Some time ago, maybe a couple of years or so, a few of us were commenting that with all of the people we have in our club from all over the globe, wouldn’t it be great to have an ethnic potluck to celebrate our club’s great diversity and get to sample the flavors of the various countries we represent? Germany, India, Hungary, Serbia, Israel, Vietnam, Japan, and Lebanon, just to name a few. Well you know how it goes when you suggest something, and next thing you know I’m in charge of the potluck event :)

I wanted to try an easier way to handle the potluck signups, so I came across SignUpGenius on the internet, which was a big help. Among a few other benefits of this tool, everyone could easily see what the others were bringing, so we did end up with a nice variety of food.

We also wanted to do a hike on the day of the potluck, so after some internet searching and a few phone calls, it became clear that the Cave Creek Recreation Area (a county park) would suit our purposes pretty well, since their picnic ramadas have 8 outlets (versus 1 outlet at many of the city parks, and you are not allowed to use power strips there), and also since the trail is just steps from the picnic ramada. Crock pot city, here we come!

So on a fairly chilly morning of 46 degrees, we gathered at 2 separate carpool locations (I-17 and Carefree Highway, and Cave Creek Rd. and Carefree Highway) and condensed into as few cars as possible and headed to the Cave Creek Recreation Area, since the entry fee is $6 per vehicle. Once we arrived at the picnic area, we unloaded the crock pots, coolers, and other various containers from our vehicles and gathered according to who would be hiking the longer 6.4 mile hike versus the shorter 3.8 mile hike. Barbara was armed with a few books to help pass the time at the picnic site and watch our goodies while we hiked. I appointed Jim to lead the 24 hikers on the longer trail, and I led the 8 hikers on the shorter trail. Quite a large turnout!

We started off in one large group on the Overton trail, which brings you to the road that leads to the Go John trailhead. We went up the Go John trail, and by the time we got to the saddle, many of us were shedding a layer or two. Each intersection is well marked (in a few cases, maybe even a little overkill, as one post had 6 different signs on it! But better than not being marked at all).

Before too long, we reached the junction where our large group would split into two smaller groups – those going east would be taking the longer trail, those going west would be taking the shorter trail.

The group with the longer hike ahead of them was somewhat anxious to get going, perhaps because the shorter hike group was teasing that there might not be any food left by the time the longer hike group got there! Good motivation for the longer hike group.

See the supplemental writeup for the longer hike. Our shorter hike was uneventful, although we took a short break at a trail junction to wait for those farther back on the trail, so that nobody would take a wrong turn. Taking a right turn at the junction would eventually take you to the western boundary of the park. We kept going straight, still on the Overton Trail, and would also pass junctions with the Clay Mine Trail and the trail that takes you to the nature center.

They both looked tempting, but doing the Clay Mine trail would make our short hike almost as long as the longer hike, so we’ll save that for another day. We passed a group on horseback and a few other sets of people out enjoying the beautiful day before returning to the picnic ramada, where Barbara waited at a lawn chair out in the sun to keep warm – bless her heart!

We set out tablecloths and secured them down with rocks, and moved all of the food to the shadier side of the ramada. After a short break, rather than sitting there staring at all of that yummy looking food while we waited for the longer hike group, some of us decided to go to the nature center after all, since it was very close to the picnic ramada. They have a very nice amphitheater just outside of the nature center, complete with lighting and a fire pit, and there are signs identifying the various desert plants around the building, and good restrooms with flush toilets.

Inside, they had a seating area where it looks like they give presentations, a small gift shop (where I bought the t-shirt at the bottom of this report), volunteers answering questions and discussing the trails on the map, and a small but good display of a few live desert creatures – a black widow spider, a rattlesnake, a gila monster, a king snake and one or two others.

“OK, back to the picnic area, I think the other group will be back there very shortly,” I said. And sure enough, they soon started filtering in off of the trail and the place was buzzing with activity.

I had some of the people explain to the others what their dish was and briefly what was in it, then we all queued up and dove into all of the glorious food! We encouraged everyone to take seconds and thirds, as we had a massive amount of food.

I don’t think anyone left hungry!

After the feast, Jim started the awards part of the event, and handed out certificates and gift cards for awards such as Distinguished Hike Leader (those who led 5 or more hikes last year – Jim, Chuck, Quy, Bill, Dave, John R. Michael and Ted) and Hiker of the Year (most miles hiked, Michael), and a Lifetime Achievement plaque to Ted for his longstanding, continuous and outstanding contribution to the club (club Secretary, webmaster, hike leader, etc). Great job, everyone!

