A trip to Arizona is a common occurrence for my family during any breaks from school. As we’ve ventured to the Southwest over the years, we’ve met new friends, seen longtime friends, and made connections to the environment around us. Tucson is typically where we begin, but as time has passed we’ve been to many towns in Arizona, including larger cities such as Phoenix and smaller towns such as Douglas and Bisbee.

A highlight of Tucson for me is a location where the government deposits retired aircraft. The site is very large, and allows for unique photographs to be captured, especially with the right lighting. I took this photo last time I was at the site.

Another highlight of our trips to Arizona is the small-scale road trips we take to neighboring towns and attractions. One such attraction is Patagonia Lake, located a couple hours away from Tucson. This lake is an oasis in an otherwise barren and desolate landscape. Hundreds of tourists flock to the lake each day in their mobile homes, venturing to the area to swim, sail, and use their motor boats.

The photo below is a unique perching spot in the area where the land meets the water.

Paddle boards are a common sight at the lake, as seen below.

On another trip to the Grand Canyon State, I was graced with the opportunity to see Metallica on their world tour coming to Phoenix. The concert was a two-night experience, and the highlight for me was procuring standing room in the front row of the floor, directly next to the stage. This allowed an entirely unobstructed view of the band, which was a delight to say the least coming from a big Metallica fan.

However, after having a stellar time the first night, we quickly learned of the disappointing news that singer James Hetfield had come down with COVID-19 and would not be able to perform the second night. While it was a mournful night, the beautiful sunset and great company of my friends and family more than made up for it.