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Northern AZ has seen its share of flaky weather, with warming trends shifting fast to wintry weather and back, as well as windy windy windy and then some other surprises.
Arizona offers some of the most breathtaking scenery and great outdoor experiences possible. From photo opportunities that you will never duplicate, to hikes overlooking beautiful vistas. Fishing, swimming, enjoying golf, communing with nature....so many chances to enjoy the great outdoors.
While doing all of these things on your vacation, you should also be informed about weather conditions that might change (a great spot to get updates is at National and Local Weather Forecast, Hurricane, Radar and Report ) or stay up to date on conditions of the natural area, such as health risks for swimmers, or unusual or dangerous animal sightings in an area.
Many of you may have seen the woman from Chino Valley (near Prescott) who was on David Letterman a few months ago. Her claim to fame was that she was bitten by a rabid fox during her daily jog on a trail, she ran back to her car with the fox still hanging onto her hand, locked it in her trunk and drove herself to a clinic.
Well, the news is that Northern AZ is seeing a marked increase in rabid animals. Flagstaff and Prescott have high incidence rates, and Cottonwood AZ has had this event: Rabid Bobcat walks into a Bar. Cottonwood is about 30 miles near Sedona. Flagstaff is fifty at most.
Pinal County and Tucson have also seen their share of rabies incidents.
Then just this past week, a teen was attacked by another rabid bobcat in Prescott.
Also, as the weather is heating up, more people are trying to enjoy the many trails in AZ to hike. Some folks just don't realize that to climb a mountain, even a mountain that appears to have "stairs", rough hewn or nature made, you really need the right shoes.
Recently, folks have broken bones, because they insist on climbing in flip flops or sandals. This is not good sense. The ground has tiny gravel and pebbles that act like ice under a foot...it can hurt someone in good hiking boots...but flip flops are totally useless as support for a hike.
Folks also forget to bring water, and there are already tales of rescue for dehydration and sunstroke.
One hiker died while climbing in Phoenix.
As for traffic in and around Sedona,
the construction is continuing and the road changes shape frequently, as the crews work from east to west and north to south side of construction areas. It is being managed pretty well now, with very little signs of long delays. Roundabouts have been installed and do require drivers to understand the rules and know where they want to turn before entering the roundabout. Drivers inside the roundabout have the right of way, and those entering are expected to yield to these drivers before entering the roundabout.
The construction seems concentrated between the bridge at Tlaquepaque (as they widen and add roundabouts) and southward to below Chapel Rd.
It is advisable to be alert to frequent road crew signals, and other sign information for traffic flow... as well as watch out for the frequent reconfiguration or change of lanes which occur suddenly during this part of the drive along Hwy 179.
And finally, BE VERY AFRAID
as speeding fines are the new revenue for Arizona! 
Be careful! All over the state, more and more radar and photo radar spots are popping up.
Fines are really stiff, and the cops are plentiful. Posted speeds change frequently on the same stretch of road, as if to entrap you. You may be doing 65 on I-17, and suddenly it drops to 55, and there 300 feet ahead is a photo radar zone. It really requires alert driving and eyes everywhere!
In Sedona, they changed West Sedona area from to 3 different speeds in different stretches of the road.
If you don't want to have your vacation become the memory of how you lost $180 for a five mile over-the-limit speeding ticket, be alert....it is especially easy to pick up speed on Arizona roads because of the quick changes in elevation and suddenly you are going downhill....cops seem to love to sit at the bottom of a hill and take your picture.
Well, I hope your travels are always safe, and that these alerts help you to feel informed and ready to explore confidently.
Arizona offers some of the most breathtaking scenery and great outdoor experiences possible. From photo opportunities that you will never duplicate, to hikes overlooking beautiful vistas. Fishing, swimming, enjoying golf, communing with nature....so many chances to enjoy the great outdoors.
While doing all of these things on your vacation, you should also be informed about weather conditions that might change (a great spot to get updates is at National and Local Weather Forecast, Hurricane, Radar and Report ) or stay up to date on conditions of the natural area, such as health risks for swimmers, or unusual or dangerous animal sightings in an area.
Many of you may have seen the woman from Chino Valley (near Prescott) who was on David Letterman a few months ago. Her claim to fame was that she was bitten by a rabid fox during her daily jog on a trail, she ran back to her car with the fox still hanging onto her hand, locked it in her trunk and drove herself to a clinic.
Well, the news is that Northern AZ is seeing a marked increase in rabid animals. Flagstaff and Prescott have high incidence rates, and Cottonwood AZ has had this event: Rabid Bobcat walks into a Bar. Cottonwood is about 30 miles near Sedona. Flagstaff is fifty at most.
Pinal County and Tucson have also seen their share of rabies incidents.
Then just this past week, a teen was attacked by another rabid bobcat in Prescott.
Also, as the weather is heating up, more people are trying to enjoy the many trails in AZ to hike. Some folks just don't realize that to climb a mountain, even a mountain that appears to have "stairs", rough hewn or nature made, you really need the right shoes.
Recently, folks have broken bones, because they insist on climbing in flip flops or sandals. This is not good sense. The ground has tiny gravel and pebbles that act like ice under a foot...it can hurt someone in good hiking boots...but flip flops are totally useless as support for a hike.
Folks also forget to bring water, and there are already tales of rescue for dehydration and sunstroke.
One hiker died while climbing in Phoenix.
As for traffic in and around Sedona,
the construction is continuing and the road changes shape frequently, as the crews work from east to west and north to south side of construction areas. It is being managed pretty well now, with very little signs of long delays. Roundabouts have been installed and do require drivers to understand the rules and know where they want to turn before entering the roundabout. Drivers inside the roundabout have the right of way, and those entering are expected to yield to these drivers before entering the roundabout.The construction seems concentrated between the bridge at Tlaquepaque (as they widen and add roundabouts) and southward to below Chapel Rd.
It is advisable to be alert to frequent road crew signals, and other sign information for traffic flow... as well as watch out for the frequent reconfiguration or change of lanes which occur suddenly during this part of the drive along Hwy 179.
And finally, BE VERY AFRAID
as speeding fines are the new revenue for Arizona! Be careful! All over the state, more and more radar and photo radar spots are popping up.Fines are really stiff, and the cops are plentiful. Posted speeds change frequently on the same stretch of road, as if to entrap you. You may be doing 65 on I-17, and suddenly it drops to 55, and there 300 feet ahead is a photo radar zone. It really requires alert driving and eyes everywhere!
In Sedona, they changed West Sedona area from to 3 different speeds in different stretches of the road.
If you don't want to have your vacation become the memory of how you lost $180 for a five mile over-the-limit speeding ticket, be alert....it is especially easy to pick up speed on Arizona roads because of the quick changes in elevation and suddenly you are going downhill....cops seem to love to sit at the bottom of a hill and take your picture.
Well, I hope your travels are always safe, and that these alerts help you to feel informed and ready to explore confidently.
OMG! We are yet to see a bear in our neighborhood...but we do have bobcats and raccons, as well as the occasional mountain lion.
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