It's finally here!

 

Did you have trouble sleeping last night?  The anticipation of what Ama Claus (Santa Prime?) might unveil for the Amazon Prime Days Sale?

 

Yeah, me neither.  I am considering an upgrade to my laptop, but the Apple Macbook Air has been "on sale" at Amazon and Best Buy for weeks.  I was hoping to see something better for Prime Day.  I have been going back and forth between the Air and the Pro... price difference, performance difference, screen difference, internal fan vs no fan, difference in ports, size, weight.  All the different configurations make it more of a challenge to get comparisons.

As far as the other stuff on the Prime Day Sales - yeah, I haven't really dug into it... maybe there's other stuff I didn't even know I need?!  I'm kidding.  A lot of hype.

 

 

Above Normal...

 

"Is that like Wobegon, where all the women are strong, all the men are good looking, and all the children are above average"?  If you said, "Garrison Keillor, from A Prairie Home Companion," you are close and get 5 bonus points as a "participation award."

I'm talking about our local weather weasels... "This will be hottest week of the year.  So far."  No shit, Shakespeare - every week will be "the hottest week of the year - so far" for the next couple months.  Average temperature here for this time of year is 107º.  For a newbie desert dweller, there is nothing normal about living just outside The Gates of Hell. 

To quote the late Sam Kinison and his rant on world hunger: "You live in the f****** desert!  Go where the food is!  We have deserts in America - we just don't live in them!"  Screaming Sammy was funny... not accurate, since about 4 million of us live in this desert in Phoenix... but funny.

 

That's not normal.  Why do people live in the desert?  To get away from "winter"?  People don't live at the North Pole.  'Cause they aren't stupid.  Apparently, living in the desert makes you stupid.  The weather weasels tell us: "You won't want to be outside after noon because there's an Extreme Heat Warning.  It will still be in the 90s through the overnight hours..."  Do we need to be told this?  Are there people here that are so stupid that they don't know you will spontaneously combust if you go outside after noon?

Normal.  At what point does all this "above normal" become normal?

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This is serious.  I like my hot tub.  As in: I use it almost every night.  I like to sit out there after dark and watch planes go by and enjoy the jets (the water kind, not the flying kind) on my my joints.  We are kinda on the flight path for Sky Harbor Airport for traffic coming in from the west.

The serious part: the temperature of the water.  I turn the temp down when its hot like this... 100º feels kinda cool (I keep it at 103º during the winter).  It's an EcoSpa and seems to be well-insulated.  It hold the temperature very steady when it is cool out.  In the heat, the tub is more affected by the sun pounding down on it.  With the temperature of the tub set at 100º, the water temp will climb to 104º or so in this heat... too hot to comfortably soak when the outside air temp is still in the upper 90s.

So, I adjust the temperature on it, as necessary - trying to determine how the heat and pounding sun will affect the water temperature.  I've been doing pretty good... until these over 110º temperatures.  Time to set up the pop-up kiosk over the tub...

It makes a difference.  Last night, the water temperature was 101º when I got in for a soak, around 9:30pm.

"So, why don't you just build a gazebo over the tub, Jim?"  I like the open air feel of where we have this - I can look straight up at the stars, look to the west to see air traffic, or watch the moon come up over South Mountain.  Even this pop-up kiosk cuts down a lot of that visibility, but at least I can take it down for the months it isn't needed.

Yeah, a "first world problem."  Last year at this time, we were gone: spending time in North Carolina, then Arkansas, then New Mexico.  We will be here in the desert for most of the summer this year, so I do what I gotta do.  And, I miss the hot tub when we aren't here.  Such a dilemma, huh?

 

A Trifecta!

 

I first used that term to describe the "attributes" that attracted Joan when we were teenagers (and horrified her parents): long hair, played in a band, and rode a motorcycle.  ;-)

It was a goal that was celebrated, but seldom accomplished, when driving the whale watch boats: 3 different species of whales in one trip.  Once or twice a season, if I was lucky.

