A new Jeep, a house, now what to do now ?

February 1- 21, 2018:

I always try to incorporate a few murals and Tucson with its hispanic culture tends not to disappoint, old ones constantly fade away and new ones spring up, like the cycle of life itself.  It's a beautiful thing !

This Tucson welcome mural is a favorite especially when the clouds are like this 

This has been around a while, love the dinosaur on the upper level

The Circus Academy building

Tucson has been designated a UNESCO city of gastronomy, the first in the US, with a stretch of road designated as the best "23 miles of Mexican Food" in the US. 

We visited a couple of the places recognized during the month.  We returned to El Guero Canelo for one of their “world famous Sonoran Hot Dogs”.  They recently received the prestigious James Beard award for their Sonoran Hot Dog, actually I don’t see what all the fuss is about, but then I’m not a “foodie”.  We also visited “Pat’s Hot Dogs” recently for their renown chill dogs and went to the truly great El Charo Cafe.
https://www.visittucson.org/food-drink/restaurants/23-miles-mexican-food

Pat's drive-in for chill dogs

I did a hike that I have never done before up Tumamoc Hill.  Tumamoc Hill was home to Hohokam indians who resided there for centuries.  The trail is about three miles in length but all uphill and steeply uphill in places. This doesn't stop young mothers from running or pushing their babies in carriages to the top, while I am panting by the side of the road.  This is all paved and has become a most popular fitness trail in Tucson and is right across form the hospital if needed !

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tumamoc_Hill

The start of the trail

I really have a dislike for the runners

I don't think so ?

Our new house is located out there just in front of the left
hill in the foreground

Nice overlook looking down on downtown Tucson

Thick healthy Saguaros

Another view of the Tucson valley

The weather has maintained about 10 degrees above average temperature, near 80 degrees this month and with practically no rainfall since we arrived here in mid November.  As result, the desert plant life is looking parched.  I was thinking a rainy day would be really nice when on February 15th the rain gods submitted culminating in two solid days of rain and no one complained.  I think we received about the whole winters amount of rain in this one storm.

My best intentions and precautions for this cold and flu season have failed, I received both a flu shot and the pneumonia shot, stayed away from group activities and happy hours in the campground and have still caught a nasty cold followed by the flu that has continued for the past month.  I now seem to be on the mend thanks to some potent medication in time for a trip back to New Jersey for a few days.  

In between cold sessions I caught “Broke Down Palace” at the St Charles Tavern, the Kevin Pakulis Band opening for Commander Cody and his Western Airmen at Monterey Court and Slaid Cleaves at the 191 Toole concert venue.

https://www.commandercody.com/the-website

https://www.slaidcleaves.com

Broke Down Palace had a nice country folk sound

Keven Pakulis and band opening for the Commander 

Commander Cody in action

We attended the Pascua Yaqui "Festival of the Arts" which was mostly the art of the custom car, well attended and with many exciting cars.  There was also a great band, Carlos Santana himself would have agreed.

Classic vintage 50's is more my style

This paint job is amazing

Custom bikes also, this one carries an indian bow and arrow

Many of these cars are heavily loaded with hydraulics

Very sleek 50's chevy with continental kit

Much imagination goes into these cars

Note the the pre air-conditioning evaporative cooler hanging out the window

Massive hydraulic pumps and speakers in trunk

Custom paint inside and outside

And under the hood

Most colorful and devilish

Our tentative travel plan for late March to the end of June or July has us heading to revisit some of the great Utah National Parks and the Arizona Grand Canyon.  We must return to Tucson in July, if not earlier, when the current house tenants plan to move out of the house and we then move in.  

I fly to New Jersey on February 22nd where I plan to get my 38 Dodge out of storage and prepare it for the trip back to Tucson.  That’s going to be quite an exciting ride taking a southerly route across the country.  Nothing quite like a cross country ride in an 80 year old car that's only been driven about 100 miles since 2012 ! The next blob post will describe that adventure in detail.

Watch out !

Twinkles and Slick