It has been a bugger of a hot summer this year, either that or I am just getting old and intolerant of anything other then a degree spread range of say 60-90 degrees.

The above picture gives silent sentiment to the fact that the desert heat, and I mean in the dead of summer is harsh and unforgiving if not down-right dangerous.

I was on a trip home to Yuma from Tucson. This stretch of travel is one of the most barren, desolate stretches of road one can imagine. Mike and I were driving back in the mid afternoon sun, of course the worst time to drive and of course we picked one of the hottest days on record to do it. This was the sort of day that mirages appear from the heat. Off in the distance we could see various water mirages, when in reality it was only the incredible heat radiating off the black pavement. The AC was full on and I was still hot. Anyway after counting numerous cacti and desert scrub brush and, incidentally, rarely a car in sight ( smart people) we came across this poor old abused and broken down building. I believe it might have once been a gas station. Out in the middle of nowhere nearly begging for someone to notice it and validate it. I am sure at one time or another it was a brightly coloured stop over for travelers, to cool off, gas up, maybe get a soda or lemonade. I couldn't resist it. So we stopped. The temp on the car thermometer blinked a bright 118 degrees. Opening the car doors and feeling the heat slap you in the face took your breath away. It was so hot my lungs didn't want to breath didn't want to feel the heat soaked air. I snapped picture after picture. There was even a basement in this old structure, but it looked to rickety and fragile to risk going down into it. After a few minutes and a pee near a large bush, Mike gave up and went and sat in the car - AC on , but not before he spooked up a roadrunner, who went dashing off into the desert. I finshed my picture taking and was happy I had done it. I loved what I got out of it. The above is just a taste.