Our time in Phoenix was a period of transition. This was our first long stay since leaving our old lives behind where it was just us. We learned a lot about ourselves and each other. Growth is good, this was a big shift. We went from shift-work and being apart at times for days, to together 24/7. We're lucky that we are such a good match for each other. I can honestly say that we're best friends, we wouldn't have it any other way.
We found a great gym nearby at a community center and settled in to a healthy routine. Phoenix has a lot of temptation though, there are so many excellent restaurants and breweries. The winter holiday season brought a lot of parades and festivals, we enjoyed attending these events and the weather was absolutely gorgeous. Those desert sunsets are something special.
Our landlords in Phoenix were amazing, they have become close friends and we can't wait to get back there visit them! We shared so much quality time together. We're forever grateful for our new friends and our time spent in Phoenix (and Kona.
Of course while in Phoenix during the winter we did a ton of hiking! Sunday was hike day, we'd find a new trail using the All Trails app and off we went. It was a completely different landscape than we are used to, but beautiful in its own way. We worked our fitness level up and got used to the landscape and dryness. A few months in we tackled the famous Camelback Mountain hike. At some points it's a scramble. I'm glad we took gloves because you need to use your hands to climb up, multiple people commented on our gloves saying how "smart" we were to have them.
Camelback Mountain is rated as extremely difficult! It's only 1.14 miles, but there is 1,264 feet of elevation gain in that short time. It's more of a climb than a hike. As you can see below, you have to scramble up (and down) rocks in some sections. I highly recommend this hike, but prepare for it. Bring plenty of water, I suggest gloves. Take your time and take breaks if necessary.
All of the hikes we took were really beautiful. Since we were there in the winter we didn't deal with extreme heat.
This is a "crested" saguaro cactus. It's not exactly sure why this happens, some say it's a genetic mutation and some say it's caused by a lightning strike or freeze damage. Either way, it's a pretty rare thing to see. Apparently this phenomena occurs in about 1 in every 200,000 cacti.
Our new friends were nice enough to invite us out for an offroad adventure in their truck. It was a first for both of us, it's amazing how capable these vehicles are and it was great seeing so many people out on the trails!
The great egg crisis of late 2022/early 2023 was going on while we were in Phoenix. But, I found the hack. I would go to Trader Joe's early and grab my eggs before they ran out. Not only did they have the best prices, but they always had stock (in the mornings) because they limited the eggs you could buy. What a time to be alive.
Waymo, the driver-less taxi is available in parts of Phoenix. It happened to be available where we stayed, what a neat experience! It is impressive how well adapted it is to situations. During our short ride I was ultra-aware of the surroundings as if I were driving. It does so well with merging traffic and keeping safe distances. Really neat technology!
Citrus thrives in Phoenix, who knew!? We sure didn't. Our back yard had grapefruit and orange trees, and they were in season! We thoroughly enjoyed all of the great oranges and grapefruit. Neighbors and friends had lemon and lime trees and we all shared our bounty. Needless to say, we got our vitamin C while in Phoenix. 🍋😀🍋
One day while picking grapefruit we noticed a hummingbird nest in the tree. We were very careful each time we picked more grapefruit and over the course of a few weeks we saw a couple hummingbird beaks peaking out from the nest. I had never seen a hummingbird nest before. They are such fascinating creatures. During our time in Phoenix we saw and heard hummingbirds nearly every day. It was a real treat to see them thriving there. It warmed my heart.
We took a side trip to Las Vegas while there too, we broke even at the casino. All-in-all, a success. We visited Hoover Dam on the way back home to Phoenix.
We brought in the New Year (2023) as well as watched the Superbowl in Phoenix. Fire pit nights were just perfect. Night time lows were in the mid to upper 40's. Perfect for a drink, a cigar, a blanket and a fire pit.
The Barrett Jackson Collector Car Auction was held during our time in Phoenix. I'm a big car fan so going to this even was a must-do. Of course you had the cars and the auctions happening. But, there is so much more going on! Car manufacturers have new cars on display inside and there are also events going on outside. Offroad tracks and a car drifting track, to name a couple. You could get get a ride-along and experience it first hand. Manufacturers were also giving out some swag like t-shirts if you signed up for their company emails. We were there an entire day and we barely scratched the surface, we definitely didn't see the whole event! Next time I attend a Barrett Jackson Auction, I'll make sure to go a couple days so I can see and experience it all.
We "lived" in Phoenix from November 1, 2022 to May 1, 2023. The day after we left, Phoenix had its first 100 degree day of the year. Seattle or bust! We had accommodations lined up in Federal Way, Washington through September 5, 2023.
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