Tucson, Arizona

February 23 - March 7, 2014

Voyager RV Resort

We said five years ago we wanted to come back here to Tucson....we made it and had a high five and a glass of wine to celebrate!!!  Have to say our arrival wasn't met with a lot of smiles and waves and we started to wonder had we remembered this park differently from what it was.  But, upon relaxing outside with our glass of wine after dinner and the neighbors began to swarm, the warmth was just what we hoped!!! 

 

Notice, the kayaks are "grounded"...not a lot of water here in Tucson!  Hiking in the national forests and golf is in store for us this trip!

 

Our first stop was Saguaro National Forest West....a stop we never got to in our first trip here.  Saguaro National Park protects and manages over 91 acres of cherished natural and cultural resources, combining both the east and west sides of the area on each side of Tucson.  The National Park was established in 1933 with the specific purpose of protecting and preserving one of the great icons of the American West...the saguaro cactus. 

 

 

 

 

It is native to the Sonoran Desert here in Arizona, and the Mexican State of Sonora as well as the Whipple Mountains and Imperial County areas of California.  These are the only areas you can see these phenomenal cactus that have so embedded themselves in my life as wonders of the world.  The saguaro blossom is the State Wildflower of Arizona.

 

I can't tell you how much these cactus draw me in....and to think there are only a few places in the world that you can see them!!  They are like cloud formations that let you allow your imagination to provide the caption...

 

Straight to Heaven

 




Huggin' my buddy!!
 

 

Follow the "yellow brick" road
 

 

You want me to go where???

 

And this is only our first day finding these beautiful cactus and what they have to say.  But, we can't forget the other beauties in this forest....

 

How to describe this sky???

 

This was another amazing day....what beautiful landscape.  Something we're not familiar with for those of us who have grown up on the Oceanside....something I can never compare or wish to replace....but I now know that I need to come back to this place when the flowers are in bloom and I can see what this beautiful place has yet to offer...............

During our time here, my grandson, Brody, had a science fair where he wanted to show the "Texas" (or cactus).  His presentation featured the saguaro cactus....something he had only seen in pictures and not this blog as it hasn't been posted yet...I think my love for these cactus has somehow found its way to Brody!!!

 



I think I so captured the area as a photographer!
 

Five years ago I made a promise to return to this beautiful area....now I vow to return when the desert is in bloom...my next dream!! 

Enjoyed a great lunch with the new Mrs. Christina Rice Ivers, from our CVS days together....another great friend who is now pregnant...(I can say that now as she has made the announcement on FB).  Had a great lunch at BJ's Restaurant and Brew House on East Broadway!!!  Hope we can get another few hours together before we leave!  Congratulations Christina and Mark...you have a wonderful life ahead....

Another day revisiting another favorite!!!  Sabino Canyon.  So, like our first visit, we took the tram up to the top...3.7 miles, got off and started the descent.  About 35-40 minutes to reach the top and an hour and a half to get back to where we started!  A beautiful ascent and a beautiful descent.  For those so desiring, you can take the tram both ways; but you may miss a lizard, or a blooming cactus, or a cardinal....all precious in their own way!!

OMG....there is water is this state....but not as much as our first trip!!

What great rock formations....I think's it's from two glaciers "melding" together....at least I think that's what the guide said.

"The FACE"  with the winking eye!!

Our visitor at break time (or should I say, "our host"!!!
 

About to "burst"....can you imagine what this looks like a couple of weeks from now....I NEED to return!!!
 

Again, our saguaro...they continue to fascinate me!



We drove home inspired by our day at Sabino; had some lunch and descended on Voyager's pool.  As I stated on Facebook:  I have good news and I have bad news!  The good news:  I put on a bathing suit today:)))  The bad news:  I put on a bathing suit today :((((  You know what???  Since November 23, 2013 till today, February 27, 2014; it's been too cold to say that; so I'm HAPPY!  However, there will be no picture!!!

What a great night reconnecting with Jim and Jean Fry....It's been five years since we met these two here at Voyager....their first time here too.  They have returned every year and now are the proud owners of a home here in the park.  What does it say that five years have passed and it seems like only yesterday that we were sitting here with these two wonderful people.  Life on the road....it does create beautiful friendships!!! We enjoyed a great meal at Delectables, a little restaurant in the college area on 4th Avenue...hey, we might have to revisit this area!


Rain....it does rain here in Tucson, but I'm sure not very often this time of year!  It was my day to do some shopping and good thing I did it early because the afternoon brought a deluge of water.  But, what better way than to spend the afternoon than in the motorhome where the rain on the roof is so comforting...what a great nap I had today!

We're not visiting as many attractions as we did on our first trip here; but I think that's cause we're learning to relax and not having to make every day a momentous occasion.  Spent the morning working for Cape Commercial, as was our plan from the beginning...and then said, "let's get out of here"...

Christina had mentioned at our lunch reunion that I might enjoy Hotel Congress for a before-dinner cocktail to enjoy the ambiance of the Old Tucson!  So, we "revisited" 4th Avenue, the home of "Delectables" to walk the street to find smoke shops, piercing and tattoo shops....all the venues that cling to college towns.  Brought back memories to Ken and his Kent State days; not so much the piercing and tattoo, but the other shops held true....just goes to show you we're not that far removed from the "yesterdays" of our youth. 

Then moved on to the "yesteryear" of Dillinger and his gang....walked in to "Tigers" Tap Room.  A bit too before Tiger's era, but he'll recite all you could ever want to hear and know about the history of this fantastic hotel.  Tiger had worked at Hotel Congress for 54 years; now the only employee to be covered by health insurance by the hotel...and last May 28th, his 80th birthday, he had the honor of having the bar renamed in his honor and to this day enjoys the history of his bar and hotel!!

We did manage to return to one of our favorite golf courses, Arizona National...a beautiful course, but I have to say not what I remembered...maybe because I had such a great golf game the last time and only a somewhat great golf game this time!  The vistas are beautiful here and I'm hoping to return again!!





We also enjoyed a round with Jim and Jean at Rolling Hills Golf Course, an extremely challenging par-3 (4) course where we all got to perfect our short game...have to say my short game is the same as usual.....awful; but the last hole, a 279 yard par 4, (this is for the golfers out there only) I had a good drive and a somewhat good second shot to get me to within 60 yards of the green.  I actually prayed for a good iron shot (which had alluded me for the last two rounds) and got the most beautiful shot to within six feet of the whole, to sink it for a par!  Not exciting for all....but the best way to end the day for me!!!

Well, not quite....our ending happened at Zinburger Wine and Burgers, recommended to Ken and I and therefore recommended for our "after golf go-to"...walked in to a pretty noisy place, but enjoyed one of the BEST burgers ever...and the company only made it that much better.

We had to say goodbye to Jim and Jean again that night knowing it would be a couple of years before we see them again; but, like this time, we know the between years will simply disappear and we will be back to where we started from....good friends, enjoying good times!

We left Tucson the next morning with somewhat heavy hearts and yet with anticipation for our next destination....Palm Creek Golf and RV Resort in Casa Grande.  We were there for only the weekend to check out a possible long-term stay in a couple of years.  Ken "gofret" to take a picture, but we found a beautiful park with so much to offer and am pretty sure we will return for a "further look" when we next return to Arizona. 

Next stop:  Fountain Hills, Arizona, Eagle View RV Resort, where we'll meet up with Bob and Barb Sanderson.  For those of you who follow this blog, you will remember Bob and Barb from our Swinging Golfers membership where we met them and then again in beautiful Dataw, South Carolina...wait to see what they have to show us in Fountain Hills!!!!