep roots, and rebirth, something we all need now more than ever. This year collided with my dreams at nearly the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve. My dear mother took her last breath as year of the dragon daw ..read more

An incredible Adventure in the Southern Hemisphere Photos and article by Ron Miller Sometimes incredible adventures come when you are not really looking for them. Yet, they end up being something to treasure the rest of your life. A dream come true at a time you weren’t even dreaming! Such was the chance for my wife and I to head to Antarctica this January — a winter-time destination from here to head into summer there. Not only are seasons reversed, but the landscape is so delightfully different that it can’t help but make a jaw-dropping impression. Besides the chance to see a portion of t ..read more

Get on your bike and ride... By Janice Rubin If you love the great outdoors, camping and cycling, you might be interested in a bikepacking adventure. Bikepacking combines all three into a neat rolling human-powered package. A few years back my friend Karl introduced me to the crazy world of bikepacking and hammock camping. I took the bait, hook, line and sinker... thanks Karl LOL! What Karl and I would like to know is if there’s any interest out there to join us on some bikepacking adventures. What we would do is notify those interested in bikepacking rides with details like dates, meetin ..read more

Spring Biking in the White Mountains By Carol Godwin, Cycle Mania Happy Spring! Let’s go ride, it’s sunny, trails are dry and…oops, never mind, it’s snowing. Spring in the White Mountains is a fickle thing. Science says it was the first day of spring a few weeks ago, but Nature has a way of playing with our emotions by giving us warm days long enough that we start to put our winter clothing away and begin dreaming about starting seeds. The feed stores tempt us by filling galvanized tubs with adorable peeping chicks and Easter just keeps adding fuel to the fire with pics of baby bunnies fro ..read more

A Peaceful Repite Place for Veterans Text and photos  By Annemarie Eveland The purpose of this Veterans Retreat is to provide a peaceful respite place for veterans and their families. When service people must leave to serve their country, they are not the only ones affected by such a change. The mates and families of our service people are also impacted. This retreat was created as a safe, enjoyable space with facilities to restore their sacred union with each other. Several people are noted for their devotion to getting this property for the veterans. Woody Cline is a Gila County Sup ..read more

Time to get moving and “Marie Kondo” your mind! By Joan Courtney, Unstuck Living In the middle of January, spring cleaning was a distant chore. Now, birds are chirping and the windows are open. With longer days, the cobwebs are oh-so-so visible. Time to spiff up where you live. When you clean your place, you take stock of what you have, organize what is left, and clear space to bring in new things. It’s the same with your mindset. When you follow these four easy steps, you’ll be well on the way to a happier life. Time to get moving and “Marie Kondo” your mind! 1. Take stock of everything ..read more

Use common sense when traveling Spring backroads... By Dan Groebner When was the last time there were three rescue helicopters all operating at the same time in the same area of the White Mountains, at night, nonetheless!? Believe it or not, that was the case recently when multiple groups of people had to be rescued after becoming stranded in vehicles in the snow, all on the same evening. And each case demonstrates the most common mistakes made when traveling our backcountry roads this time of year.   Many people are lured onto the forest roads by dry and dusty conditions when they st ..read more

Our Walk with Man's Best Friend   By Jen Rinaldi Their form is portrayed in the form of petroglyphs pecked into the rocks at Shuwaymus in Saudi Arabia, to Cave paintings in France, Africa, Indonesia, and the Americas. With mentions in the bible and the Quran, he is a symbol that represents a partnership between animal and man. Despite criticism from religions or occasionally one’s neighbors, they have remained a constant in our lives. Primitive and domestic canines have been acknowledged for hundreds of years in images created by us portraying our love and devotion to them.  Ear ..read more

Comparing horses to mountain bikes... By Allanna Jackson The White Mountain Trail System was originated by horsemen for non-motorized use. I’ve ridden all the trails in the White Mountain Trail System on horseback and hiked most of them. I’ve bicycled only a few. Why do I prefer a horse over a bicycle for trail riding? One word: Companionship. Yes, I do hike with other people. Yes, I could find a group to bicycle with. I’m not talking about human company. The bicycle itself is not a companion. A horse is a living, thinking, emotional, social creature that I can have a relationship with and ..read more

Winter's Outdoor Recreation By Rob Bettaso Photos by Mike Lopez  and Anne Groebner Perhaps you will recognize this experience: you suddenly take a fall (slipping on the ice, tripping on a rock, blundering into a hole, or whatever) and as you hit the ground, your first thoughts aren’t about injury, but instead, about how embarrassed you are going to feel if anyone witnesses your tumble. There you are, down on all fours, and immediately your head swivels around to see who might have observed the event. Eventually, your mind shifts to more important things and you begin to assess where a ..read more