Until today, Arizona has had colder weather than most of the rest of the US. Flagstaff, for example, got three feet of snow over the weekend.
But Tucson is 260 miles south and 4,500 feet lower than Flagstaff, so while Tucson's nearby mountains got snow, here at the Air Force Base it was just chilly and wet with about 30 seconds worth of small hail. I don't think I've ever been so excited to see a rainstorm. We also wanted to see the desert in the rain, so on Sunday we hiked Saguaro National Park East. Photos below.
Yesterday we hiked the Rillito River path again and it was wildlife day. We saw three coyotes in the wash, plus a bird sitting on a waist-high nest just barely off the trail. However, the nest was tucked in a cholla cactus, so I doubt that too many critters/people could get close to it.
Today the temps are to be in the 70's and by tomorrow we should be in the 80's again.
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| A hiking trail at Saguaro National Park, with rain clouds low in the sky. |
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| A couple of puddles on the trail. |
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| Raindrops on a creosote bush. After a rain storm, the desert smells like this plant; the smell is slightly like burned sugar. |
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| Jim on the trail at Saguaro National Park. |
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| Jim took this photo of the bird sitting on her nest at the Rillito River Trail. No telephoto necessary. |
Love the cactus and birds, but how can you hike knowing that Tebow has been traded to New York. I mean really? Tebow in New York?
ReplyDeleteTebow: He's a former Gator, therefore Buckeyes don't care. Except for maybe Urban Meyer. But I'm still not sold on Urban's being a Buckeye.
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