Minutes for Meeting of 07-24-2002

Ramblers,
My email is inconsistent so some future events have already happened. My appologies, especially to Ross' Thursday tradition.

• The Ramblers meet every Wednesday at 5 PM in the Forbes Building in room 307. All hikes, unless otherwise stated, will meet for departure in the parking lot behind the Park Student Union. After 8 PM on Friday the lot is available all weekend for general use.
• Ross had to give up his duties as the Gear Warden for the time being. If anyone has a storage shed or room in their garage for a few packs and sleeping bags, et cetera, please let me know ASAP. It is preferable if you have a residence closer to campus.
  We will need to find a new person to take over the position of webmaster. If you are good with computers and have the time, please contact Dan Carroll: [dcarroll@u.arizona.edu].

• Hanna went to Miller Canyon on Thursday and Coronado National Monument on Friday as part of a bird hunting group. The group was not any more special than your average everyday group of bird watchers, however, they spotted Sulfur bellied-fly catchers, some rare, tropical types of berryline hummingbirds, white eared hummingbirds, and turkeys in Ramsey Canyon. They also saw a couple getting married on a peak and were amused to see the groom run down the side of the hill to relieve himself just after the ceremony, leaving the bride to make her way down alone.
• Will went with Katie and Jay on Saturday to Madera Canyon to go bird watching as well. They saw a deer, a robin, some broad billed humming birds, painted redstarts, hepaddock taningers, beetles, lizards, a red snake, and a collared lizard.
• Will went on Monday to the top of Mt. Lemmon and hiked a bit of the Mt. Lemmon trail. The Butterfly trail is closed and seems to smell like a barbecue.
• Will went to Sabino Canyon on Tuesday and saw a black snake.
• Susan went to Sabino Canyon and took a nice long nap at the interpretive thing.
• Katie, Will, Susie, and Jay met for the Sushi part of the Sushi swing but only Jay and Katie could make it to the Contra Dance. There WILL NOT be another one this month. The next one is the first Saturday in August.
• Albert did the following:
  On Friday the 19th, the day after the re-opening of the Coronado National Forest, I hiked the Finger Rock Trail to Mount Kimball. The trail traverses through steep and rocky terrain over Finger Rock Canyon in the Catalinas before arriving in the ponderosa pine forest high above the valley at 7,255 feet. Kimball Peak has astounding views to the north, northwest, and northeast, including Pima Canyon, Biosphere 2, Cathedral Peak, Wilderness of Rocks, and Mt. Lemmon. The trail is only 5 miles long going one way, but due to an elevation gain of ~4500 feet in that distance, it is considered an A+ hike.
  I began the hike at 8 am, and reached Kimball Peak at 11:15 am as thunderstorms were brewing to the north. I decided not to stay in the higher elevations for very long, as the storms contained deadly lightning.
  I was also privileged enough to see some very interesting wildlife and other sights: 2 snakes (one of which I almost stepped on); various bugs engaged in the mating process; several unrelated discoveries of bobcat droppings; a possible bear track; and many lizards which were nearly the size of iguanas.
• Some of the Ramblers went to the Sidewinders game after the meeting and saw them beat the Sacramento River Cats(what is a river cat?).
• Last week's movie was the "Awful Truth". This week is the "Odd Couple". We don't know what next week's will be but there may be a reminder sent to the listserve by Ross or myself.

• Katy has her history hike on Saturday. Contact her at kadakamari@theriver.com.
• Dan will be leading a weather permitting tentative hike to Seven Falls on either Saturday at around 10 AM or Sunday at the same time. Call him at 271-6916 or email him at dcarroll@u.arizona.edu if you would like to go one of those days. He will email you with final details. It is important that you indicate where you can meet. If you MUST be picked up at Park Student Union, make that clear. Otherwise we may meet or arrange rides straight to the Sabino Canyon parking lot.
• Andrew McCarthy is going to the Chiricahuas on Saturday as well. See his email for details and RSVP him at mccarthy@geo.arizona.edu or call 408-0627.