Are deserts hot and dry?

 When you see the word desert, do you think of prickly pear cactus, or of those huge sand dunes that seem to grow on forever.  Do you think of the scenes that have some one racing across the sand as they work to escape the enemy?


What about miles and miles of sand,  no people, villages or anything in visual range? Kind of like the picture to the left?  Does this meet your idea of a desert?  Perhaps you see a line of camels strolling across the sand?

I actually have a weird view of deserts especially since I've moved to Alaska.  I think the first place I saw a prickly pair cactus was on the big Island of Hawaii.  It was on the drier Kona side, near the Parker Ranch.  The next time was when I visited cousins in Arizona.  Then there were some plants out behind my college apt in New Mexico.

Side note:  Never leave a window open that does not have a screen on it.  It was hot and I left the window open in my college apt in New Mexico.  Some time during the night, I was rudely awoken by two cats who came in the window and discovered each other under the bed.  Talk about waking up in a noisy manner.  Geez, that cat fight cause me to move faster than I normally do. Fortunately, one chased the other out the window.

Did you know that there is a lovely sand dune up in Alaska?  Yeah, its up in the Kobuk Valley National Park.  It has three active sand dunes but the park is only accessible by foot, sled or air taxi. It is reputed to be one of the most remote national parks in the nation.  Read up on it some time.

I didn't realize sand dunes could be found so far north, did you?