Today, another type of trifecta: a different bike outing on 3 consecutive mornings.  Today, I took Joan's Xmax out.  The three bikes we have are very different; on both of mine, I feel like I'm riding in the bike... probably because they both have Corbin seats, which are scooped to give you more support on the backs of your thighs.  On Joan's bike, it feels like I am riding on the bike - I still taller, giving it a higher center of gravity.  One isn't necessarily better than the other, just different.  Cruiser bikes tend to have that "sit in" feeling, and sport bikes are more "sit on."  Just an observation.

The Xmax has more power and grunt than my Burgman; less than the CTX.  So, they each provide a different riding experience.  The Xmax is the sportiest of the three.  

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Before getting out on the bike, Murphy and I had some morning-time together outside.  This is his "S-up?" (What's up?) look...

 I think we all slept good last night.  I didn't hear another intense round of fireworks at midnight.  Walking the yard this morning, I found one cardboard tube - the remnants of one of the aerial displays.  I was surprised that there was only one, considering how many went off so close.

Happy Birthday, America...

 

249 years old.  No doubt, others before me have said, "I don't if this country can take much more of this crap."  But, this blog has never been about the politics.  Heck, it seems to me that humanity may be trying to make itself extinct.  I digress.

I feel like I should eat a hotdog, maybe some apple pie; go to a drive-in theater and watch some fireworks.  You know, like the good old days.  'Cause that's what you used to do on the 4th of July.

These days, I'm good to not be around crowds.  Too many stupid people.  Stupid people, alcohol, and fireworks... what could go wrong?

I digress again.

I got out on the CTX this morning.  A couple degrees warmer and about 20% more humidity than yesterday at the same time.  The CTX is a different kinda bike from Burgman.  Today was a different kinda ride.  Being the 4th of July, I was expecting more traffic up on the mountain.  Before I left, Joan said, "Ride safe - there's likely going to be a lot of people out there."  Yep.

Riding into the Park & Preserve, this sign is a sign of that...

 A view of the city would be spectacular from Dobbins Lookout at the top - you would be able to see fireworks all over the Valley.  But, they have to completely close the park because of stupid people (and fireworks and alcohol).

I didn't bring a camera with my today, but I did shoot a few things with my phone...

 The park was a lot busier today (as expected); yesterday, I saw one other motorcycle - today, there was at least 30.  Plenty of people on bicycles, too.  I rode different today - yesterday, I had the road pretty much to myself, and I may have bumped my adrenaline level a bit.  I was more deliberate today, expecting the unexpected.  I waved a couple Harley riders around me on my way up the mountain... I was enjoying the scenery, the feel of the bike, listening to some tunes in my helmet, and not "pushing it."  On the way down the mountain, I waved a kid on a Honda Monkey (a little 125cc bike) around.  I made it easy for each of them to pass.  Unlike a couple guys on bicycles who rode side-by-side, filling the whole lane.  It was easy enough to get around them, when I had enough forward visibility after a curve; but, they were slow and not about to make it easy for anyone to get around them.  Their problem - I was just enjoying being out.

I stopped at the top of the mountain to re-hydrate.  Stopped once more on the way down to take that photo of the bike (above) and a couple scenery shots...

 Just a nice holiday day to be out, enjoying the ride and the scenery.  And, feeling like a grown-up motorcycle rider.  :-)

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I keep hearing on TV and in the media that "times are tough for the typical American family."  Based on the amount of money that went up in smoke tonight just in our community, you wouldn't know it.  Yeah, I'm talking about fireworks.  The regulations in Phoenix: "any fireworks that launch or explode are generally illegal in Phoenix, except for supervised public displays with a permit."

There were a LOT of launched aerial displays happening, every direction around us.  Just after dark settled in, it sounded like a fire-fight in a war zone out there.  I enjoy a public fireworks display, put on by professionals.  In a safe manner, at an advertised time.  All the commotion out there tonight was not that.

"Aw, Jim, don't be such a curmudgeon - people are just enjoying the holiday."  Yep... an evening of drinking and amateurs with explosives - what could possibly go wrong with that??  I was soaking in the hot tub when the people one lot behind Steph and Dan shot off a dozen loud aerial displays.  Yes, the kind that aren't legal in Phoenix.  Pretty, but obnoxiously loud while they were going off right over the top of our house.

