Tucson, Arizona -- and other interesting things

A friend I met during a Road Scholar trip several years ago told me about this RV resort in Tucson and it sounded so interesting that I had to go and spend a little time there to see if I might not actually go there for a month or more during the cold winter months. This years visit was what I call an exploratory adventure. 
The Voyager RV Resort is rated number one by at least one rating agency and it does indeed seem to be a very well run establishment. It is made up of Permanent mobile homes and casitas; these are smaller mobile homes - one bedroom, bath and kitchen/living room with a pull in carport and a covered patio where one can sit and watch the world go by. The rest of the place is  open area for those land yachts to pull in and spend weeks or months on a pad and when the weather or the mood strikes, off they go to other adventures.
In addition to the living facilities the resort offers a multitude of activities to busy oneself during the day and evening. There is an onsite restaurant and bar --with lots of meet and greet activities and football parties. Then for the physically active there is pickleball, tennis, swimming aerobics, fitness room lots of varying exercise classes. Lots of folks ride bikes here, but if you are in to that, you have to bring your own. Other activities are crafts galore, including jewelry and silversmithing, woodworking, ceramics, several discussion groups, card and domino events and pool shooting for those interested. 
It all sounded great, but since I was staying only a week I found that it was hard to enjoy the activities since most were offered on a 4 or 6 week continuing series basis. Hardly worthwhile for a person staying only one week. So, while there was a lot to be enjoyed, I somehow didn't get the full benefit of it. I did spend the week enjoying all the sites that Tucson and the surrounding area had to offer and so you will be hearing no complaints from me. My little casita was very comfortable and private and allowed me to prepare most of the meals easily in the fully furnished kitchen.

I enjoyed a visit to the Colossal Cave which is  just east of Tucson and the tour was very informative. It is one of the few caves that has a constant temperature of 70 degrees -- I found that to be unusual, since all the other ones I have visited are usually somewhere around 40 or so.

The Sonora Desert Museum is a must see stop in Tucson, if you see nothing else. It is a walkable loop botanical garden - zoo and at each turn you see something else that is just amazing. There were animals which included fox, coyote, javalina, a variety of snakes, 2 separate bird aviaries and lots of cacti. They offered tours and videos as well so one could easily spend an entire day there, but I had other ideas. I timed my visit in mid morning so that I could escape and enjoy lunch at what may be the best Mexican restaurant in Tucson. 

On my other days of exploring I went to Sabino Canyon for a tour and hiking. It was one of the highlights of trip and I also spent an afternoon hiking with friends in the Sagauro National Park West on a five mile loop trail, which was also very nice, but it seemed longer and there were moments that we all thought somewhere along the way we must have made a wrong turn and were assuredly lost. But, in fact, we were always on the trail and really appreciated finding the end. While I saw a lot while I was there, I left quite a few things for perhaps another trip --the Pima air museum, Tombstone and several other interesting places.

Here are the photos

The best Mexican Restaurant that I found while in Tucson was Cafe Poca Cosa located at 110mEast Pennington Street, Tucson, Az. i actually went there three times. The first to discover

 Here I learned that each day the menu is created not once but twice. Generally 2 or 3 chicken dishes 2 beef dishes one fish and one vegetarian. Then you may notice that the bottom of the menu has a selection that is larger that the rest. This allows you to sample three of the chefs choice on one dish. I opted for the chefs choice twice out of my three visits and each meal was superb. The food was so good that I had to stop between bites and just savor the wonderful flavors.

On my first choice I got a cod fish sample in a robust clear sauce, a shredded beef dish and the vegetarian selection of the day. They were all fabulous -- oh you also get a great salsa and chips beans that alone would make a great meal, rice and tortillas. The beer was extra. Ha!

 On my third and last visit, I stopped for lunch on the Saturday before my early morning flight out the next day. I had just finished a week of volunteering at the Bird Sanctuary near Benson and was ready for some really good food. Charlie was my waiter and the first thing he said was "how are you doing today?" me. "well, not so good my phone has no cell service. I showed it to him and he insisted that I use his phone to call ATT to fix whatever the problem was. It required me to go out of the restaurant so I could hear the technician. Well, five minutes later I was all connected and happy as a clam. That is why he is standing there telling me about the menu with his Iphone in his hand. I was really happy to have my phone back in working order. It was a really good thing too, because, little did I know at the time that when I finished my meal I would find my rental car had a flat tire and I would REALLY need a phone.