Beyond the Overton Trail Junction where we split up into short-haul and long-haul hikers, the rest of the hike went without incident and the trail was pretty much the same except for several additional hills and rather steep climbs that some sadistic trail crew evidently recently put into place to antagonize unsuspecting hikers. I have hiked the full Go John Loop a number of times over the years and definitely do not remember these additional hills. Drat! That must have been quite an undertaking.

The thing that impressed me most about the rest of this hike was the abnormally accelerated speed of this larger group and how closely we were staying together on the trail. Normally with a group this size (24 hikers), as the hike progresses we begin to stretch out farther and farther along the trail, with the lead hikers eventually a half-mile or more ahead of the rear guard. And we also take lots of rest breaks along the way.

But not on this hike and not on this day. Somehow this motley group managed to stay pretty close together, with maybe 200 to 300 yards of separation between the lead group and the sweepers. How, I’m not quite sure. But there’s certainly something different about this hot shot group of speed hikers on the Go John Trail today. Extra caffeine, perhaps? Must be some sort of major energy booster out there I’m just not aware of yet.

Another impressive aspect of this hike is the fact that this group did not slow down at all over the second half of the trail, which again is typical as hikers begin to tire out and become more exhausted as the day and the hike wears on. If anything, we became faster and faster as we got closer to the trailhead, similar to 10,000-meter Olympic runners saving their energy reserves for those last few laps to the finish line where they really pour it on and run full out. What the heck is going on here? I’m totally stumped.

In all my many years of hiking, including hundreds of hikes over the past 18 years with the Arizona Trailblazers and its predecessor, the Motorola Hiking Club, I have never seen anything quite like this before. I am totally awed by the unbelievable stamina and the resilience of this group and completely blown away by their undaunted strength and determination.

Then it suddenly dawns on me. It’s the food! Of course! That must be it!

We have several tables back at the picnic ramada adjacent to the trailhead, groaning under the weight of many wonderful and delectable dishes of hot ethnic foods and numerous desert items — all under the vigilant eye of Barbara French as she patrols the area with her AK-47 to keep out all intruders and any curious hikers who happen to wander onto the scene. Barbara is taking her job very seriously and is to be commended.

So onward we Trailblazers speed-march to the finish line, trampling and mowing down anything and everything in our path, in a frantic effort to get to the chow line before the short-haul hikers scarf it all down in our absence. Hopefully Barbara can maintain some sort of order with her AK-47 at the ready. Surely they can’t ignore that formidable sight.

Then about a mile out a gentle breeze begins blowing from the food ramada, and the tantalizing and savory aromas of hot ethnic foods wafts enticingly in our direction. By now this is one very ravished group of hikers. This is a major game changer for us, and the group dynamics suddenly changes dramatically. We will stop for nothing in our haste, and anyone caught taking a break is severely reprimanded or simply mowed down.

Dogs, bikers, and other hikers cringe and flee at the mere sight of us. A jackrabbit is seen scampering for his life as we burn our way down the trail, nearly tripping over one another or colliding as we surge toward the finish line. Some of our more reserved hikers become frightened and begin to whimper at the sight of several particularly crazed and famished Trailblazers, who suddenly seem to have an almost diabolical glaze in their eyes and start drooling profusely, babbling incoherently, and slobbering uncontrollably all over themselves and the trail, causing those of us behind them to start slipping and sliding. Good Grief! Control yourselves, people! We’re acting like a bunch of mad dogs.

We’re literally flying down the trail, chewing up ground at an astonishing rate, and leaving clouds of dust in our wake, as massive amounts of adrenaline surge through our veins and rocket us forward at a record-breaking pace. God help anything in our path now as we are totally out of control and running amuck at full throttle.

We blow that last mile away in just under five minutes, an all-time Arizona Trailblazers record and probably a record that will stand unchallenged for decades to come. Absolutely unbelievable! Surprisingly, it looks like there’s still plenty of great food left, and we were all worried for nothing. So it’s time to really get serious and chow down. Bon apetite everyone!

Many thanks to Wendy, and to Jim and everyone for organizing and leading this special event! It is an honor to be included among you.

I’m always impressed by how well organized, signed, and maintained the trails are in this region. The folks here really care about hiking and making our outdoor experience the best.