Snow in Arizona - Southwest USA 2018 - 7
Wednesday, 2018-05-02 - Snow in Arizona
Yesterday evening when I returned to the hotel it started to rain. A little bit earlier than expected, but I was hoping that the rain front passes by during the night. Now it's 7:30 and I finished the first good breakfast during this vacation. The sun is shining and in that direction, the sky is blue while in the opposite direction the sky is totally covered. Originally, I wanted to go for some landscape photography at Watson lake, roughly an hour north from here. But with a grey sky that makes no sense.
So, I go for plan B and visit Goldfield. This is a ghost town near Apache Junction, I visited with Freya already some years ago. They open only at 10 am, but you can access the area any time and when I arrive at 8 am nobody is there. This is the best time to take pictures especially as the light is nice, too. If you come later, you can wash some gold, take a tour into the mine or go for a train ride.
The light was good for some 30 minutes, then some dark clouds moved in. I briefly thought about going for the detour to Watson Lake anyhow, but the way to Page is long and the sky is not brightening up.
I started with temperatures in the lower 60s this morning, but when I stop to refuel the car it has dropped to 50°F (10°C). Only a few miles later it declines further and the rain changes to snow, we are now at 32°F (0°C) and it's getting slippery. May in Arizona and it's snowing - what the hell is going on?
Ok, so I drive at 50 mph on an interstate while some others think they can do it better. At least two of them paid the price and "parked" their cars in the woods. The police is already there and it seemed that nothing serious happened.
When I reach the I-40 the snow changed to rain again, but the temperature increases only slowly and even in Page we're still in the 50s (10°C). I think this is the first time in the Southwest that I use the AC as a heater.
It seems that Page doesn't like me anymore. Already last time I skipped the tour to Antelope Canyon as a thunderstorm was approaching. And as it shall continue to rain until tomorrow morning I don't think that Canyon X is a good idea as well. Even more: With all that rain, any off-road tour on this red soil is a no-go, too. So, I will have to think about alternatives.
In the evening I briefly thought to go for sunset shots of Horseshoe Bend, but it's raining hard. So, I go for an early dinner at the Fiesta Cantina. This restaurant is an institution here in Page and still as good as it had been years ago. Expect to wait for a free table and don't miss their margarita (but only if you don't need to drive back to your hotel).