Alls well that ends well. The flat was fixed in less than an hour and I went back to my hotel one happy camper!

Death Valley National Park, California

Death Valley National Park is more than just sand. This was the driving force behind my Fall 2011 trip to the Southwest.  Of all the National Parks, this one has always held a seductive attraction for me; maybe it was the desolation or the danger, maybe it was the heat or the shear fearsomeness of it  I am not sure exactly what it was, but I knew deep down in my bones that this was the year...no, had to be the year, that I go and do...in this land of extremes.

It got off to a bad start right from the beginning.  I originally signed up for a Road Scholar program that was to take place in early October and counted the days until I got the OK that the program was a go.  It was an ambitious program which was to include a flat water float on the Colorado, tours of Antelope Canyon in Page, Arizona, a pontoon boat ride on  Lake Powell, a brief stay in Henderson, Nevada (so I could get my Vegas fix) and then four days in Death Valley, actually staying at the Flint Creek Ranch Inn.  It sure was plenty to look forward to! It was cancelled very near to the start date due to lack of interest.  What a bummer!  So, I had to reshuffle.  Check out other programs and make one work for me.  I did, I made my own fun for a week getting out to Death Valley and got a full week of hiking in Death Valley while staying in the nearby town of Beatty, Nevada.  So I managed to get almost everything in my original program (plus a little more) but under very different circumstances.  I went the first week of November, which meant the weather would be very different.  In retrospect, that was a good thing, it was brisk at night and delightful during the day, which allowed for pure enjoyment without worry of sunburn, dehydration or a host of other nasties one could encounter closer to summer.

Several years ago a film called "The Bucket List" was popular and I for one really enjoyed it.  The story line was a bit far-fetched, but the spirit was solid.  Two guys who were both diagnosed with terminal illnesses got together and used the rich guys money to do outlandish things, a pre-composed list of stuff to do before you die. While some of the activities were adventurous and fulfilling in a way,  it was the relationship that developed between the two men that seemed to be the most rewarding.  It became very popular to say, "well, that's another thing I can scratch off my bucket list." It always struck me as a little cavalier...if I can do everything on my list, then I will have, sort of, cheated death.  Presumably, there would be nothing worthwhile left to do, so dying might be the better alternative.  So the idea of a bucket list, played in my mind and I fought it.  Just the idea of a list, that might have an end and then of course, the end...well it just didn't sit well with me.  Nevertheless, I knew, IF I had a bucket list, Death Valley would be on it. Little did I know I may have been flirting with my last hurrah.  For two years I have been monitoring what my pulmonologist calls a black fuzzy mass in my chest, it has been dormant...no changes, until this year.  Now it is morphing.  Taking more drastic steps, I had a bronchoscope  (go inside the lung and get biopsies) done hoping to finally determine what it is.  But still no answer.  At the end of this trip, I am going to have most of my lung removed.  My last hurrah indeed.

The first day of hiking was spent at the Mesquite Flat Dunes section of the park.  This is what I had envisioned the entire park to be composed of before my arrival; desert as far as the eye could see, dry, desolate and forbidding.  Well, yes, there is that but there is a whole lot more than just sand.  Having already been to Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado, I already knew what it takes to get to the top of a dune and what it looks like from that vantage point.  I decided to stay on the lower dunes and get some shots of the weather-beaten sand and the starkness of the landscape.

I was not the only one to opt for the lower, less-traveled road in the group

Another day was spent getting up close and personal with the salt flats, located at Badwater which is 282 feet below sea level, the lowest elevation point in North America.  It is actually the remnants of a prehistoric salt lake that has been drying up at a dizzying pace.  Here I am holding a chunk of the salt that makes up the flats.  It is very hard, sharp and salty!

Another day was spent hiking through and around an area called Artists Pallette, the interplay of the sun on the multicolored surfaces can keep your imagination busy for hours.

Never let it be said that girls don't know how to have fun!  The three banditos were getting ready for their next heist while riding in the group van...

We took a walk on the boardwalk leading along Salt Creek Springs, then beyond and into the hills above the meandering salty creek that winds its way through the park.  Lots of water, but all salty.

