I had the chance to get away with friends to Arizona before the holidays. My pictures of Scottsdale’s spectacular sunset views were too pretty to keep to myself! We took a Sunset Jeep Tour with Scottsdale Adventure Tours. After a slight (and funny) mix-up on the meeting spot, we met our tour guide, Grace. She thought of everything to keep us comfy and warm during our trip through Tonto National Forest.
Grace shared a lot of interesting facts about the desert. My favorite fact: cacti start growing with a nurse plant around it. This helps protect the small cactus from the harsh desert climate and predators, similar to the book: The Giving Tree. A saguaro cactus only grows about 1 inch per year, so the really tall ones were decades old! We even saw a cactus that was struck by lightning and was still standing. How’s that for resiliency?
The sky changed into an array of colors, while the sun sank below the horizon. It was super quiet, peaceful, and gorgeous. Grace took our group picture during the sunset. It’s a keeper!
Earlier in our trip, we enjoyed hiking at Papago Park. We climbed to the Hole in the Rock and explored the surrounding area when we spotted SANTA!! As expected, he was very jolly and had the best smile and laugh. Even Santa needs to leave the North Pole sometimes to see the good girls and boys.
I would highly recommend Scottsdale / Phoenix area for a weekend or longer trip. The sunshine and desert views are such a treat!
go mama o. 