Counting down

Remembering

This strange time has given us plenty of time to reminisce about places we have visited over the years. As Jim Croce starts singing, memories start flooding back.  Like having Sunday brunch overlooking the Potomac River and Watergate Hotel in Washington DC or taking ferries to Alaska or in Italy. One memory leads to another as the I Heart Radio playlist cranks out songs from the 60s and 70s with the words that are still in our brains. The best memories are time spent with family like skiing with grandsons, Tyler and Kyle. We are also made us hopeful to return to new adventures again.

 

The Loop

Our slower than usual travel over the past 9 months has given us the opportunity to take hiking and cycling trails we have previously missed in Colorado and Tucson awaiting the vaccine. These are some of the places we enjoyed while in Tucson. 

The 54 mile trail around Tucson is pretty flat and has another 50 miles of trails to ride or walk. The streets are rough and congested to ride on, making the trail even more desirable.

We woke to snow on the Catalina Mountains.

Lost Dutchman

During a visit to Mesa for our final repairs on our trailer, a bobcat made a brief visit. Fortunately, I happened to have the camera sitting on the table as we watch the Superstition Mountains change with the sunset as he made a quick stop.

Agua Caliente Park

Agua Caliente, Spanish for hot water, is a unique 101-acre park with a perennial warm spring and pond and evidence of human habitation dating back about 5,500 years. In 1873, a ranch and health resort was developed and is now a city park.

The renovated 1870s Ranch House Visitor Center and Art Gallery were closed and the weekly birding tours on hold until after COVID. We enjoyed the shade of mature palm trees and native mesquite trees as we walked around the park checking out the ranch and bunch house.  The desert has been very dry this year and this was a the perfect place to watch birds as they snacked on bugs over the water.

Sabino Canyon's Phoneline Trail

We took the shuttle 4 miles to the end of the canyon's road and hiked the scenic 5 miles back to the visitor's center. 

Phoneline Trail runs along the eastern slope of Sabino Canyon created to carry supplies up to Summerhaven on Mt. Lemmon. The first phone line from Tucson to Mt. Lemmon ran along the trail. 

The 1/2 mile trail of switchbacks up to the Phoneline trail.

We could see both Blackett's Ridge and Thimble Peak from the trail which is relatively flat with plenty of rock obstacles to avoid. We would stop to look around rather than stumble over the edge. I was glad to have my hiking pole with me.

We are armchair travelers for a while with so many good memories and a few that were stressful. The time I was too cheap to pay for a private vehicle to take us to the airport in Paris. We had train passes to use and save the 60 euros. After all, we had just spent two weeks traveling from Switzerland and found our way just fine. Well, sort of, with the help of a few kind people. We made it to the airport but had no idea how to find out gate or even an entrance. Finally, an English speaking lady who was also looking for British Air and took pity on us. Once we were shuttled to our plane and settled into our seats, the pilot announced "Congratulations, you survived Charles De Galle". 

As we listen to The Grass Roots, we are enjoying the memories but also planning for the future. Thank goodness for the intelligent scientists mixing their magic brews into vaccines.

Buffel grass in the Sonoran Desert

 I work contracts as a traveling critical care nurse 6 months of the year to keep my skills current and help with our travel expenses. Though Banner Healthcare, I can work a contract full time or registry ICU float and schedule at least 4 shifts a month with the ability to take off those 6 months before returning.

 

After finishing a 13 week contract in Mesa, I wanted to try out Tucson and agreed to an 8 week contract at University Medical Center, a teaching hospital for the University of Arizona. On the last day of two weeks of orientation, I got a call from my dermatologist to say I had skin cancer on my nose and needed surgery. I scheduled it for the next week and called my manager. Looks like I will have a week off and return for the last four.

 

I wonder where I can get one of those nose shields Kid Shelleen wore after his nose was bitten off  in the movie from 1965  "Cat Ballou".  Anyone remember that one?

 

I have always been good about wearing sunscreen and a hat but fell short of reapplying every two hours.

 

 

While on the trails, we met a man that stopped to talk. He was telling us a story about a woman he called Buffel lady. She takes her dogs for a walk up the hill and is trying to eradicate the buffel grass all by herself.  I had to know more about the buffel grass

 

Actually, many people here are trying to control the buffel grass that was introduced from Africa by ranchers for grazing. It is hardy and has spread though out the Sonoran Desert. It looks like straw in the summer and causes wildfires that endangers the saguaros and other cacti that only grow in this region.

Fairy Dusters

Little globemallows blooming in the morning 

How do javelinas eat these prickly pears?

 A new section of the Loop bike path on the northern section. We rode from I 10 at Camino del Cerro to Oro Valley. It is 12 feet wide and smooth as can be.