After getting a lot more rain than usual in the past few months and especially last fall, we experience a beautiful Spring – even here in the desert. Now is the time when the flowers start blooming and grounds are as green as could be.

Nothing is holding us back, we have to head out today and take advantage of the mild temperatures and the colorful scenery. We drive about 30 miles up north, passing new nice neighborhoods in North Scottsdale (huge mansions, nice shopping malls and lots of expensive cars). We get our required day pass for the Tonto National Forrest and continue on to Bartlett Lake. The water of the lake is very brown due to the recent rain but the scenery around the lake is just gorgeous. We park the car along the street and start hiking through flowerbeds, mean cactuses, crossing dry creeks and slowly making our way to the top of a hill.