Up in the hills the the Salt Creek seems tiny and the views were pretty remarkable

Another day we spent hiking in Mosaic Canyon, the beauty and awesomeness is really hard to describe.

On one particular hike we had to scale a wall to be able to continue the hike, it was called the Horse because it had foot stirrups and one had to straddle it, like a horse, to get over...

Ok, here I am, Death Valley.  It was all I thought it was and more.

Just a little curiosity for me...a fire plug, in the middle of the desert?  I just thought it was odd.

Another day was spent hiking Ubehebe Crater, some went down and up and around.  I went up and around, that was enough for me.

They don't put up any barriers to prevent you from taking the big dip into the crater, they put warning signs in universal language that even non-English speaking folks can understand!

This is an aerial view of the infamous Scotty's Castle.  There are so many stories about this place that it seems to take on a life of its own.  It was established during the gold rush and several people were taking advantage of each other during this opportune time.  I won't spoil the story but I will tell you, the tour is well worth your time, should you find yourself in Death Valley.  Fascinating!

In a ghost town outside of Death Valley, bicycle ghost riders in the sky...

Strolling the grounds of the Furnace Creek Ranch Inn, this is the only lush green you are likely to find in Death Valley.  The Inn was established by the old 20Mule Team Borax Company during the turn of the century, here is a delightful woman who also took the program.

Another canyon and another hike...it seems endless here.

Fitting, I think, to end the program with a shot of a beautiful full moon.  As the group was disbanding for the last time, several of the program leaders asked if I would like to come back next year and participate as a leader in any of the programs.  Would I?  You bet!  But answer had to be, we will have to wait and see what they find in my chest next week...this may be my last hurrah.

Mount Magazine, Arkansas

Last week I joined the local OLLI group for the last hiking outing of this season to Mount Magazine. We rode the limo bus to Mount Magazine and had a buffet lunch at the lodge perched atop Mt. Magazine and afterwards we all took a mile and a half loop hike at Signal Hill which is the highest point in Arkansas. I did not have to get acclimated to the height as is necessary at some of the higher peaks in Colorado.

So the leader was nice enough to take this shot for me...we were lucky on all of our outings this year, while rain was predicted, we had none, yet again!

The butterflies were all over the mountain top...the wildflowers are a great attractant.  Here is a yellow swallowtail partaking of wildflower nectar.

I always try to include an unusual picture when I can.  Here, as it was explained to me is fresh (well relatively so; perhaps a couple of hours old) bear scat!  The leader poked it a little and uncovered the fresher stuff in the middle of the dried outer portion.  Fortunately, we didn't see any.

Hobbs Conservation Area - Shaddox Hollow Trail

Today, I went with a group sponsored by OLLI for a hike at Hobbs State Park Conservation Area on the Shaddox Hollow Trail which is a loop trail 1.5 miles in length. It was my first real outing since my accident and I was concerned about my ability to handle it, but it went pretty well. I did the hike and enjoyed the cruise around Beaver lake on a pontoon boat, then lunch at War Eagle's Bean Palace. We caught a thunderstorm for our return trip, but our driver handled it very well. I have to admit that I was pretty tired when I got home and a little achy, but I am hoping that I am healing well and will be getting better as time passes. I know I am much better than I was when I first got home from the accident a month ago.

What was really special about the hike today was that there were so many wildflowers blooming. I felt like I was walking through the pages of a Tim Ernst book...wildflowers everywhere! So without further ado, here are some of the shots I got on our hike:
I will attempt to label them, but I know very few plants...any help is appreciated!

We took a group vote on these and concluded that they are phlox...

This is wild Iris, and just too pretty to behold!

A sassafras sprouting..what makes this unique is that (if you look closely) there are actually 5 different shaped leaves coming up from the same plant...most unusual!

Jack in the Pulpit, so...amazing

ok...here is where I can use a little help

A mayapple bloom

Half the group (including me) had already walked right past this fellow...probably only six or so inches away from our feet was this Pygmy Rattlesnake; fortunately someone in the group asked "what kind of snake is this"?  Yes, it is as poisonous as a copperhead.  He was ready to strike into action, but fortunately none of our group gave him (her) a reason to.

A little more identification help needed here...

