North American Deserts 101 for the uninitiated

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"Cathy" wrote in message
...


Chuck Simmons wrote:
Cathy wrote:

I'll be flying into Tucson on the 21st. I have to see and
feel what
this "dry heat" is all about.

Cathy


Tucson is higher and generally cooler than Phoenix. There has been a
major wild fire in the Santa Catalina Mountains recently so I'm not
sure
how accessible the nearest mountains will be (Mt Lemmon in
particular).

I was up on Mt. Lemmon about a year and a half ago. Im fortunate to
have seen it before it burnt down.

Fortunately, the fire never got hot enough for the mountain to burn
down... It's still standing, if a little naked and scarred...

But a lot of folks' lives and dreams sure went up in smoke in the form of
their homes and surrounding forest... And that's a real shame...


Of course, Kitt peak is quite interesting but it is closed at night (I
used to drive that road at night without headlights).

This I know.


Mt Hopkins
requires special arrangements to visit - I suppose that Steward
Observatory can provide details.

I have seen photos (a panorama) taken from the observatory there in the
winter time. Quite nice! I know the gentleman who photographed the MMT
observatory for the University. If I find the time, I'll touch base with
him.

The last I knew, you could still drive
to the top of Mt Graham anytime, however, the observatory has limited
hours for visitors. I mention the important mountains within easy
driving distance of Tucson because they are cooler (whatever that
means).

Thank you.


As to the dry heat, it is fine if you are used to it.

Im not sure if I know what a dry heat is! The Jersey Shore last week
was well into the high 90's with 95% humidity. The heat index was 111.
When I saw on the news that Tucson was at 103 , I thought "wow it's
cooler out there, and theres only 23% humidity! COOL!"

It's touch and go whether the "dry heat" will still be in effect when you
arrive... The monsoon cometh...



I grew up in
Phoenix in the 50s when all kids in Phoenix had asbestos feet, knew
the
location of every shady spot within a 10 block radius and had the
irrigation schedule memorized.

Chuck

Cathy

"This is the hottest of our North American deserts, ..... Freezing
conditions can be expected for a few nights in winter."

quote from the second paragraph. i'm not contradicting you, just saying
what i found at the site you posted.

"Jan Owen" wrote in message
news:38EPa.1400$zy.1050@fed1read06...
Confirms what?

In the summer, the Sonoran Desert is typically quite hot in the daytime,
and stays hot all night, though the temperature does fall considerably
overnight. But understand, a 20 degree fall from 115 to 95 at sunup does
not make it cold overnight, or even cool, by ANY stretch of the
imagination.

For anyone who may think 90 or 95 degrees, as an overnight low, is cold,
or cool, reading factoids about the North American Deserts, or my stating
the facts from personal experience, isn't gonna' be convinced. Such folk
either have a VERY different perspective on ambient thermal conditions
(certainly allowed here...), or may be suffering from the same malady as
Paul S (also allowed here, but a self-inflicted condition).

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"jaf" wrote in message
...
seems like the site confirms that very thing!
not that there's anything wrong with that.....


"Jan Owen" wrote in message
news:qwCPa.1195$zy.514@fed1read06...
For those among us who think the North American deserts are places
whose
only distinguishing features are gaming houses, and where it is
blazing
hot during the day and freezing at night...

http://www.desertusa.com/du_sonoran.html

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bwhiting wrote in message ...

I prefer the desert of Maine!

But it's even smaller than the Sonoran Desert--and it gets *freezing*
cold in the winter.

Well, at least you can stop by the LL Bean outlet on the way back to
civilization.


Clear skies!

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------------------- Richard Callwood III --------------------
~ U.S. Virgin Islands ~ USDA zone 11 ~ 18.3N, 64.9W ~
~ eastern Massachusetts ~ USDA zone 6 (1992-95) ~
--------------- http://cac.uvi.edu/staff/rc3/ ---------------

"Chris1011" wrote

It won't get much below 90 tonight,
I'm sure.

Do people wear clothes down there?

Roland Christen

Yeah - for protection against those cacti that keep jumping out at us!
Whoa!

Howard Lester

Yeah - for protection against those cacti that keep jumping out at us!
Whoa!

Yes, I believe they do jump out. I used to swear that the trees moved into the
path of my dirtbike when I raced enduros and hare scrambles years ago, here in
Illinois. In fact, I know they did!

Roland Christen

Chris1011 wrote:

Yeah - for protection against those cacti that keep jumping out at us!
Whoa!

Yes, I believe they do jump out. I used to swear that the trees moved into the
path of my dirtbike when I raced enduros and hare scrambles years ago, here in
Illinois. In fact, I know they did!

Roland Christen

In the Arizona-Sonora Desert there is a plant called the jumping cholla.
Because of this plant, a cactus, I recommend that your first aid kit
contain long nose pliers - rather robust ones. I'm not saying they
really jump at you. I am saying that they are a bit tiresome when they
get you and mere tweasers simply won't do. If you pick up a bit on your
boot, it is best to remove it as soon as possible. It works through
leather and gets painfull fairly quickly. Jumping cholla is also bad for
tires so watch it if you venture out in a SUV.

Chuck
--
... The times have been,
That, when the brains were out,
the man would die. ... Macbeth
Chuck Simmons

In the Arizona-Sonora Desert there is a plant called the jumping cholla.

Us dirt bikers called them pucker bushes. When you hit one, you did pucker up
rather quickly.

Roland Christen

chris1011 wrote

Us dirt bikers called them pucker bushes. When you hit one, you did pucker up
rather quickly.

I used to "Run" TT Scrambles and yes if All you did was "Pucker",
well you're a Better Man Than I!

Crazy Ed