Waiting for Hell to Freeze Over...

There is something that happens every year that almost all Desert Dwellers yearn for, the end of the oppressive heat we must endure every year. This year has been hot, but at least we had a few good storms during Monsoon season to give us a few small breaks in the heat. Last year, we didn't get much in the way of storms. This year has been especially difficult for me since this is the year I decided to get back on the bike. I got back on in January and it didn't seem like very long before I was dealing with the crazy heat. I have never wanted to move so bad in my life. But, as I said, something happens each year that transforms even me. Hell freezes over.

Night time temperatures over the last two weeks have started to drop. Heck, even the pool is finally fun to jump into. For awhile there, the pool was sitting at 98 degrees! Anyway, the night time temps are dropping, which means that mornings are once again enjoyable. Every morning when I get up to let the dog out, I feel the rush of cool air hit my face as I open the door. I know this sounds crazy, but standing there in nothing but my underwear, I feel like going out with the dog and dancing around in the cool air. Then again, the neighbors all have a pretty good view of my backyard, so I stayed inside.

Today, I went out for a quick 25 miles. I almost felt cold as the air hit my arms and legs. It's funny living in the desert. After a few years of living here, 72 degrees starts to feel a little on the cool side. But I soaked it in none the less. The cool air felt good. Another month or so and the daytime temps will be a lot better as well. Then I will be able to sleep like a normal person and not have to get up at 4:30 to prepare for a 5:30 am "Beat the Heat" ride.

There's other things to hate about the summer. The summer heat brings the dreaded Bark Scorpion out looking for water and shelter from the heat. This year, they finally decided to enter my house for the first time ever. These things are not fun to have in the house. We have found 4 in the house since the last week of July. One dead, and the other three very much alive. Nasty little creatures that can scale the walls and drop into your bed. When you find one in the house, you don't sleep very well for a few days. Earlier this year, there was a pretty bad Palm Tree farm fire just under a mile away. Since scorpions like living in palm trees, it's probably this fire that has made this year worse for home invasions. Hopefully the cold weather that's coming will get these things out of my house!

In the mean time, Hell hasn't quite frozen over yet, but today's ride was a good one. The air was nice and cool, which is a sign that the change is starting to happen. You can see what's left of the Palm Tree farm in the picture above.