August 17, 1997, Tucson, AZ: While staying over at my friend Richie's house, it rains. Not a dramatic, stormy rain, but a humid, drizzling rain which I didn't think could happen in the desert. Well, it can.

August 17, 1997, near Tucson, AZ: The drive up Mount Lemmon near Tucson is highly recommended, as you pass through several climate zones as you head up to over 8000 feet.

August 18, 1997, Phoenix, AZ: Here's what I like about Phoenix. It's the only place in the country where they build freeways anymore without shame. (Yeah, there are a couple new California freeways, but built only with a sense of "Sorry to do this, but we've been planning it for 20 years, sorry again to intrude.") I drove a couple of the new freeways just to drive them. It was rush hour, and sure enough, there were traffic jams on these sparkling new freeways.

August 18, 1997, Phoenix, AZ: This was my first run-in with AutoNation, which is clearly the Price Costco Sam's Club approach to used car sales. Fixed prices on the windows for used cars? Whodathunk? They are supposedly coming soon to most everywhere.

August 19, 1997, near Camp Verde, AZ: Desert camping has one special feature in the summer: it's hot. I don't recommend it unless you want the sun to get you up by 7am by burning you out of bed.

August 19, 1997, Sedona, AZ: The red rocks of Sedona look pretty neat.

August 19, 1997, Sedona, AZ: The talking shiny deer looks so cuddly and furry, I just want to polish it 'til it gleams some more.

August 19, 1997, near Payson, AZ: The Mogollon Rim near Flagstaff holds some of the best mountain scenery around, I think. While the mountains are not dramatically steep, the forests are beautiful, mostly Ponderosa pine, and there's a great variety of topography from one area to another.

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