The Hottest Spot in the Country

Wind Power Plants in Southeastern California just outside of Yuma

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Right now we are driving through the Sonoran Desert and just passed through Gila Bend, Arizona - the "Hottest Spot in the Country."

And it is HOT - 112 degrees to be exact right now...the hottest weather any of us have ever experienced.

We made the stop at Dateland, home of the "World's Best Date Milkshakes." There were groves of date trees surrounding a restaurant built in the 60's where every kind of date product imaginable is sold, including large delicious date milkshakes served in styrofoam cups with ill-fitting lids. Since we've never had a date milkshake before - it's hard to say if they were indeed the "world's best;" but they were a welcome treat in the midst of the desert.

We've been trying to get pictures of the amazing Saguaro cactii that dot the landscape here like trees; but every time we find a pull-off there are no cactus within our zoom.

Dateland, Arizona

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Olivia just saw an especially large old cactus with many woodpecker holes and exclaimed, "Elias, look at that one - it looks like it's been used!" And Elias replied with, "Yea, and there are a hundred of them at my side!"

The plan is to make it to El Paso, Texas by nightfall, so we'll cross into New Mexico within a couple of hours and then onto Texas!