Spread the Gas Station Virus

• Fill up only early in the morning : that's when the density of the gasoline in the underground (cold) tank is the highest - and you're paying by volume. You want to get the highest MASS for you $$! Get it?
• A good reason never to top-off - there's a return (pink) line back to the underground tank that gets opened if the pressure builds up because your tank is full.. So you're donating gas to the station.. don't!
• Always fill up at the LOW fill rate - you see there are 3 settings. If you fill at the FAST rate, some of the gasoline that gets converted to vapour returns to the station's tank. Really?
• Fill up when your tank is half full - or fuller to minimize the amount of air in your tank - or you make it easier for the gas to evaporate.

Flatiron Fuhrer : AZ's Easiest Difficult Hike

Overestimation is sometimes a benefit. This one was practically nothing after so many months of Camelback every Sat morning.

I felt cheated in the beginning - seeing a lofty peak in the Northwest, I thought that was going to be my destination. Google takes me to the Lost Dutchman Park and I think  - this thing's a baby. Wrong - its true height is cleverly concealed if you drive in from the west.

Having read it was more than 2x Camelback, there was some queasiness. Having voided my bowel after getting out of bed at 5:15, guess what was the first thing I did after paying the ranger my $7 to get into the park.. Just goes to show how much mental toughness counts for.

Nature makes it easy for you - you won't appreciate the mile hike return in the sun around mid-day, but, at least, it's flat. But how many hikes can you do in the shade? You'll be grateful for that.

Five fifteen in the morning to 1 PM by the time I'm back - in all, a day's work! Thanks Superstition. I really felt like I communed with nature.

Got overtaken by 5 parties in all. The group of three Martial Arts cooks (including instructor) was fun. Sensei said, back in the day, Camelback up and down in 45 minutes was a test.