Desert Trails week 6

January 7-13, 2014:

We have been having a run of beautiful sunny weather for several weeks now, mid 60's to mid 70's in the afternoon.  It still gets cold at nights, near freezing, but our electric blanket has been working great.  The campground is loaded with many snowbirds from northern areas who are walking around in their shorts, no matter the temperature, all smiles as they talk about the sub zero temperatures back home.

Another type of snowbird, Goldfinches, in a feeding frenzy

Quail in tree behind RV

We did the Casino del Sol mexican buffet on Tuesday night with roving Mariachi musicians, the buffet was just just OK, great for the price (zero), but the deserts were really great. Twinkles also won another $50 on the penny slots, but eventually gave half back to them, I was a total loser all the way !  After stuffing ourselves, we are now feeling like crap and going back to soups and salads.

Mariachi band at the buffet

I've been suffering some kind of mild stomach virus this week and not doing much fun stuff.  Friday, I had to get out on a hike for some exercise, so I went on a 4 mile loop hike on the Cam-Boh trail to the Panther Peak trail to the Roadrunner Trail.  It was beautiful scenery with Panther Peak and Safford Peak in the background. It was a well used horse trail with lots of horse poop to avoid which was different.  There are ways to bushwhack to the top of Panther Peak, I was tempted, but it seems to be a closed area, stay out signs are posted !  Also the trail guide claimed roadrunners were common on the roadrunner trail, image that, but I didn't see any ! 

View on the Roadrunner trail of Panther Peak

Huge old Saguaro

Saw this along the trail, must be a story 

Saturday was a return back downtown in the evening for Tucson's second Saturday festivities.  I watched "House without a sink" do their last song and then another band (unidentified) for a while, before moving over to 4th Avenue to the Club Plush.  The first band at Plush was pretty much noise pollution with lots of harsh screaming into the microphone.  The second band was far better, weak in the vocals but strong musicianship.  I didn't hang around for the last band, sad to say, it's way past my bedtime these days.

Street band on 2nd Saturday Tucson

Great Hotel sign in downtown Tucson

For whatever reason, I never get out in the desert for the best light of the day and the sunset, which is often really great here.  On Sunday, I finally managed and it was a good one.  Next, maybe I'll try for the sunrise, while the coyotes and night creatures are still out ?

The Coyote Trail behind Desert Trails RV Park

View along the trail

The sunset was setting the landscape ablaze in color

The sunset

The colors just kept getting better

It has been a very stressful week concerning major changes to our RV operating routine. I must keep it all under wraps for the present as nothing is yet finalized, although everyone in the campground seems to know ?  These exciting changes will all be revealed in the next blog. The suspense is building !!!

Happy Trails,

Twinkles and Slick