HikeArizona.COM

Didn't get to hike and enjoy the weather this weekend (stupid March weddings), but yesterday afternoon while driving on the US-60W to I-10E interchange (very high up) I noticed the clearest views I've seen in a long time.

From the White Tanks to the Estrellas, Bradshaws, Mt. Ord, 4Peaks, Superstitions and San Tans. 360 degrees of crystal clarity. No haze, pollution, or dust in the air. It looked spectacular.

Unfortunately, from 6 stories up in Tempe this morning, the brown cloud is back. The White Tanks are brown again. If only yesterday's weather could exist every day!

Yeah, it's really sad. It didn't seem as bad on such a regular basis when I first visited. Of course there was about 15 miles of open space between Mesa and Apache Junction back then.

Brown cloud? Obstructed views? Is there some sort of a fire? I am baffled by this post. I hardly ever see anything but clear blue skies and 100+ miles of visibility. Perhaps you have cataracts? My grandmother had them, they were cleared up with a simple operation.

Wait a minute. I feel bad now. OK, not really. I guess the cold and snow does have its benefits.

Yeah. Not all of us live in the mountains though. I did make plans today to enjoy that crisp air with one more day at Snowbowl next week.

Though to be fair, there are some days that dust and haze (and humidity) obstruct the views in northern Arizona somewhat too. Certainly not as frequently as here in the valley.

That Phoenix haze often makes its way up the Verde Valley, not often as far as Flag, but it does. It occasionally blows over into the White Mountains as well. Not often, but it does. You guys need to start riding bikes more down there, and move closer to your jobs. Vote for public transportation and then when it's built, dammit, USE it!

I ride my bike to work, but more for exercise than anything else.

Funny about guys up here on the mountain. They think they're so strong and macho and tough, but they can't seem to go anywhere under their own power. They have to be in a vehicle (or for a few, on a horse.) If you talk to them about hiking, most of them will say they hiked Mt. Baldy when they were kids in Scouts, and it remains in their memories as one of the hardest things they've ever done! If you talk to them about riding a bike up Water Canyon they look at you in great wonderment. Ride down it, yeah, they say, but ride up it? No way!

Ha! Macho indeed!

And the women? Don't even get me started..... Lucky for me there are quite a few people who have moved here for the hiking, so I do have some pals.

Tucson got really bad during the time I lived there. It also is in sort of a bowl, and especially in the fall it gets really smoggy. I imagine it is even worse now--I have been living up here almost 9 years now. (Hard to believe!)

nonsense. only 20% or less of the valley's pollution is from automobiles.

What's the other 80%, pot smoke and ufo contrails?

Biking to work would be like a real-life frogger episode.