More NM and the beginnings of AZ

I've got access to wireless from the comfort of my van tonight (3/1/17), near Tucson, AZ, so I'll see if I can get a bunch of photos uploaded while it's easy. I can fill in text at a later date without wireless by using my phone's cell coverage. I can't help but marvel at the simple joys of life associated with my current lifestyle. Two days ago I visited friends from Juneau (Ted & Sonny Israelson) who divide time between Juneau and the Phoenix area. I left there with clean laundry, clean sheets on my bed, and having enjoyed a real shower with unlimited hot water. Now I'm rejoicing that I've got internet in a campground from which I'll be able to get a good hike in to a distinctive mountain tomorrow. Life is good!

OK. I spoke too soon. They advertise "high speed internet" but it's very, very slow... But at least I'm kicked back in my van after a good day of hiking (and a 2.5 hour drive) and looking forward to another good day of hiking from here tomorrow.
I was truly amazed to see that the desert can be green.  I first discovered this in Tonto National Forest. It wasn't green just because it had rained hard the previous few days. It's the monsoon season in August and it stays green after that until the heat the following year. Wow!

These Saguaro cacti are HUGE!

Lower cliff dwellings at Tonto National Monument.

Tonto National Forest and the water that flows into Roosevelt Lake on a hike up to Arizona Trail.

The skies are amazing! 

I spent a few days visiting with my friends Sherrie and Darrel, from Everson, WA, who travel to Scottsdale, AZ with their horses for the winter. It's easy to see why; it's a great place for riding or hiking or biking.

This was a long loop hike up to and around Tom's Thumb. It was a 12.26 mile hike and 8.25 mile bike ride back to my van.

Overlooking Scottsdale, AZ.

This is how these cholla cacti reproduce. They detach thorny little balls that grab on to passing critters and are dispersed.

Interesting rock formations.

Cholla cacti (foreground) almost look soft... (Not!)

There are endless trails surrounding where my WA friends board their horses in Tonto National Forest.

Overlooking Fountain Hills, AZ. That fountain is huge; it's in a lake surrounded by a bike/walk/run path in town.

Even cacti thorns can catch rain water. It rained hard for 2 days while I was in Scottsdale.

From Scottsdale I headed toward Phoenix to rendezvous with fellow Travato owners at an RV show. These folks all belong to a Facebook group that has been a great source of information for me. We circled the wagons, attended a few seminars, and had a lot of fun getting acquainted.

Our group, and a few other RV show attendees went on a group bike ride (8,17, or 25 miles long -- I went for the long one but couldn't keep up with the serious road bike competitive racers.

The woman in the grey in the middle is from "Fit RV". She facilitated a TRX workout. Several of the Travato owners had TRXs but hadn't used them yet.

After the RV gathering I hit the trails again. The desert wildflowers are beginning to bloom.

It's going to be amazing to see the cacti in full bloom!

Flowers everywhere! It had rained hard the night before and I had one more rain shower as I was hiking the next morning on the outskirts of Phoenix in White Tank Mountain Park on the outskirts of Phoenix.

So many different kinds of flowers.

Poppies waiting for the sun to come out so they can unfurl their petals and shed the rain.

I'm looking forward to seeing these bloom!

Carpeted in flowers!

The adult birds must get good at coming in for a landing between the thorns.

I think I'll send this as a picture post before my lap top battery runs out!