Sometimes you just have to leave the bike behind and celebrate life, family and incredible scenery. We drove to Scottsdale to join the Strauss family for Stacie’s 65th birthday! We enjoyed an action packed forty hours of hiking, sightseeing and joyous dinner parties! 

We started our one full day with a short and scenic hike at Pinnacle Peak. With wide, mostly sandy trails we were able to negotiate the popular walking area without too much danger to ourselves or others.

After lunch at the Wildflower, a local Phoenix standout spot, we opted for an indoor activity as the temps approached 90 degrees. We visited the highly recommended Musical Instrument Museum, which did not disappoint.

A nicely curated collection in an impressive building with beautiful grounds. We only had a few hours for the visit and we did not get to see the whole museum.

The big event of the day was the Birthday Party at Steak 44. Stacie said  “it was the best birthday ever” and I think that was an apt description. The food and the service, all impeccable!  It was also a rare opportunity for some Strauss family photos.

The next morning we were on our way back to SoCal, with a two-day detour to Joshua Tree National Park.

The weather forecast was for heat so we completed our two (approximately 1 mile) hikes by noon. We did the “easy” hikes which showed off the beauty of this national treasure at the intersection of the Colorado and Mojave deserts. This park and these trees reminded us of the Saguaros. The Joshua trees almost have the same shape and many of the same characteristics.

As the sun got higher in the sky (right after we visited the skull) we exited the park and retreated to the air conditioning!

Next up, we return to Newport Beach for another week of cycling. We are hoping for some warmer days ahead.