Monday, August 3, 2009

It was 117 Degrees Yesterday!


I am in Phoenix for a work assignment. It is hot here! Yesterday I went hiking in the desert with a co-worker. I thought the heat was going to kill me but it just slowed me down a bit. It's dry so you have to drink lots and lots of water.

We hiked for 7 miles and climbed two peaks. It was a little cooler than 117 when we hiked but not much.

Saturday I visited a couple of museums and a botanical garden. The museums were ok but the botanical garden was really neet. I wish Katrina could have been there with me. It was all cactus . Here are a few pictures from my cell phone.
This Agave is taller than me.



Between the Museum and Garden I stopped at Paogo Park and saw a few hills that needed to be climbed. I wasn't in my hiking clothes and didn't have much water with me but I just couldn't help but climb them.


A short hike through the desert to get to the rocks.


The view from the top. I hiked around the back side to climb up. I thought I would take a short cut on the way down and just go down the front side. I got about 2/3rds down and got upset because I couldn't find a way down the rest of the way. It was steep. But I managed to find a way down. It was hairy and the rock was really hot to hold onto. You could only hold on for 5 to 10 seconds without being burned!
I wonder what next weekend will bring.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

looks nice but very hot!

Anonymous said...

The cacti garden looks great! I suppose that the old adage "...but its dry heat" is really true and somehow makes the outdoors experience doable even at 117 degrees! The dessert is beautiful, but after growing up in the Caribbean, I don't know that I could ever live there.

Ham

Jeff and Katrina Kruse said...

Yesterday after work it was 115 and we hiked 5 or 6 miles!

It's so dry the sweat doesnt have a chance to get your clothes wet.

It was hot and I had to go a little slower but as long as you drink engough water it's doable.

I am starting to think 90 degrees with 80% humidity feels hotter than 110 degrees with 10% humidity

Anonymous said...

LOL! I think you are probably right! I don't enjoy being soaked outdoors in high heat and high humidity either. I've visited the southwest, but its always been in the winter/spring time and it was pretty nice. Sounds like you are having a good trip!

Ham