We’re back in our desert abode and pretty much finished with the tasks of cleaning up and settling in. Sadly this area is in the throes of a severe drought and hotter than normal temperatures. You might think that is normal for the Sonoran Desert but there are usually 2 rainy seasons: the monsoons in July-August and a second rainy period in December-January. The monsoons never arrived this summer and the temperatures even now are routinely in the high 90°sF (that’s 35-37°C). We are hoping for rain but it is amazing to see how the native vegetation hunkers down and hangs on: the saguaro cacti get “skinny”, the native trees like mesquite and ironwood look unperturbed, the bushes like the bursage drop their leaves and wait. Jim and I put out birdseed and water and are inundated with birds: gila woodpeckers, finches, curved-bill thrashers, brilliant red cardinals, mourning doves. They’re no dummies…the word travels fast about a free lunch!

When I last wrote we had just visited Great Basin National Park.

We rode into Utah after just a few miles on the most deserted highway of the trip. It was starkly beautiful and felt uniquely desolate.

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The next day we headed to Zion National Park. Its a beautiful place but much to our chagrin, loads of other folks also thought that a late season, outdoor-oriented trip was a good idea (harrumph, just who do they think they are??). After a sunrise ride up the canyon, we hit the road in our van hoping to leave the crowds behind.

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We variably drove and rode to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. The ride to the rim was marvelous and there weren’t too many people at the rim.

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We elected to drive on to our desert home the next day. With high volumes of tourist traffic, respect for the closures on the Navajo Nation, and ever-hotter temperatures, it seemed like the right decision. So here we are, home again. Someday when the world 🌎 is healthier, we hope to see you. In the meantime, stay well, and thanks for riding along.