Planning a Staycation

I have had to sacrifice my vacation time all year long, pushing off two other windows and one backpacking trip that would have begun today in the Sierra Nevadas. It looked like I was not going to be able to enjoy any time off until mid September but a window of opportunity has opened in mid-August. Yipee.

I am really trying to figure what to do for ten days. My limitations are Mistress has a broken ankle so I will most likely not be able to leave for more than 48 hours if at all, we have a newborn that compounds the need for me to be at least somewhat home and Mighty Mo starts 1st grade. Plus Mistress no longer works, so while I have the ability to do some fun things I need to remember that whatever I do must be Pay-Go and not on credit.

This is what I have on my mind.

• This fall I have a overnight one way backpacking trip over the Superstition Mountain Range. It has three legs, one from trail head to top of range, then walk across mountain range, then the last leg is back down to the ranger station. On back to back days, I think I will walk the first and then last routes, plugging waypoints into my GPS. This leaders recon will allow us to not get lost amid the various cross trails and I can work on my mapping skills.
  

• I may go and get my PADI dive license. I have dived in the past but not officially. Its nice having friends that are Navy SEALS.
  

• I may go and get my CCW permit.
  

• I'd like to go to a state treasure. If I can get Mo and I to go to Tombstone or Kartchner Caverns that would be cool.
  

• Maybe get the whole family to go to Sedona or Jerome or something like that for a day of tourism. Hard to say if Mae could handle all the driving in one day or how Mistress could handle all that with her bum ankle. But I've never been there.
  

• I am a National Park fan and there are several I have not been too in this state. I'd like to take my passport book and stamp a couple parks.
  

What do you think? Any other ideas?