Sun - Mar 18/12

March certainly came in like a lamb (80 F plus weather the last few weeks) and now it is leaving like a lion!

Their is snow on the "Superstitions" but the bulk of the "Big Winter Storm" has passed. It is now just cold (mid-50's F) with rapidly changing scenarios. We go from patches of clear blue to really dark clouds or thunder and hail to light rain with all changes happening very quickly. We went from rain and snow (on the Superstition Mountain higher elevations across from the RV park) to Ice Pellets, Graupel and Rime and back again.

Down here when the weather is so great for 99% of the time the weather forecasters love to give every detail when the unusual happens. This incoming storm was Big Weather News for almost a week.


Graupel is formed when Ice Crystals fall through a cloud of super-cooled minute cloud droplets that have fallen below freezing temperature but have not frozen. The ice crystal plows into the super-cooled droplets and they immediately freeze to it.  Graupel becomes snow pellets as droplets continues to accumulate on the crystal. The pellets bounce when they hit the ground similar to hail.


Ice Pellets are what we commonly call Sleet which is when falling snow may partially melt and refreeze into a frozen rain drop before it reaches the ground. Because it is easily seen and does not accumulate as (Black) ice, it is not as dangerous as freezing rain.


Rime is a milky white accumulation of super-cooled cloud or fog droplets that freeze when they strike an object that has a temperature of 32 °F (0 °C), the freezing point of water. Riming is what causes the formation of graupel. This is also what poses the "Icing" hazard when it forms on the wings of an aircraft as it flies through a cloud of super-cooled droplets.

Sections of I-40 have been closed for over a day with some sections only open if chains are installed on the tires. I-17 is still treacherous. Over 4 feet of snow in the "High Country" just two hours drive north of here.

A good day to go Mall Shopping! Actually, indoor mall shopping. Most malls here are large complexes of individual stores akin to giant strip malls. We decided, due to the weather, to shop indoors. Our first stop was at Superstition Springs off the US-60 at Power Road.

First stop - Charlotte got her eyebrows done. The technique uses a thread that is wound around the fingers of both hands with one end being clenched in the teeth. They were continuously busy each time I passed on route back to the car. This was my task. I would take the purchases back to the car so they would not have to carry the bags throughout the mall as they shopped.

The girls each found a selection of nice clothes.

I would walk with them to the next major store then bring their purchases to the car trunk. Each trip outside was met with different weather - a thunderstorm, sunny skies and then a steady light rain. I would return to sit outside the current store to wait for another load. Each "chair" area had at least half of their (old fart) occupants "dozing off" as they waited.

Lunch was in the food court. The mall may have regulations (maybe local building codes) that prohibits deep fryers or grills. Even food brands that usually have burgers did not. Catherine ate Asian and Charlotte a Pizza. The closest I could get to "meat" was 2 roller grilled plain hot dogs.

We then took the Loop 202 to the Chandler Fashion Center Mall. This is also an indoor mall with many of the same "anchor" stores. This was good as some clothes wanted in the previous mall were not available in the size needed. Here we headed for the required stores and found the correct colour in the correct size. Surprise! - other clothes were found to purchase as well.

I wanted to take the train - but I was out-voted!

On exit the winds were cold and quite strong. We crossed the parking lot to Benihana for supper. Benihana is a traditional Japanese Teppanyaki restaurant. Each entree is served with Benihana onion soup, Benihana salad, shrimp appetizer, hibachi vegetables, homemade dipping sauces, steamed rice and Japanese hot green tea. Instead of the hot tea the girls had hot Saki and I had diet cola.

Diners are seated "Family Style" around the grill. A chef cooks the meal (with much gusto and humour) in front of you and serves your individual selection when finished. Catherine had the Salmon-Mango entree, which is grilled with yellow bell pepper, asparagus, lime and cilantro in a sweet mango sauce. Charlotte the Hibachi Tuna Steak which is a sesame crusted tuna steak with tomato, avocado and edamame in a white balsalmic reduction. and is served medium rare. I (as usual) the "Imperial" Steak  - medium rare with mushrooms.

After an enjoyable and relazing hour and a half we had finished the meal packed a "Doggy Bag" and headed for the RV via the Loop 202 and US-60.

We arrived at the RV about 9 pm full and shopped out. It was a good day despite the weather.