Weekend Adventures & First Day!

Saturday:  Mountain Hike

So this weekend I was without internet.  So naturally I went to a coffee shop for coffee and internet (called North End Coffeehouse if you're ever in the area and want a good cold brew).  That was the AM of the day.  I also decided to do some traveling and exploring outside.  Since California is right next door, I decided to go there to a random place that was a desert and appeared to have mountains.  Once when I go to this place that had mountains, I just found a place to park and climbed a mountain.   Retrospect, maybe not the best idea. It had very limited cellphone service, no population, and no one around Yuma knew my whereabouts.  Nonetheless, it was pretty fun!  I just picked a mountain and climbed it!  I got a few photos that I will share to show some of my experiences.  Those of you in the midwest may look at the deserted areas like I do, which are thoughts like this "OHMYGOSH A CACTIS!  COOOOOOOL!"  Yup.  I'm sure (and know) that the natives to Yuma laugh at the excitement I have while seeing a cactus (and now you know why I traveled into the middle of the desert to find an unpopulated mountain!)  So yes.  The pictures will be below.  

OHMYGOSHACACTUS...1

The "Hmmm I want to climb the mountain in the distance" mountain.

OHMYGOSHACACTUS...2

OHMYGOSHA[dead]CACTUS!

One of the many cool landscapes I saw.

Sunday:  Biking

So on Sunday, I decided to go on a bike ride to get acquainted with the heat here.  (Note that everyone here says it's basically too hot to do anything...Including biking.)  So I decided to go out to a historical place in Yuma known as the "Yuma Territorial Prison."  That is about a 6ish mile bike to the destination and another 6 back.  So not too bad of a bike ride, but not short by any means.  I cycled around the area and founds some cool historical things, cool natural things, and also dry desert things....All of which are intriguing.  Unfortunately the main attraction of the prison wasn't something I did (both because I was on a bike, but also that it was closed at the time) so I just went around as a pleased. After spending a good amount of time exploring that area filled with history, nature, and deserts, I decided to head back. As I did so, I took a dirt road to the main path and found it the most exhausting part of my whole trip.  I remember talking to some locals and how they would say "be careful as you go out in the heat...A lot of people think they know there limits and then suddenly are hit with major fatigue."  That statement started running through my head but thought it was just the path I took.  Once when I made it off the path, I still was struggling keeping the pace I once had.  I was really confused, hot, and tired.  I stopped for a bit to get water and try to see what was wrong when I noticed something.  This something was none other than the most flat tire ever.  Essentially the cap came off my tire, and it moved off so that the spout for the air was just gone.  So the back tire was completely flat.  Fact:  on a late Sunday afternoon in Yuma, there are no bike shops open.  So with a 6 mile journey ahead of me, I braved the heat.  It took a combo of biking with a flat and walking to get back.  So all in all, I know how hot it can get here in Yuma, yet I can survive!  

Monday: First Day

So Monday was my first day.  It was good, but mostly paperwork.  I got to plan some with the 3rd grade team and it's really a great team.  I am looking forward to the school year! We did a whole bunch of stuff with paperwork, insurance, and even a retirement plan...Odd.  I don't feel like I should work on my retirement already...But hey!  Gotta start somewhere.  So yes.  Orientation was good, and have another 2 weeks of it before the kiddos!