Ok.… to tell the truth we drove! But an incredible climb never the less. The star of the day is Mt Lemmon in Tucson, Arizona. Altitude 9,150 ft…. And what a view!

Imagine winding your way past a forest of Saguaro Cactus, towering rock formations, steep cliffs and deep canyons as you make your way to the timber line and snow! (click on any pic to enlarge)

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And if you’re lucky, you’ll catch a glimpse of one of these guys. It’s a Ringtail sometimes called a Ringtail Cat. We saw one dart across the road but were not quick enough with the camera so this pic is compliments of the internet. They are very elusive and mostly nocturnal so we were lucky to see one.

We’ve been up and down our fair share of mountains in our travels. All are unique and beautiful in their own right. Mt Lemmon is no exception.

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Now, you might think I’m referring to the horror movie classic by the same name directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Could this be the re-make? No…not really! But it sure would make for some fantastic video!

If we had to make a choice, bird watching would not be at the top of the list of exciting thing to do. Now don’t get me wrong. We love all things nature and having had numerous bird feeders, bird baths, etc, we’ve enjoyed having feathered friends around. This on the other hand is bird watching on steroids!

In Arizona, just south of the small town of Wilcox, there’s a place called White Water Draw. Each winter twenty five to thirty thousand ( yes, I said thousand!) Sand Hill Cranes migrate to this oasis in the desert. It’s one of the most incredible acts of nature we’ve ever seen!!

The routine is pretty simple. Shortly after sunrise, the cranes all fly off to farm fields miles away to feed. Late morning they all return until early after noon at which time they all fly off again and return …everyday, all winter long!

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Look closely high in the sky! As far as the eye can see. Sand Hill Cranes! You would think that with this many birds landing they would be on top of each other. Nope! They manage to pick out a postage size spot of real-estate and set down. Truly amazing!

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This whole day came completely as a surprise. We had no idea what an awesome experience we were in for. Witnessing first hand nature at its finest! Making the day even better was to share it with good friends John and Evelyn Avery.