Desert Heat & Big Wins: Our Phoenix Adventure March 17-24, 2026
High in a towering saguaro near Mesa and Apache Junction, a small woodpecker peeked from its hollowed nest to survey the desert before swiftly vanishing back into the shadows. . Of course, I couldn't visit Mesa without hitting the trails. Before the swim meet humidity took over my day, I headed out to Usery Mountain Regional Park for a 4.5 mile run . Coming from the higher elevations of Castle Rock, I thought I’d be ready for the challenge, but the Sonoran Desert is its own beast. The terrain at Usery is beautiful sweeping views of the Goldfield Mountains and trails lined with those architectural Saguaros, even though I was terrified of seeing a rattlesnake. We kicked off the trip with a visit to Saguaro Lake, spending the day at Butcher Jones Beach. Nestled in the desert, it truly felt like an oasis, surrounded by towering saguaro cacti and rugged canyon walls. To cool down, we made a stop at Boba Shack near our hotel, which quickly became a favorite. Betw...