One of the reasons I chose to start the trip in Florida, Texas and the Southwest was because of Choppy. As I am traveling alone, I can’t help but leave Choppy in the car sometimes, whether it be to run to the bathroom or make a quick stop at the store to get needed foodstuffs (like dog food and wine). Obviously, I can’t leave Choppy in the car alone when it is hot out, lest she overheat or worse. By late spring, the Southwest is far too hot for me to travel here with Choppy if it is just the two of us – one of the hottest days of my life was spent in Phoenix over Memorial Day weekend (contrast this with growing up in Wisconsin, where winter coats are sometimes needed on that particular weekend).
And so, we traveled to the Southwest, expecting somewhat warm weather. Now, I have been to Arizona during spring training many times, so I know that I can’t expect it to be hot this time of year. However, I did expect that I wouldn’t have to worry about snow.
I should have worried about snow.
Now, perhaps I should have known the day was not going to go as hoped from the moment I woke up. I had hoped to make a stop with Choppy at White Sands National Monument and take a quick stroll and look around. However, a morning trip to the White Sands website indicated that the Monument was closed today. Because of missile testing.
This is probably something I should consider to be a bad sign.
So, instead of taking my time across New Mexico, I decided to head straight for Tucson, and hope to find places to visit that were not closed thanks to a desire to blow things up (and not allow me to watch). The trip did not start uneventfully, as I crossed New Mexico in a dust storm, which was similar to driving in an orange-colored snowfall, except I wasn’t slip sliding around the road, and while it was in the 50s, it wasn’t really that cold.
This picture was taken while the sandstorm was not too bad. It got much worse, though I decided not to take pictures while driving during that portion. Safety first! (Please ignore that I obviously took this picture while driving).
As I crossed into Arizona, the temperature began to plummet. And then, it began to snow.
I definitely preferred the sandstorm.
Snow. In the desert. This is almost enough snow to cancel school in Terre Haute (though back in Wisconsin, I’m pretty sure this wouldn’t even qualify as snow). I imagine in some places this would be enough to require an emergency disaster declaration. I kind of thought southern Arizona was one of those places.
A quick internet search indicates that snow in Tucson is definitely not normal. Though people seemed to be enjoying it. So while I am glad that I was correct not to expect snow, I’m still not happy that my trip to warm Arizona has turned into a trip to snowy Arizona.
Obviously, there should never be a sign indicating the presence of Saguaro Cacti with snow next to it. Sadly for you readers, I didn’t see any snow on any cacti in time to stop and take a picture (I was traveling down I-10 while this was happening, so the snowy cacti I did see sped by very quickly, and in places where stopping for non-emergency purposes is not allowed. If you want to see pictures of snowy cacti, click on that second link in the paragraph above). Hopefully I will not see a snowy cacti in an appropriate place to photograph while on this trip. I’ve seen plenty of snowy cacti already. You can all be disappointed. Or click on that link.
Happily, though, this will make a great story going forward. I mean, seeing snow in the desert is not something normal, and definitely the sort of thing that I am going to be able to work into many future conversations, particularly because, if you live in the Midwest, the topic of snow is quite likely the most popular topic of conversation all winter, and a regular topic of conversation the rest of the year as well.
That said, I would definitely be happy to see the temperature back up at 70 tomorrow. Somehow, I think I am going to be disappointed on that front.
Travels with Choppy 