Best Arizona nature trail I've found to date...on a date!

I have found the jewel of the desert.  As you may recall, I had a second date with that guy from my previous posts on Saturday.  So I don't have to keep calling him "that guy from my previous posts," I suppose I should now reveal that his name is Derek.  :-)  Anyway, he and I decided to do the fun activity of hiking, as there are countless trails and mountainous areas around Phoenix.  My dear friends Stephanie, Kristina, and Dianne have all experienced the range the nature trails around here with me, and those paths have all been interesting...but I have now found the BEST of all.  (Not including climbing Camelback Mountain, mind you, which is a totally different kind of adventure.  I'm talking about the more flat, easy-going trails.)

Several years ago, while my mom and I were on one of our infamous exploratory drives around the area, we happened to stumble upon a conservation area in the small town of Cave Creek, just about 25 minutes northwest of us.  From the road, you can see a large expanse of cacti and truly beautiful desert across a vast valley.  You're only allowed to go so far in a car, however, and we had never explored beyond the parking lot, where only hikers and horseback riders can go.  Derek and I decided to check it out and—oh my goodness—it was amazingly beautiful.  I can't wait to take my future visitors out there!  (Kathryn, you may be next!)

The pics won't do it justice because it's really nothing like being there, where you can see the depth and texture of the landscape, but here's a few prelimary shots anyway... (If you'd like to have some scenery take your breath away, you're just going to have to come to Arizona for yourself!)

The very beginning of the trail offers views of the mountains and vast stretches of cacti.

Along the trail, you get up close and personal with awesome red rock cliffs, desert vegetation, wildflowers, butterflies, and interesting boulders.

Ha! I'm teasing you with just a teeny-tiny pic of Derek and me during our walk...

Anyway, for those of you more interested in the date than the scenery, we walked several miles and enjoyed some good conversation.  Just as we were talking about our Christian beliefs and such, Derek suddenly stopped short and said, "Hey, look at that!"  (I will show the pic below—do you see what we saw?)  Many of you know that I look for signs from above, a big reason why I am out here in Arizona.  Not sure if it means anything, but the timing of this discovery was just darn crazy!

After a hike of several hours, we made a pit stop at Dairy Queen to eat back most of the calories we had burned.  :-)  Then we went back to his (beautiful) condo to make a dinner of chicken and veggies and watch a little TV.  As time goes on, I think we are starting to feel more comfortable with each other.  I'm not ready to dive into anything serious right now—I'm still settling in, figuring out life, and meeting other people—but he's a kind, good-hearted, true gentleman who I enjoy hanging out with and exploring what this crazy town has to offer.  Who knows?  It's all part of the adventure.

Random observation #12:  Phoenix has several nicknames, particularly "Valley of the Sun" or just "the valley," presumably because it is surrounded by mountains on all sides.  This "bowl" tends to hold in a lot of heat, often making it up to 25 degrees warmer than cities a mere two-hour drive away!