It's Hot - Yaay!

Well, we've been able to sleep with the windows open, and we turned the ceiling fan on today. Yahoo! We got a hike in Sunday, Michael's second to last. Of course, we'll get one in next weekend before he leaves too! We've been wanting to go to Balanced Rock in the McDowell/Sonoran Preserve for awhile, but the nearest trailhead is closed indefinitely. We found another way though, and off we went.

This was probably the flattest hike we've ever done. It was also well mapped and well marked, so for the first time, we actually meant to go everywhere we went. Scottsdale really knows how to do the beginning of trailheads. This was quite a structure.

It's a multi-use trail, from hikers to mountain bikers to horses, so we had to keep a lookout, but it was so hot, there really weren't many people on the trails.

We started out going to Balanced Rock. We took the Power Line Trail.  Yep, it's got power lines.

But it wasn't long before we were off that onto a more isolated trail (Chuck Wagon Trail).

I present Balanced Rock.

We actually brought food for the first time ever and sat in the shade while we munched. Until we got cold, and moved into the sun. It was so nice to be there by ourselves. I love the Tom Thumb hike, but so do a lot of other people.

Ready to hike some more, we headed to the "Amphitheater." Along the way, there were lots and lots of wildflowers. I really love this time of year. People whine about not having seasons here, but to me, they just don't notice the changes.

That in the midst of the deadness.

And the thorniness. Michael got a little too close to a jumping cholla....

Yes, it jumped from his finger and then empaled itself onto his stomach. Ouch! And then he did it again later, this time it lodged in his leg (which swelled). Sheesh. I guess Michael really wanted a souvenir. Or the Cholla wanted a free trip to the Caribbean.

The amphitheater was another bunch of rocks, basically.

And then we decided we were too close (less than a mile) to the "cathedral" not to go see what it was.

Pretty. And then we headed back on a different trail. It was nice to be able to take so many different routes and see new things. We saw these wispy spider webs sparkling in the sun. There were more than fit in the photo and were sort of like mist.

Spooky.

It was a fun trek. We hiked for about 3 1/ 2 hours, but you can do less, of course. It's easy and flat, but has no shade (other than in the shadow of the boulders). You could always bring an umbrella and saunter along in your man-made shade. I'm not sure how interesting it would be without the flowers, but you know what you're into.

Happy St. Patrick's day to anyone that's actually Irish out there.