A lot of snowbirds flock to AZ during the first 3 months of the calendar year. My favorite month in AZ is March. Spring Training for 15 different Major League Baseball teams in the Phoenix area is a definite benefit. 10 different stadiums in a tight radius surrounding the beautiful Valley of the Sun guarantees your pick of 8-10 different games a day from late February to late March. I do like to watch our two Chicago teams - the Cubs at Sloan Park and White Sox at Camelback Ranch - but you don’t have to be a baseball fanatic to enjoy March in AZ. 
With the beautiful March weather and SO many options of outdoor activities, spending my first retired March in AZ was a no-brainer. One of the first things I did after arriving was to call my good friend from college, Mary, fitness guru extraordinaire. She always has a new extreme workout idea for me to try and this time was no different. I did have one request - I wanted to go hiking. 
Mary lives in beautiful Scottsdale and is familiar with dozens of hiking and biking trails in the beautiful mountains. The first activity she chose for us was a two and a half hour hike through part of Thompson Peak followed by an hour of Hot Yoga. Although I have taken many Yoga classes, I have never tried Hot Yoga. It was definitely worth a try. 
At mid 70’s, the weather for our hike was perfect and the scenery was absolutely breathtaking! We hiked the beautiful trails using the Gateway Trailhead access point in Scottsdale. If you decide to try hiking, make sure you have good shoes (I did fine with my Nike Free Trainers) and a hydration backpack. Water is vital and the hydration backpack is light and easy to carry. If you are in AZ, I highly recommend hiking. Don't worry about your fitness level. If you can walk, you can hike. You will love it!
Hot Yoga - Wow! I have practiced plenty of Yoga in the past, but this was my first Hot Yoga class. They are not kidding about the heat! It definitely warms up your muscles so you can hit your poses easier and gives you a better cardio workout, burning a lot of calories. The great thing about Hot Yoga, like any other yoga class, is that you work at your own pace and comfort level without judgement. Listen to your body and if it tells you to lie down and take a break, that’s exactly what you do. Mary put me by the door, which the instructor opened on occasion, allowing us to cool off sporadically. I confess, I had to take quite a few breaks but even lying on my yoga mat during the breaks, listening to the instructor's voice was relaxing and had its benefits. I will definitely return to hot yoga at True Hot Yoga in Scottsdale, but this time not after a hike since I'm a newbie. It is vital to be well hydrated before you go. Loved the instructor and staff!
After our hike and hot yoga, we had a healthy bite to eat at Mad Greens. Everything at Mad Greens is made fresh, in-house from scratch. All ingredients are locally-sourced and organic. It was yummy!
I was happy with no soreness from the hike (thanks to the Hot Yoga) so we went on a bike ride the next day. Our bike ride took us through Frank Lloyd Wright’s beautiful “Taliesin West”. We were able to take in the stunning landscape along our ride to the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture. To see the house, you need to schedule a tour, a definite to-do while in the Phoenix area. 
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