Some Rare, Cool Weather

While the rest of the country is suffering through a heat wave, somehow those of us in Phoenix got a respite from the summer temperatures on July 4.  The previous day had been cloudy, and on the Fourth it did something unusual: it rained.

If it rains enough, it has a dramatic impact on the temperature here in the urban desert.  So instead of sweltering in triple digit heat, we only had to deal with temperatures in the mid-nineties (never mind the sudden humidity).

Since cool temperatures in July are excessively rare here in Phoenix, Lady Luck and I decided the best thing to do was take advantage of the relief by taking the bikes out to watch fireworks.

We've got a favorite spot on a hill in Tempe that gives a pretty good view of Tempe's firework show.  Tempe throws a big party every year for the Fourth, and their annual fireworks display is impressive.

The two of us haven't been over there in a while, however, and we got a bit turned around.  The mistake wound up being a happy accident, however.  We ended up finding a quiet spot along the road  on reservation land where we could see no fewer than eight fireworks displays.

The heat has returned, so the chances are that the Vespa won't be getting out again for a couple of months.  I'm glad we were both able to get out riding.  Unfortunately, I had to work the following day, so we weren't able to continue the ride much longer after the fireworks shows had ended.

Here's hoping for some more rainy days this summer!