Why do people come to Arizona?  Many people believe that they come for activities like spring training games, relaxing poolside at a resort, or to play golf.  However, studies have shown that bird watching has a greater economic impact, and more people come to Arizona, for bird watching than golf and other major tourist activities. 

From tiny hummingbirds to giant condors, Arizona is home to over 500 species of birds. According to the 
Audubon society, Arizona has 30 of the top bird habits in the country.  More than 350,000 people come to Arizona each year for bird watching and it’s estimated that they have a $1 billion dollar economic impact in the state.

The Barrel Cactus sometimes goes by the name “Compass Cactus” because they usually lean in a southerly direction.  They actually grow slower on the side that faces the sun causing the plant to tip slightly towards the south.

Although they are typically short, topping out at 2 to 4 feet, the can reach heights of over 10 feet.  Like most cacti, these are slow growing plants and may only be 3 inches tall when they are 4 years old.  They can live for more than 100 years. 

These hardy plants can survive long periods of drought using the water stored within them. According to “The Great Southwest Nature Factbook” one barrel cactus, which had been removed from the ground, was able to survive 6 years, using only the water stored inside it.

Can you use the water in these cacti as an emergency water source?  Experts say no.  The fluid in most cacti contains bitter alkaloids and other chemicals.  These can cause you to vomit or have diarrhea, neither of which you want to do if you are already dehydrated.

One of the more popular “Mexican” foods is the chimichanga.   The chimichanga, or chimi, is like a deep fried burrito. Probably not the healthiest food item, but very tasty.  However, the chimichanga is not from Mexico, it is an Arizona original.  Chimi historians seems to agree that it was invented by a Tucson restaurant decades ago.  Which restaurant it was is unclear.  Several Tucson restaurant have claimed that they came up with the original chimichanga. 

Tarantulas are the Arizona’s largest spiders.  Although their bite can be painful, it is not life-threatening. Female tarantulas can grow up to 4 inches across. Males are considerably smaller.  What may surprise you is their longevity.  Female tarantulas can live for 20 years or more.

“Dust Devil” is the common name for the tornado like plumes of dust you often see spinning in the Arizona deserts on hot days.  Typically the wind speed in these little twisters is only about 25 mph. The worst damage they do is to spread dust and trash along their path.  Occasionally they can pack quite a wallop. The wind speed in some dust devils has been measure at 100mph and they have been reported to have torn the roofs off of buildings.

Florida calls itself the Sunshine State, but that honor really belongs to Arizona.  Of the US cities with the most sunny days, Yuma and Phoenix, Arizona are numbers 1 and 2.  On the average, Yuma enjoys 242 sunny days each and Phoenix has 211. Tucson, Arizona is number 7 with 193 sunny days in a typical year. Even Flagstaff, Arizona, located in the cool mountain pines is in the top 30. The first time a Florida city makes the list is Apachicola, which ranks 52nd.

As of this month, approximately 136,000 Arizonans have been issued a permit allowing them to carry a concealed weapon. This is about 2% of the state’s adult population.   Almost one quarter of these permit holders are women.

To obtain a permit you must be at least 21 years of age, pass a criminal background check, and meet several other requirement. Before you can apply for a permit you must take an eight hour class, pass a written test, and demonstrate shooting ability on a range.

Permit holders cannot carry a concealed weapon everywhere.  For example, they cannot carry on school grounds, certain federal building, near nuclear power plants, etc. Weapons cannot be carried in any establishment that serves alcohol.  However, this law will change in September 2009.  Also, any business or private person can prohibit someone from carrying a weapon (concealed or otherwise) on their property by posting a sign or asking the carrier to remove it.

Carrying a concealed weapon without a permit is a serious crime in Arizona. 

Additional information on concealed weapons in Arizona can be found here:

http://ccw.azdps.gov/

Almost all Arizona summer lawns consist of Bermuda grass. It is one of the few grasses able to withstand our searing summertime temperatures and arid conditions.  However, despite what most think, this resilient grass did not come from the balmy island of Bermuda. Bermuda grass came from Africa.  According to sources, it was first introduced in America back in 1751, years before the United State was even formed. Back then it was often used in the southeastern US as a forage grass.  Later it became popular on lawns, golf courses and parks.

One of the features of Bermuda grass is it’s ability to spread. You can plant a few sprigs of it in an area and soon have a complete lawn. How fast does Bermuda grass propagate .  One study determined that a single square meter, if provided with water and suitable soil, and allowed to spread, would cover an area equal to 50% of the land mass of the entire world within one year.

In the mid 20th century you could buy property in Arizona’s ritzy Paradise Valley community for about $500 an acre.  Today, you will spend about that much per square foot on a home.  The median price of a home there is close to $2 million dollars and some houses sell for $10 to $14 million each.

At restaurants, county fairs, and roadside stands you can buy a Navajo Taco throughout the west. It consists of fry bread topped with things like hamburger meat, cheese, tomatoes, onions, etc. This was probably a traditional food of the Navajo Tribe right?  Not Quite.  The Navajo Taco was actually “invented” by a Greek restraunteur in Arizona in the 1960s.