PHOENIX — We have been spending the week in Phoenix, of all places, where our son is on a Sacramento team participating in the USA Volleyball Boys’ Junior National Championships. The tournament attracts teenagers from all over: Orlando, Chicago, San Diego, Silicon Valley and so on.
The matches are indoors at the Arizona Convention Center, thank goodness. At 94 degrees this morning, Phoenix broke the highest low temperature on record. The high is expected to be 112 degrees.
I often visit Phoenix in March for baseball spring training, going to Giants’ and Cubs’ games. This time we went to a Diamondbacks’ game at Chase Field, within two blocks of our hotel. The dome opens for a fireworks show, but it is shut tight during the game to keep the temperature at 75 degrees.
Sheriff Joe Arpaio continues to dominate the local headlines: “At 86, Joe Arpaio’s Senate run worries GOP voters. His response: Age means nothing.”
Another local headline this week was the 92-year-old woman who shot and killed her 72-year-old son because he wanted to put her in an assisted living facility. The sheriff found 13 guns in the home. Only 13, mind you.
Guns and Ammo magazine has named Arizona the best state to be a gun owner.
One hundred ways to beat the heat this time of year includes “get out of town.” We’re going to take a dip in the postage-stamp pool at the otherwise comfortable Westin Phoenix downtown hotel. Enjoy your weekend!
Jeff Pelline's Sierra Foothills Report 
Cool cloudy day in Grass Valley…nice!
Go NCVC!!!! My kids club!
And thanks for recommending it! Our foothill kids have got to venture out into the “big world.” These kids are from all over the nation.
Jeez, when I go visit my Mom and it’s 110 degrees I go insane, who could live there?
We had lunch with our friend Loni Lott, who is from Grass Valley. She’s been here since 2001, but enjoys returning to GV to beat the summer heat. We’ve worked with Loni on some geotourism projects. She has clients in both states. Good times reminiscing about the ERC drama.
Have a backup plan. We just got out of Phoenix last year the day before they cancelled all flights because of heat—
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2017/06/20/its-so-hot-in-phoenix-that-airplanes-cant-fly/?utm_term=.e3700f47e856
Chip, Assuming we get off the ground, we’re off to your old stomping grounds of San Diego this weekend, where our son is participating in a Summer Medical Academy program, hosted by UCSD and Rady Children’s Hospital. It’s a select program for high-school kids interested in medical careers. And it’s going to be hot there too. We’re going to be in The Village, an upscale on-campus student apartment complex. I’ll stay for a few days before heading home to cooler weather. Time to distribute our magazine again. Summer is in full swing. Cheers,
Change back up plan to La Jolla Shores, go around to the cove, for sunset dinner at La Valencia-
Chip, Love La Valencia! We’ve been going for years. We will try to sneak away from the UCSD “dorms” for lunch or dinner. BTW, no alcohol can be delivered to the dorms, we were reminded. lol. Cheers,
“no alcohol can be delivered to the dorms, we were reminded. lol. Cheers,”
Funny they felt compelled to remind everyone of that. I wonder why? 😉 Obviously your first child. There are ways!! 😉
UCSD is a spectacular experience. Have a California Burrito (french fries in the middle) and if you get the chance, check out Hodads in Ocean Beach or Blue Water Seafood off the 5, by the airport.
We will do all of that! Thanks.