After I finished the Arizona Trail, I continued hiking and backpacking in places the trail misses and came to terms with a changed body.

As the wind builds into a sandstorm, I finish the Arizona Trail at the border under the brooding Vermillion Cliffs.

The trail is an engineering marvel taking me steeply up through red cliffs all alone to the North Rim.

Hiking into the canyon on the Kaibab Trail is one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life.

Another long day up and down through ponderosa and dust with the first glimpse of the Grand Canyon.

Sam drives me past Mount Humphreys to Babbitt Lake and it’s an easy day through ranchland to a perfect camp spot.

I walk into Flagstaff with bed bug infested gear, but help is not forthcoming. Still, I manage.

It’s a long day but the trail gets easier and drier with only a glimpse of views.

Mud, snow, a beer before 10 am and a wrong turn make for a fun hiking day.

It’s a long slog through sticky mud but ends in a surprise.

The trail is rocky and steep to the rim right into deep snow drifts then mud.

The storm cleared the air and I walk under the colorful rim on red rock with big clouds overhead.

It’s mostly easy trail but filled with hard-to-walk-on rocks all the way to a shortcut and a ‘zero.’

The views are huge and unspoiled, so remote and almost overwhelming.

The trail winds around deep canyons to stay high with snow, wildflowers, gnats, gorgeous water and a stunning sunset.

I begin the Mazatzals on a gorgeous day, ‘cruisey’ and beautiful as I try to push through before snow.

Sleeping on the grass is a bad idea and I puncture my mattress, but serendipity leads to a replacement.

A road walk leads to beautiful Boulder Canyon and sleeping with frogs.

It’s a steep flower-laden climb to Four Peaks and a spectacular balcony walk.

The final day in the Superstitions is very hard on steep, loose rock but with astounding views.

It’s a tough up and down hike through the Superstition Mountains shared with new friends.

I skip the low desert in the interest of time and move onto the mountains where the wildflowers are abundant.

Oracle Ridge is an absolute slog up and down rock-filled hills but ends with a trail angel.

It’s an enormous ascent to Summerhaven through a magical stone forest.

A surprise up tires me before heading into some of the most spectacular scenery yet.

It’s a relentless climb to beautiful Manning Camp and even harder down to the desert.

After “Magic Camp” the trail enters Saguaro National Park and a huge climb.

It’s a long hot day through the Sonoran Desert with trail angeling the entire way.

The Los Colinas section past Kentucky Camp is lovely rolling grassland and one trail magician.

A rest in Patagonia sets me up for a huge climb over a pass and a perfect camp spot.

The last miles reveal ten tents and many more ups and downs to Patagonia and a ‘nero.’

The trail winds up and down all day with spectacular views of mountain ranges in all directions.

The first full day is hard core, climbing up and over Miller Peak, then steeply down past interesting water sources.

The start requires about two miles steeply down to the border followed by thousands of feet into a sky island.

My upcoming six-week hike of the Arizona Trail shares a lot with the season of Lent.