Earlier this month, Julie and I took a 15-mile e-bike journey across the Sonoran Desert north of Phoenix. Our guide knew the area well. He informed us that broken pottery littered the area. The Hohokom people who lived here for thousands of years believed shattering old pots would release the spirit of the departed artists who made them. While we searched for shards, our guide cautioned us to keep our eyes open for rattlesnakes, Sonoran toads, and spiny lizards. A pack of coyotes shadowed us for much of the journey, yipping to each other as they slinked just out of sight behind the brittle bush and ironwood trees.
A light rain dampened our little trek, but quickly blew east in time to catch the last rays of the setting sun and give us this little arc of a rainbow on the distant horizon. A line from H. R. Wakefield’s “He Cometh and He Passeth By” echoed in memory:
“Arizona is a moon-dim region, very lovely in its way, and stark and old, an ancient, lonely land. One is brought up against the vast enigmas of time and space and eternity.”
I felt that.
M.C. Tuggle, Writer 
Great description. You did this virtually or actually?
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David,
It was for real. I have the scar on my leg from crashing to prove it.
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I, too, thought at first that “e-bike” referred an a virtual biking experience, much like there are e-tours of museums, e-concerts (remember the amazing one from Andrea Bocelli from Milan at the beginning of Covid?), etc.
Sorry to hear about the scar: that’s an injury e-events are free of…
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Endless,
Actually, it’s short for electric bike. The motor amplifies your pedaling. It’s a strange but exhilarating feeling when the bike responds with its own power to speed you along. Loved it.
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I have never been to a desert. It has always seemed mysterious to me and a little frightening. This is just beautiful.
Hope your leg heals quick
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It was a minor cut — just big enough to require a bandage and make me slow down.
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That looks like a sun dog. I’ve only seen one, and they’re beautiful.
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Jennie,
Somewhat similar, but sun dogs form beside the sun. The arc was in the east and the sun was low in the west.
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Ah ha! I think I knew that, so thanks. The one I saw was like yours, obviously not a sun dog. Best to you, Mike.
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What an amazing adventure! I bet the sunsets were spectacular 🙂
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Jacquie,
They were magical.
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Beautiful picture and description. I spent a few weeks in southern Arizona when I was a kid. I remember the heat and seeing a roadrunner in real life. I had only ever seen the Looney Tunes version. We were in Tuscon for most of the trip and visited the OK Corral while they were filming the movie Tombstone. We didn’t know it at the time, though. We just thought there was a bunch of people dressed up for the occasion. Good memories.
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Josh,
I bet those are great memories of seeing the filming of Tombstone — a true classic.
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