Lake Fayetteville Adventures

I decided to go for a walk around Lake Fayetteville yesterday before having lunch with my friend Sue. We had planned on meeting at Olive Garden at noon but I found myself just arriving at the parking lot at 10:20 and I knew I would not be able to complete the almost 6 miles and meet her on time. I called and asked if we could meet at 12:30. Plenty of time, I thought. I checked the temperature before starting at it was 89, not so bad. I had plenty of water, bug spray and my hat. I was ready for anything.
I decided to go counter clockwise because I wanted to get the most severe hills out of the way first (I did not consider that I was also getting rid of the mostly shady areas first too!) The trail was starting to get a bit overgrown and I was glad I had my jeans on since I was brushing against all kinds of growth. But fortunately not too far into the trip I found this fellow and others with weed whackers and loppers cutting it all back and making it a much better experience.


He was all smiles when I told him he was doing a great job and how much I appreciated it!

It wasn't long before I came upon these pretty flowers, I couldn't resist getting a shot of these lonely reds in the middle of many yellows


This flower made me stop in my tracks and actually get my real camera out! it was just so gorgeous, double click it and see if you don't agree!

As I got about forty percent through the hike, I was out of shade and the temperatures had risen considerably, but I wasn't too concerned, I had plenty of water and my hat AND my bandanna tied loosely around my neck. I was set for anything. But it was very humid and I found myself slowing down.

I took several rests and found I was weaker and weaker. So now I was really sorry I did not take my electrolyte tablets with me, they really do work when I get like this. OK, no problem, I will just walk slower, rest more and get there when I get there.

But it was awful and I was beginning to realize that I probably would not complete the walk and make it to lunch on time. So should I call her and cancel, ask her to pick me up or just melt into the pavement...with thoughts like this I knew I was fading fast.

I took off the bandanna and soaked it with water, put it across my head and put my hat back on, that helped some, but my energy levels were gone and I knew it. I had about 1 mile left while I contemplated what I would do when I saw two young ladies that I passed earlier on the hike approaching with their very over-heated dog. I asked if they were parked anywhere nearby and they were just about a couple of hundred yards away. I swallowed my pride and asked if they could drive me to my car and they did. Even with the ride I hardly made it to lunch on time.

After getting in the car I realized how really close to heat exhaustion I was and it was then and there that I decided I would have to come up with a list of rules...something like Gibbs on NCIS.
Rule Number 1...NEVER go out without electrolyte tablets, some food, lots of water, bandanna and phone.

I am sure there will be more once I start giving this list some serious thought, but this is a good beginning.

Oh...
Rule Number 2...NEVER sit on grass in a wooded area.

How do chiggers get under your shirt and up your back?

Rule Number 3...If the temperature is predicted to be above 90 DO NOT go out for an extended period of time.

Lincoln Lake Hiking/Bicycle Trail

There is a pretty good show being broadcast by our local PBS station called Exploring Arkansas; it features three segments describing locations of interest here n the state. Recently, they were discussing a place for mountain biking called Lincoln Lake. I checked it out on a map and found it was relatively close to where I live and decided to go "explore" it.
Surprisingly, I found it with almost no effort at all. I had already decided to hike it before trying to bike it. The hills here can be quite daunting. Sure enough, the hills were a bit more than I would like to handle on a bike. I was willing to hike it




But then, I thought better of it.


Don't know what the crime was, nor when, but I decided that this wasn't the place I wanted to be wandering by myself.

Is there a law about removing the crime scene tapes when the investigation is completed?

Hidden Diversity Trail, Hobbs Conservation Area

The weather promised to be spectacular today and I decided that I was going to take a nice bike ride. Not around the neighborhood as usual, but somewhere that I could enjoy the area without being disturbed by traffic. Since I have been hiking Lake Fayetteville, I decided to go and check out the Hidden Diversity Trail located in the Hobbs Conservation Area located very near to the War Eagle Mill. I needed something different.

It takes about an hour to get there from where I live and the back roads were pretty empty; I enjoyed the drive. Surprisingly, I found the side road (Townsend Ridge Road) off of Highway 12 very easily and the access road, while not paved, was very well maintained, as you can see in the photo below
This access road is 2 miles long before you arrive at the parking area for the Townsend parking area trail access. I was not going very fast but it sure seemed a lot longer than 2 miles. Finally, after a curve I arrived at the parking lot.

