About a year ago, I was buying a present for my nephew at Yikes! toy store in Tucson. It is filled with all sorts of eclectic toys and a small jar filled with tiny rubber chickens caught my eye. The perfect backpacker’s toy, smaller than my pinky finger and weighing nothing at all. I tucked him into my camera case and he went on all sorts of adventures with me this year. So instead of the usual year-end retrospective, I give you the travels of Micro Chicken!
Micro Chicken (or Mic if you’re into that whole brevity thing) started his year out right with a 3-day backpacking trip on the Arizona Trail # 16 & 17 from Picketpost to Kelvin
Micro Chicken aka “Mike” visits Trough Springs on his first backpacking trip
In January, I got my first taste of technical canyoneering, and Micro Chicken was along for every rappel and swim:
Micro Chicken’s first canyon too!
Later in January, Bill Bens met Micro Chicken on a hike to Elephant Head in the Santa Ritas. Bill had seen pictures of him, but didn’t realize Micro Chicken’s incredibly small stature:
Bill meets Micro Chicken
Ride ‘em Mic!
In February, I went for a hike on the Bellota and Milagrosa Ridge Trails for my birthday. Wendy and I found a magical place called Tequila Spring on the trail and Micro Chicken dove right in.
Uh-oh, look who’s wasted!
In March, I went on my first backpacking trip in Sedona on the Secret Canyon Trail.
Just me and Mic in the red rocks
In April, Micro Chicken and I were in Sierra Vista doing Arizona Trail work and decided to take a hike down to the southern terminus of the AZT.
Micro Chicken on AZT #1
I also had the second annual Birds, Blues, and Bellydance benefit for Wildlife Rehabilitation Northwest Tucson and Micro Chicken’s feathered friends. Everyone had a great time, we raised about $1000, and I can’t wait until the next one. A million thanks to everyone who donated via the website as well- over $700 this year!
Elfie the Elf Owl
May was an especially exciting month for me and Micro Chicken. I started a summer job working in the Grand Canyon with Arizona River Runners and Grand Canyon Whitewater. What a dream to be able to teach people about the Canyon while having the ride of your life! Micro Chicken was a big hit with all the passengers and one even wrote a limerick about me and Mic.
She came from the windy Midwest
Micro Chicken secured for the quest
Archaeology not fashion
Canyoneering her passion
With fine weather and foul friends she’s been blessed!
Workin’ on the river with Micro Chicken
Some of Mic’s admirers
And then one day on the river, this happened- Micro Chicken met Mega Chicken deep in the Grand Canyon
My work on the river was exhilarating and exhausting and I can’t wait to go back next season. At the end of my commercial river season, I was invited along last-minute on a private river trip just for fun! I of course said yes and Micro Chicken and I joined my friend Chelsea on an 8-day lower-half trip. It was fantastic, and one of the hikes we did was to Thunder River:
Colorado River
Thunder River
In September, I transitioned back into a terrestrial lifestyle and was excited to go exploring closer to home. Micro Chicken and I started doing some peakbagging, usually with an off-trail component. Here’s Mic at Josephine Peak in the Santa Ritas and on top of The Biscuit in the Mustang Mountains near Sonoita.
Micro Chicken bags another summit
Micro Chicken makes an appearance
In October I was up at the Mormon Lake Lodge for the Arizona Trail Rendezvous and Micro Chicken was along on a hike on the Arizona Trail to see some fall colors.
Micro Chicken and Aspen
I backpacked the Samaniego Ridge Trail and Micro Chicken stood upon the tiny summit of Samaniego Peak after quite the scratchy bushwhack. Someday we’ll do this West Ridge route.
Ridge heading west from Samaniego Peak toward the Baby Jesus Trail
Samaniego Summit
In November I went to see Fall colors in Ash Creek in the Galiuros. Micro Chicken was so excited he wouldn’t sit still so I only have this fuzzy one.
Fall Colors
Micro Chicken in Ash Creek
December was spent doing off-trail hikes to peaks in the Pusch Ridge Wilderness- Buster Mountain, The Cleaver, Table Mountain. So close to home but so very fun! The best was spending the night atop Table Mountain at the fireplace campsite. Micro Chicken by this time has become quite a dirty bird, but what do you expect when he goes on so many adventures?
Micro Chicken atop The Cleaver- Prominent Point and Mount Kimball across Pima Canyon
Micro Chicken atop Table Mountain
Time will only tell what kinds of adventures Micro Chicken and I will get into next year. I can assure you that we plan on starting the new year out right!
Micro Chicken in a festive mood
Happy New Year and Micro Chicken and I will see you in 2013!
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Harris Hawk Head
What amazing adventures to go on! Thanks for sharing your photos and year review with The Micro Chicken facebook page. Glad to see Micro Chicken exploring the wide wonderful world.