photo courtesy of Metropolitan Tucson CVB No matter how hot, cold, rainy or otherwise dismal it is in any other part of the country, most look to that unseemly deep-red spot in the lower left-hand corner of the USA Today weather map, see the coordinating triple-digit temperatures, cringe and thank their lucky stars that "at least we're not there." 'There' is here - Tucson, Arizona, and such was my grave concern as I pondered a move from the opposite extreme, Chicago. But with one full summer under my belt and another in progress, I'm here to report that, 'dry heat' clichés aside - it's really not so bad. In fact, summertime in the Sonoran Desert can be seductive, dramatic and surprisingly manageable. The key to survival, learned from the nocturnal rhythms of the desert wildlife, is simple - stay out of the sun during the peak heat hours and make the most of the early morning and sultry hours after sunset, when the air is at once thick with the sweet aroma of the desert, but light and refreshing. Visit one of the city's favorite hiking spots, Sabino Canyon, at 5 or 6 a.m., for instance, and you'll be among a steady stream of hikers, bikers, runners and walkers taking to the trails to seize the day before it can seize them. Come to the park later in the afternoon and you'll find the place nearly deserted. Want to try to beat those annoying yard sale early-birds? Better set that alarm early - most who hold yard sales this time of year set up at the crack of dawn and are finished by noon, at the latest. Photo by Richard Cummins, courtesy Metropolitan Tucson CVB As afternoon sets in, neighborhoods become still and eerily quiet. The lively chatter of morning birds disappears and is replaced by the monotone buzzing of air-conditioners, casting a mesmerizing white noise over the city. Even the wind seems fatigued by the heat. Languid mesquite trees sway in slow motion to its hot breezes. Only the gecko lizards appear unfazed by the blistering sun, skittering about and darting sly glances that seem to smirk 'Which of us do you think is going to survive global warming?' As the sun sets, the city awakens from its long siesta. A la "Midsummer Night's Dream," there's a sense of magic in the air. (CONTINUED...)