Yeah, it's like that out here. Definitely different. Even the thunderstorms. The monsoon storms will often times move north to south or east to west. They form over the mountains and then get drawn down into the desert by the intense heat.
Thanks! I can't wait to do Schnebly Hill and Broken Arrow in Sedona. The scenery will be fantastic! There's literally hundreds, if not thousands, of free trails out here due to the amount of free public land.