Trip South - Tucson, AZ - Week 6

  Start the week out with a walk on the Bike Trail

first we have to cross the wash

Spotted my first road runner

and a Red tail hawk

 We visit the Tucson Museum of Art

 Not impressed with the featured artist - a local - Olivier Mosset.  However I have never been a fan of most modern art, especially when it is just a canvas painted in one color or a banana taped to a wall.

 

 The Museum has always given me the impression that it was built by converting an old parking garage.

 

Other exhibits are interesting to see

My favorite - realism

 

 

and cultural arts

 We get home in time to see the Christmas Firetruck, lead by Santa and Mrs. Claus in a golf cart.

 It is an articulating truck, so it can actually maneuver down every street and cul de sac in the Park

Later in the week we walk around to check out the lights

Looks like Christmas is just around the corner!

 

 

Trip South - Tucson, AZ week 5

 We start the week out with a little hike in Saquaro National Park East that is dog friendly

 

 

 

We take the Mica Trail which is dog friendly

 

 

It is paved

 A nice walk in the desert amongst the cactus

 

 

 

 We arrive at the picnic area and take a break in the shade

 I saw on the website that there is a loop for the Mica Trail so we decide to do that

 

 

A short time later we run across a group of horseback riders, and then a Park Ranger who notifies us that dogs are not allowed on this trail.  I apologize and said I had read that dogs were allowed on the Mica trail and we were doing the Mica Loop.  He said there was no such trail.  Oops

We go back to our old stomping grounds - Desert Trails - for a combined birthday celebration 

for two of our friends

Meanwhile, back at our park it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas

 

 

 

 

 We decide to do a little decorating this year

 

 

It's even white one morning on Mt. Lemmon

 

 

 I used my Sun Oven a couple of times in spite of the chilly weather

We finally go out for a bike ride on the Loop.  Did just under 10 miles round trip - Gary's knee did fine.

 

 

Seems like the Moon and Planets were in alignment this week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trip South - Tucson AZ - week 4

 The morning after Thanksgiving, Gary is very sick and I end up taking him to Emergency at the VA Hospital.  He was admitted and diagnosed with Diverticulitis.  Released on Sunday and home and on the mend.  You can see in the windshield I am on my way to pick up my No. 1 Marine!

 

 

After a couple days rest, Gary is getting antsy, so we head to Aqua Caliente Park for a stroll.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 There are may paths here, we follow the paved one along the ponds

 

 

 

 It's a beautiful day

 

and a beautiful park oasis in the middle of a desert town

You pass through a canopy of the old Orchard

This is a Mesquite Tree over 200 years old

They finally pick up the burned out 5th wheel

While walking Tucson around the Park one day I spotted a guy who had talked to me about a Sun Oven, out with his set up cooking a roast of Lamb.  I thought it was a great idea and found a deal on one on Facebook Marketplace here in Tucson.

Just kept rotating it every 20 minutes or so.  The temp stayed around 300 degrees

and after 3 hours - done!

and it was delish!

Can't wait to use it again,

and it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here.