Chronic Ama

About an hour and a half drive from midtown Tucson is indeed a summer haven for those brutal Tucson summer temps. At the top of Mount Lemmon lies the town of Summerhaven. With temperatures at least 20 degrees cooler, hiking trails and restaurants, it's the perfect summer day trip for locals and visitors. We had the perfect day trip in July, during monsoon season. We got to Summerhaven early enough to enjoy a short hike on the trail at the end of Turkey Run, aptly named for the wild turkeys roaming around in the early morning and calling out through the day. We stopped to photograph a fairy garden and leave our own momentos for other passerbys to enjoy. It was at least 25 degrees cooler than down in Tucson, which was a nice break from the dry heat. After building up an appetite, we walked to the Cookie Cabin for a carb fuelled lunch of giant pizzas, decadent oversized cookies and calzones that took an extra while longer to arrive. Waiting outside at a picnic tabl

If you're at all like me and have even the most minute sense of wanderlust in your heart, the easiest thing to do is to start with what's around you. With that, I welcome you to my first blog about one of my favorite spots here around Tucson, Arizona. Gates Pass is just about a 30 minute drive from midtown Tucson and so very worth that commute. Gates Pass is a scenic area of the Tucson Mountains that I have enjoyed visiting since I was a kid. It's one of my favorite places to take out of town guests for a close to town look at the majestic saguaros. Gates Pass was named after Thomas Gates, who in 1883 bought the land to build a road which served as a shortcut through the Tucson mountains to his mine in Avra Valley. Over 100 years later, it's a popular spot for a hike, or to just stand at the overlook and take everything in around you. The sunset views are spectacular and after a summer monsoon, the familiar smell of creosote fills your nose and lungs. Bring t