Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Tucson North







Arrived north of Tucson Thursday afternoon. We stayed at Catalina State Park (bottom picture) located at the base of the Catalina Mountains. Nice park with the mountains visible from all angles. We visited Mel, Kathy and Delores for the three days we were around. We had high winds on Friday, rain on Saturday (with snow, YES, snow) in the higher elevation where we were. We went to the Oracle Inn for dinner Saturday night and there was 5 to 6 inches of white stuff on cars sitting in the parking lot. All around on the ground and trees was a white, cold covering of snow. Luckily it didn't stick on the roads and we were not stranded. Sunday morning we took a jaunt south of Tucson to Bisbee and Tombstone. Bisbee is an old mining town with an operating copper mine (second from bottom picture on the right) still in existence today. It is built in a canyon and all the residents seem to live on a hill. Everyone has heard of Tombstone, home of the gunfight at the OK Corral. They have people and actors in period clothing all over the town. (Top center, left center picture). The boardwalks and old western buildings do much to convey the message one has 'stepped back in time'. There is an authentic Butterfield stage coach (top left picture) pulled by mules doing tours of the city. We splurged and took the stagecoach on a short ride through the streets of Tombstone. We stopped by 'Boothill' (top right picture) on our way out of town. There we viewed some old graves from Tombstone's historical past. Clantons, McClaurys, "China" Mary and other noted people. Well worth the visit, but back to Tucson.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Leaving Yuma

Chores are done, errands have been completed, laundry all dry and put away. Guess that means it is time to leave Yuma. Made one last trip to Los Algodones and said our goodbyes to Mexico. We will head to Tucson Thursday morning, hopefully before the windstorm that's supposed to be headed this direction. The lot is all secured and anything not nailed down is put away. Adios little car. Adios cactus, agave, plants and palm trees. Adios Yuma crunch and warm bright sunshine. Adios to all our Yuma family and friends. Catch you on the road!!