Right out our back yard (from our 15 space RV park) is the Consolidated Canal, one of nine canals that make up the Salt River Project Canal System. Can you make out our brownish entrance gate on the tan fence? Riding our bikes on a canal path make it an easy commute to many places in the area…and beyond. Destinations like Ace Hardware, Fry’s Market, Home Depot, and Connie’s sisters place to name a few. Easy commute because most paths are concrete, quite wide, and lots to see along the way; including ducks, stables, and an occasional lost shopping cart :-). Where we do have to venture off the path, the valley is very bike friendly with most major streets offering bike lanes. And no HILLS!

Perhaps you can see the vast canal system from the map above. Folks can bike, hike, run/jog from Glendale, to Scottsdale and down to Mesa…where we are.

Venturing out beyond the bike paths, we took a drive up Apache Trail (Arizona 88) to Tortilla Flat, a former stage coach stop, and now a tourist stop. Apache Trail road continues another 20+ miles to Roosevelt Lake, but is mostly gravel.

The drive takes us into Tonto National Forest. Didn’t see a forest of pines as one might expect, but a forest of Saguaro Cactus, with a smattering of Golden Hedgehog Cactus. We had to look up how to pronounce saguaro. The Hedgehog cactus is quite unique and one we for sure didn’t want to get close to.

We drove to the area of the Salt River where the canals first start, but it was restricted, so didn’t get to see it first hand. But we did see lots of other water in the desert…Saguaro Lake and Canyon Lake included.

After a long day in the desert, so tiring you know, we were blessed to find the Handlebar Pub in Apache Junction on our way home…where they have lots of craft beer on tap. Amazing that many brews are from Colorado! Featured tap one day was Left Hand Milk Stout Nitro. Oskar Blues, New Belgian Brewery, and Odell Brewery are also quite popular. Go Colorado!

Our good friends, and fellow full-timers, Cliff and Cyndy Mills reside just down the street from us…4 miles…and we’ve enjoyed joining them for different events; generally eating or sewing. Cyndy and Connie especially love their sewing time.

They must head back to Colorado February 1 as Cliff has an appointment with a heart surgeon to set a surgery date and procedure. Our prayer is for their save travel, a positive/successful heart surgery, and well being for Cyndy during this stressful time.