10:30pm currently, and the fireworks competitions are dropping off.  The regulations say that people can set off fireworks "until 1:00am on July 5th."  Hopefully, I will be asleep way before that.

Murphy didn't pay much attention to all the noise, other than looking around when the sound was really close.  I had checked with Steph and Dan earlier to see how their critters were doing - nobody was fazed.  I know some animals panic with all the noise... poor babies.

  
 

 

It's about time...

 

"You got a different watch, Jim?"  No, but thanks for asking.

It has been hot since we got back from our outing in the RoadTrek.  Yes, it's the desert, we expect it to be hot.  The temperatures have been running 8 to 10º hotter than normal (I have no idea what the weasels mean by "normal," when they should be saying "average.")... more than that, it has been hotter earlier in the day.  Too much so to want to get out on any of the bikes.

Last night, we had monsoon rains.  Some places in the Valley got over an inch; I think we were around .15" here in our part of the Valley.  Big winds and blowing dirt ahead of the rain.  So, yeah, it grubs things up.

When I went out this morning, it was a near lovely 80º (at 6:30), with higher than normal humidity.  That goes with monsoon season.  I took Murphy out, and he could lay on any surface he wanted without worry about getting his paw pads burned.  The wind knocked over a couple of Joan's plants in pots, including one nicely growing cactus.  I let her know about the cactus, so she could do whatever necessary to keep it healthy (over my pay grade, but I did help her get the plant stand upright).

There is apparently more rain predicted around noon, but the sky was mostly blue with some friendly looking puffy white clouds.  I decided to get in a ride on the Burgman before it gets any hotter.  I geared up, grabbed a camera, fired up the bike, and headed out.

The riding was good.  Traffic was unusually light (people got out early for the holiday weekend?).  Other than a few people on bicycles, I had the fun twisty roads mostly to myself.  I was home around 9:00, and the temp was up to 88º (104º predicted for a high today - yes, that is cooler than it has been).

I shot plenty of video on the ride - when I feel ambitious, I'll work it up.  But, in the meantime, it was a treat to get out!

Here are some screen grabs of this morning's ride...

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Joan sent me this photo she took this evening...

 A rainbow over South Mountain.  Taken from our patio with Joan's iPhone.  The weather has been a bit unusual today.  Rain to the east of us (around the far east side of South Mountain)... thus, the rainbow.

 

 

Wide Load...

 

"Did you eat too much while you were in the Tetons, Jim?"

No, but thanks for asking.  One thing I was missing while we were on this last trip: a pair of hiking boots.  I don't need serious hiking boots, but occasionally, I want something with a stiffer sole than my "trail ready" hiking sneakers (my name for them).

I have wide feet.  Double E.  Wider on some shoe/boot styles.  Until I discovered Skechers, shoe shopping was mostly an exercise in frustration.  Skechers are not high quality shoes, like SAS... but, they do have styles in wide (and extra wide) widths.  Not a lot, but enough.  Their shoes are mostly light weight (due to the materials they use), and that is a plus, too.  And, that "Slip-In" feature.

 

Joan suggested that "today would be a good day" for getting out for some shoe shopping.  It's hot again (94º when I got up at 6:30 this morning), so an air conditioned ride to the Skechers Store, then out for lunch.  I'm in. 

We left the house around 11:30.  Once at the Skechers Store, Joan helped me pick out some styles to try, then went off to find herself a pair of sneakers.  I was delighted to have various styles to pick from.  I actually quite enjoyed this experience, after decades of having shoe salespeople shake their heads and look down at my fat feet.

 These (above) are casual shoes that aren't sneakers.  And, they fit!  A pair of hiking(ish) boots.  They had some actual hiking boots in my size, but they would have rubbed my ankles raw.  The pair I got are a bit shorter, but have soft padding around the ankle area.  A pair of sneaker(ish) shoes, and another pair like what I have with the stiffer sole, but in a different color.

I am good on shoes now for a long while.  Joan got a pair of sneakers.  She is fortunate to have a size and width foot that allows her to shop in any shoe store.

Lunch afterwards at BJ's.  Insert your favorite BJ's joke here.  The food was good and their lunch specials include a mini Pazookie.  Who doesn't like that?

