Phoenix- Good news/bad news!

“Well the good news is I get to go to Phoenix for a week for woork.


The bad news is: It's in August!

Nice!

And to make matters worse, it's during Montana backpacking prime-time. I don't even think Shawn will be there (right?) since it's the same week as Windorama! I think while I'm at it I'll plana winter trip to International Falls, MN.”

“Well Aero, if it is any consolation, August is during their monsoon season, so they say. I'm not sure if this means that you could get caught in a torrential dust storm or what, but they talk about the season like it is dangerous, with actual flooding. The clouds ought to block a little of the heat at least.”

“Yeah, they get these flash floods that wash down the arroyos and fill up the underpasses! Then they pass and thing just steam up for awhile.
It'll be OK; I know some good Mexican places there and I can pass the week with a few Dos Equis and lime.”

“Let me know when you're going to International Falls. I have a high school buddy who lives and works there.

Trust me, you'll have a trip you'll likely never forget.

Did I mention that he was kicked out of Canada a few years back and hasn't been allowed to go back since?”

“Flash floods in the canyons.

I got a weekend there in Feb once as I had a meeting on Mon-Tue.
Flew in Fri night and took the rental up the Apache highway (invalidates insurance so do not dent it) to the Tonto Natnl monument Anasazi ruins.
Awesome drive up through Fish creek canyon and past the Rosevelt Dam a gravity dam of huge stone blocks.

Feb is too cold, but the hot months see considerable rattlesnakes, watch where you step.”

“Kicked out of Canada? You'd have to try pretty hard to have that happen!

Well, given the current trend, I'll try to go there (MN) on the coldest day of the year. Maybe I'll try for Devil's Lake, ND.”

“Years ago I really enjoyed the Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden. It was 114ºF. while I was walking around in the park. However, the humidity was low. This garden is worth seeing.”

“you should climb Mt. Humphry”

“Yeah the low humidity did nothing for me, it still felt like walking in a furnace. After a couple of days, I did adjust somewhat though.”

“As a geologist, you might appreciate an interesting geological feature they have in Arizona, a few hours north of Phoenix. You may have heard of it: The Grand Canyon.”