I took this photo of a fellow and his horse, there were several other groups of folks in some stage of saddling up. This is truly a multi use trail, horses, bikers and hikers there was evidence of all three as I found the section for car-biker parking.At the end of the parking lot is the sign for the trail, also there is a weather proof sign-in sheet. this is a very good thing to use. If you go out on the trail and for what ever reason don't make it back, the rangers can know that you are there (somewhere) and can locate you and assist if necessary at the end of the day. It is important to also sign out once you are done with the trail use. This area also has a newly build comfort station.
I got copies of the maps of the various trails and hopped on my bike and headed into the forest. As you can see the trails are narrow and very leaf covered. This is not a problem if you find yourself on the top of a ridgeline, but it is definately a challenge going up and down the numerous switchbacks that I found on the trail. The leaves make it difficult to gain traction and hide lots of little challenges like roots, branches and rocks. You have to stay alert for these trails or you'll find yourself ditched.

The trails here are quite challenging and somehow I managed to take the wrong trail at the first juncture. I thought I had selected the War Eagle Trail which loops for about 3 miles but I actually selected the longest trail available at that point...the Little Clifty Creek Loop (this trail is nine miles long I did not know that at the time). By the time I realized that the trail I was on was not the one I wanted it was too late to turn back.

It got a bit scary after I was on the trail for an hour and a half and had no idea of how much longer it would be before I got back to the starting point. What compounded the problem is that I was running into switchback after switchback, all tedious uphills, covered with leaves and I was too tired to try to ride them. The trail is very narrow trying to walk while pushing the bike was very difficult.

My energy was fading fast. It got to the point where I could go maybe fifty or a hundred feet and needed to stop and rest. Water was starting to run low, no energy and no idea of what was still ahead of me. Several people (all 30 years younger than me) passed me coming from the other direction. I finally asked a very trim and athletic young lady how much further to the Townsend parking area. She looked ahead, then looked at her watch...I knew I was in trouble now! She said forty minutes.

I felt pretty good about that. I was heading downhill and was hoping there would be a lot more of that to come, but no. There was a lot of uphill, gravel covered with leaves which was just too much for me to try to pedal on. More walking, pushing and resting. I kept thinking; forty minutes for her...what will it be for me? It seemed about a mile of this uphill drudge before I got to a ridge line again and riding was at least possible. Not fast, mind, just possible. More ups and downs and for the most part I was able to handle them, but I was tired and sure wanted to get back to the car.

It was now about thirty minutes since I passed the young lady and there was nothing that resembles the parking area. At least I was beginning to think I may actually make it back before dark. I had been on the trail for a little over two hours. I stopped and checked the map one more time and realized that there was still a pretty good distance to go. It would not have been so bad if it weren't for the up and down switchbacks, but there were so many and it sapped all my strength.

I made a little more distance and noticed that the trail was taking a turn to the right. Ah, this must be the last turn in the loop and now I am heading back to the lot! Wow, it felt good, but I still saw many switchbacks in front of me. I took a look to the left and noticed a gravel road. Hum, could this be the access road I drove in on? Oh...Please!

I took a good look and decided that it was. I picked up my bike and walked through the brush for about a hundred feet or so and pedaled happily the last two miles on this road. It was not totally flat, there were some ups and downs but nothing like the switchbacks.

I made it back to the car in a total of two and a half hours and only two sips of water left in the jug. Glad I had the good sense to bring some energy gels and bars with me. I felt good that I was able to do this trail but am not looking forward to doing again any time soon. I still don't know how I missed the three mile loop that I originally wanted. I am very grateful that I saw the road from the trail and was able to use it. I honestly don't think I could have stayed on the trail and done all the switchbacks that would have been required to get back to the car. My energy level at that point just wasn't there.

Making Progress

The fellows working for the DPW or Parks and Rec department in Fayetteville have been doing a great job on this more difficult section of the trail around Lake Fayetteville. This area would flood when the humidity got over 88%, so permanently solving the problem is taking a bit of time..but it looks as though this solution is going to last. See the latest photos of the progress below

This is just after crossing the creek on the old wooden copperhead creek bridge...the guys totally ignored me! I still can't get over the fact that this kind of construction goes on well into December...in New Jersey things would have already come to a complete standstill.
This is approaching the creek from a clockwise direction. See they have the footings in place. If you click the picture you can see the action on the other side.