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It's official.  We are now in "Monsoon Season."

"What is Monsoon Season - is it like Hurricane Season?"  From the NWS:

Arizona's monsoon season is a distinct period in the summer months characterized by increased humidity and the potential for thunderstorms, heavy rain, dust storms, and flash flooding

. It is officially defined as running from June 15th through September 30th by the National Weather Service, a practice established in 2008. Before this, the start was marked by a prolonged period of dew point temperatures averaging 55 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. 

The key take-away for that paragraph above is "increased humidity."  So, all that crap you hear about "It's a dry heat," is out the door.  It's now a humid heat.  Fun.  Or, as I like to refer to it: Swamp-Ass Season.  I assume no further explanation is necessary.

In a surprising bit of weather, it was 97º at 6:00pm (12º cooler than yesterday at this time).  Cool enough to take Murphy out in the courtyard.  He and I saw these things...

 

For those not into this desert weather phenomenon, those are called... clouds.  Not the usual cloudless blue sky that comes with "dry heat."  These would indicate higher humidity.  And, the earlier mentioned: swamp ass.

Joan and I were talking today: I was lamenting about not liking the the heat here.  She feels it is better than the heat and humidity in the Tropical Tip.  I don't agree.  On the Texas coast, I could still get in a bicycle ride, then get out on a motorcycle or scooter before retreating to the air conditioning.  Here in Arizona, I feel it is too hot this time of year.  In Texas, we didn't have daily news reports about people out hiking needing to be rescued due to heat exhaustion.  To be fair, that may be because people in the Tropical Tip go to the beach instead of hiking in the mountains.  Probably because there are no mountains in the Tropical Tip.  And people don't "hike."  I think it might be because it rarely gets above 92 or 93º in south coastal Texas, even though the humidity is higher (OK, much higher) than in Arizona.

Or, it may be that we always got out of south Texas in the hottest months.  Getting out of Arizona on this last trip was a refreshing change.  But... we're back.  😣  And now, at 6:45pm, there is rain just east of us, and blowing dust where we are.  A 60% chance of rain now in the next few hours and gusty winds.  Some parts of the Valley are getting significant rain.  I went out and put away chair cushions that aren't under covers.  It's coming.

 

 

 

Didn't need a thing...

 

When the discussion of where to have lunch came up, Joan said, "Should we try Hot Dave's Chicken?"

"Um... I think Dave's chicken can be hot (and spicy) - no idea how hot Dave is."

"Yeah, Dave's Hot Chicken."

We have never been there, but they seem to be doing a good business whenever we go by.  It's only a couple miles from our home.  So, Dave's Hot Chicken, it is."

The menu is pretty much chicken and fries.  You can swap out the fries for mac & cheese or kale slaw (yeah, I spelled that right.)  The chicken can be plain, or lite mild to "reaper."  We both went for lite mild.  It was good.  Joan said she likes it better than Cane's.  The guy who helped us at the counter took the time to explain the menu.  As a guy, I can't judge whether he was hot (or not); I don't think his name was Dave.  I'm also not sure if Joan thought the chicken was going to be served by some Chippendale's looking kinda guy.  The guy who waited on us looked more like Chris Kattan. 

That's not the place where we didn't need a thing.  Joan also saw something about a surplus liquidation warehouse kinda place called SaleSumo.  She wanted to check it out.  It was a few miles from Hot Dave's.  They had a variety of things there, mostly home building/home improvement kinda stuff.  Our home is built and improved, so we didn't need anything.  They don't waste any money on decor ;-) ...

 To be fair, most of it wasn't piles of boxes.  Some of it was obviously "scratch & dent" and returned, some of it looked like overstock.  Nothing fancy about the presentation, but they had stuff that was showing a price of "30% less than at Home Depot" (including some things that were in Home Depot boxes).

That was our outing for the day.  It is hot and windy outside, making for very crappy air quality.  The hot: 112º for a high; the crappy: you can barely seen South Mountain or the Estrella Mountains through the brown haze (which may be blowing dirt).  Yes, we had "recirculate" on in the car.  Both an "Extreme Heat Warning" and an "Air Quality Alert" for today.