Arizona is colder than Denmark!

Maybe this isn't true all of the year, but yesterday it was for my Danish cousin, Sarah, her boyfriend, Lasse, and us!

It all started when we were thinking of somewhere to go while Sarah and Lasse were here.  We decided to take them up to Flagstaff and to the ski lift on Snowbowl.  After all, it has been unseasonably hot here this last week, and it would be a cooler place to visit.

Don looked it up on the internet, bought tickets and found out the expected temperatures:

Okay, I thought, I can handle 60 degrees.  No problem.  I ended up bring a light sweater, and a heavier one.  Don and Lasse both wore shorts.  After all, neither of them will wear long pants unless it is below 40 degrees.  Sarah also brought a sweater and long pants. We found out as we got out of the truck we were WAY under-dressed!  The wind was blowing and it was chilly when we got out of the truck.....and we weren't even at the bottom of the lift yet!  Yikes!

It's a 2000 feet climb in altitude.  As we were riding on the lift, we see people coming down, all bundled up in winter jackets and wool hats.  Some had heavy blankets over their legs and one person looked like a mummy they were so covered up!  Oh my gosh, I hate to be cold and knew right away it would NOT be warmer at the top! Sarah was cuddled up to Lasse, trying to keep warm.  No wonder some people were looking at Don and Lasse with their bare legs!

It was very windy at the top.  We hurried to find a more sheltered place behind a wall before we made the return trip down.

 At least Sarah and Lasse managed to smile.  By that time, my hands were so cold I could hardly take the cap off the lens and take pictures.

As we got on the lift at the top, the forest service guy said it was 30 degrees....and only 18 degrees with the wind chill!  He had on a very heavy jacket, hat and mittens and he was complaining how cold he was. 

The views were fantastic, but not many pictures were taken since I had to either sit on my hands or have them in my pocket.  My fingers were still cold and tingling 30 minutes after we got back to the truck. 

Lesson learned:  don't believe everything that you see on the internet!  It was not even close to being 50-60 degrees like the website advertises. Just because it was 98 degrees and hot in Phoenix doesn't mean you can't be shivering and cold a few short hours later!