Goodbye Desert Trails

March 3-14, 2015:

I feel like I could reach up and touch the clouds

February was the warmest month on record for Tucson and above average rain as well.  As a result, the desert flowers are extra plentiful this year and we are trying to get in some final hikes.  First was a hike on the Starr Pass Trail which seems to connect to another unnamed trail.  There are trails and old roads all over the place, very confusing, and the remains of an old building.  Regardless, it is a beautiful trail that takes you into a quiet remote area with outstanding views. 

View from the trail

Old car buried off the trail near remnants of a building

Another trail view

A second hike was on the Hugh Norris Trail to the junction of the Sendero Esperanza Trail.  It's all uphill with hundreds of steps that take you about a thousand feet uphill into an extremely scenic area.  It is a tough walk and we were pretty worn by the time we got back in the parking lot.

Huge boulder at top will fall one of these days 

Poppy's in full bloom

The Brittlebush are blooming like crazy here

Our third hike was from a trailhead adjacent to the Marriott Star Pass Resort and Spa which looks like a great place to stay, but a little over our usual price range. We were looking to get on the Yetman Trail, which we eventually did find after following a circutous trail around beautiful flower covered hillsides.  There are so many trails out there, not marked or showing on the map and then you come to main trail intersections with the signs missing or broken.  It is starting to get very hot in the early afternoon and Twinkles started fading. I'll be in trouble for saying this, but she was really dragging ass towards the end. 

Twinkles taking a rest

Unusual Saguaro growth pattern

Nice floral arrangement

Distant view of downtown Tucson from the trail

Another trail view

We have an occasional woodpecker who is attracted to our RV, I am awakened by its Rat-a Tat-Tat against a metal surface.  What is the attraction ?  I need to scare it off, before it puts a hole through the body.

I watched a special show on PBS, (twice) a fund drive event, but the concert was excellent.  It was Justin Hayword who is the lead guy of the Moody Blues Band doing a PBS fundraiser concert of his greatest hits and other original songs with other musicians.  I was never a huge Moody Blues fan, but was most impressed with him.  He still has an unbelievably good voice, hasn't lost much with age.  I never have watched a music concert before with sub titles on the screen, it really helps to understand the lyrics and his lyrics are truly great.  

On the 7th we traveled to Phoenix to visit my mother, sister and her family again prior to leaving the area. Everyone was well with Mom looking especially good.  We all went out for lunch and had a nice visit.  

I came back and immediately managed to catch a nasty cold, hope I didn't give it to them.  It's not the best timing as I have several last minute things to do this week.  Never a good time for a cold ?  Amazing how there is still no real cure for the common cold, still have to suffer through it. 

I'm reading on and off an Edward Abbey book, "The Serpents of Paradise".  It is a collection of excerpts, (sort of a "best of) from his other books.  He was a weird guy for sure, almost revolutionary, too much vision and intelligence to be normal.  He was also an exceptional writer who did much to bolster the value of saving wilderness areas.  In contrast to his wilderness writing, he also has a chapter about the special beauty of Hoboken, New Jersey which I can understand and identify with from having worked there. Actually Hoboken is pretty wild too !

I do a final cruise around town on Saturday taking a few photos along the 12th street area and a nostalgic glance into the rail yard followed by lunch at Barrio Brewing, then a stop at the Lost Barrio shopping area.  Lost Barrio is in an old warehouse district and with several great artistic shops. 

Waterfall mural  puts one in the mood for a fruit cone on a hot day

A most interesting store entrance

Would love to see what is inside

Great school building mural

A very cool ride, wish it were mine, seriously !

The huge rail yard in Tucson from the road overpass

The Lost Barrio

  

A final Tucson Desert Trails sunset from the observation deck.

After 3 1/2 months here at Desert Trails I am lusty for for the road again.  We leave on Sunday the 15th for Bisbee, Arizona where we have reservations for a week.  Bisbee is a favorite place of mine and there is a music festival scheduled while we are there.  Our tentative 2015 travel plan is Arizona-New Mexico-Texas-New Mexico-Colorado- Wyoming-Montana and then an undecided path back to Tucson again.  

Time to move on,

Twinkles and Slick