Residents can almost feel the end of summer in the Valley of the Sun.

The days are getting a little shorter, the nights a little cooler. It has been close to five months since the Sun City Hikers took their last club sanctioned hike. Winter visitor members left in April or May for points across the United States and Canada. Places like British Columbia and Alberta, Minnesota, and Michigan, New York and Illinois in search of cooler weather. This summer some found it, and some didn’t.

Those who call the Valley home year-round didn’t spend the entire summer in recliners watching television. Members went on cruises to Alaska, cruises to the Panama Canal and river cruises in Europe. Others made trips to Mongolia or visited children in Texas, Wyoming and Colorado. Some went fishing in Oregon and Alaska. One Sun City Hikers member even attempted a record setting canoe trip down the entire length of the Yukon River.

All of this will result in many stories to be told and embellished upon during coming hikes.

The hiking season will kick off Wednesday, Oct. 26 with a hike, a fall meeting and a picnic after to be in the White Tanks Regional Park. Old friends, new stories and an invigorating hike in the desert.

Residents not yet members of the Sun City Hikers but to get out of the house and explore the beautiful desert surrounding the greater Phoenix area, October is the time to get in. Go to suncityhikers.org and follow the link “want to join” in the left column.