Arizona

After Ironman Arizona I went down to Tucson to visit my friend Sarah, who just moved there from the San Francisco Bay Area a few weeks ago. The entire area, quite frankly, was a pleasant surprise. Here are some impressions: Continue reading »

Phew, made it to Tempe! I have limited Internet time here at the Tempe Public Library (which I have to say is super nice, probably even nicer than Boulder’s, though not as nice as Cerritos, CA’s titanium-walled, shark-infested library), but here are some notes: Continue reading »

“The Grand Canyon,” proclaimed U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt in 1903, “fills me with awe. It is beyond comparison… the one great sight which every American should see.”

Well, it was not until now that I got to see the Grand Canyon. I only got a brief glimpse of it at Desert View on this early-April afternoon, but it was well worth it. Unfortunately, when I arrived at the South Rim, there was rain, freezing rain, hail, and snow, making viewing the canyon impossible. One day I will go back and try to hike the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim. In the meantime, here are some photos.

Note: Photos are finally posted! Glad to be out of Phoenix!

If a friend (whom I have known since we were, like, 7 years old) did not live there, I may not have even bothered to stop by Phoenix on this trip. Admittedly, my expections for this sprawling city were extremely low. Like, who in their right mind would actually want to live in a city which saw temperature highs of 100-115 degrees almost daily from the beginning of May to the end of September? (Apparently, over 1.3 million people!) That said, there have been some pleasant surprises. Continue reading »

If Flagstaff was something of a disappointment, then Sedona was a great surprise. Its environment — filled with short evergreen trees but dominated by gargantuan red sandstone formations surrounding and looming above the town — is certainly one of the most interesting I have ever seen. I’d even call it beautiful and inspiring! Continue reading »