With All Good Things...

We are back in Mesa...in a hotel.  All the hotels around here are very expensive we have found.  It is a much longer story that starts when we left LDSP a couple of weeks ago.

I had arranged for a four night stay at a Colorado River Resort near Lake Havasu FREE.  We did have the obligation to listen to a 90 minute presentation...you know the drill.  And, we truly did consider it...had it not been a six year commitment we might have been "in"...but with this being our first year out we just didn't know...so we opted out.  Moxie loved swimming in the river...and we really did enjoy ourselves for three days at the Resort.  Then the fourth day...we found out that when it rains in the desert it can REALLY rain and the water can REALLY puddle!

So much so that if you step in the puddles, you can sink up to your ankles in mud.  We left the free resort amid the mud and drove to the other side of the river to wait at the Bluewater RV Resort for there to be less running water on the roads before we headed to Alamo Lake.  Bryant had arranged for us to stay there until the end of March.

It was beautiful scenery there...it was warm...but there was very little hiking, no bike riding, and no internet...I mean no service unless we drove to a restaurant 8 miles away.  The lake water was not as advertised either...muddy instead of crystal clear...even Moxie didnt want to go into it swimming.

We did enjoy a couple of days there...the wild burros of course, hiked a little...really enjoyed watching and listening to the group of friends with kids that were camping there.  We decided however to to go check out Yuma for a couple of days in preparation for next year!  So while Bryant drove I secured an RV Resort reservation.  And, then...road debris on Interstate 10.

First and foremost...we are lucky...Bryant kept the RV on the road amidst all the truck traffic!  And, we met a wonderful man that took the VIA to the Mesa Sprinter repair shop.  We found out the extent of the damage this morning and are now waiting for insurance...a bump in the road.

So, as the title says..."with all good things" which refers to our travels since January, the places we have gone to and  how much we have enjoyed...and then a bump in the road...

Goals...

We met a guy on the trail today...he was on his way down...we were going up.  He had completed the Flatiron Trail in 1 hour and 22 minutes (the top of the mountains in the picture below).  I was impressed and we chatted for a few minutes.  He lives around here and comes up once a week to hike this "hard" trail...6.2 miles with elevation gain of 2933 feet!  He was very happy with his time...had met his goal!   He told us of an 87 year old guy that does this hike 3-4 times a week...he didnt say if he timed his hikes!

Back to where we left off last blog...we left Tubac early afternoon and headed back to Lost Dutchman State Park (LDSP).  The new GPS took us a way that was 15 miles shorter...but stop and go traffic and then out in the desert toolies!  A perfect GPS would have let us know... so we would have fueled up BEFORE being out there!  Arghhhh!!  The good news...we made it on fumes to a station with diesel close to LDSP.  We also had the DEF alert come on while we were out in the toolie desert...with none on board!  Enough excitement for the day!We checked into our dry camping spot.  It was higher up than we had been before...with a beautiful view!  We both wanted to ride...and we did.  We also had little things with our bike/trike so Monday our plan was to go back to the bike shop in Apache Junction that Bryant liked so well.  We dropped them off in the morning and proceeded to go to the Resinance Festival.  Well, nooooo...they were closed on Monday!  Sure glad I didnt buy tickets online that are good for any day of the week!!  The good news...traffic in the area was super light AND it did save us over 50 dollars (admission fees)!  We moved the VIA to a full hook up site and then decided to go shopping and relax while we waited for the call that our bike/trike was completed!  They even called early enough for us to get a small ride in!

We found a hiking trail that looked fun...and was a small drive... in the opposite direction of all the traffic...Wind Cave!  A 2.6 mile hike with elevation gain of 770 feet.

Moxie loves our hikes...she gets left home on our bike rides so on this hike she led the way through the rocky switchbacks.

it was another beautiful day and hike!The only caveat...we wish we had brought a small garbage bag with us to pick up after those who had come before us...I mentioned that to another couple...turns out they live near the trail...and he motioned with his hand to the sprawling city below saying it is inevitable with all the people moving here.  I said "no, it is lack of respect...and that should not be inevitable".   They agreed...we chatted a bit more before we moved on.

To the top...

and back "home".  After some lunch and relaxing...we took a short evening bike ride.  Hope to get a short video clip of all of the bike trails we have been on (one of these days) as I mounted the GoPro to the top of my helmet!

Today we decided to stay here for our hike...Prospectors Trail...3.5 miles with elevation gain of 570.We started early for the most shade and with lots of water as Moxie does drink a lot along the trail!This too is a great hike!  We met a lot of people on the trail...one lady took this picture for us...

as I was going to try to take a selfie of us on the bench!  Of course there is...Moxie...the wonder hiking dog...who almost caught a bird this morning!  I wish they would not tempt fate and fly right in front of her!  And this is Green Rock from the mountain side...

So, back to the beginning of this blog and goals.

Both Bryant and I are thinking of hiking the Flatiron Trail...NEXT YEAR!!!

A wonderful time in Tubac

The train woke me up this morning...enough that I was ready for my tea anyway.  It seems the train goes through the area twice a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon.  Until this morning I couldn't really have told you the timing...this morning was 5:20 am.  Enough about trains...

We have done quite a lot here...the town is touted as an artist community with an eclectic flair.  The Opera, the Presidio State Historic Park,  biking and hiking the Anza Historical Trail, a spice shop, the Whipple Observatory, a local winery wine tasting, and a little more shopping that has filled our days with interest and awe.

The Tubac Opera (I mentioned in the previous blog) was a wonderful time!  We were seated with a mid/late eighties couple from Green Valley, a small town just north of Tubac.  What a joy they were to be seated with and share the evening of fun!  They had been to one of the previous Operas at the Italian Peasant and all along the way gave me (as my hearing is pretty good) insights as to how it was going!  He was in law enforcement his entire career, they lived in Costa Rica for 10 years, and he did 2 years in the Peace Corps in the Ukarine.  They are parents, grandparents, and great grandparents!  So interesting  to talk with!  The tenor (in the video clip) was great...and we were so lucky as he was not one of the "usuals"!  They wanted us to come up and visit them before we leave (tomorrow) and we will try!  As a footnote...I had worn my "Tubac" (see previous blog) and when I gave them a hug goodnight they both loved how soft it was!!

The Presidio Historical Park/Museum is certainly worth the visit...a quick video of the history of Tubac and then walking through buildings of artifacts.  Suprising to me that this small town history is so well documented and includes being deserted/abandoned many times due to Apache raiders.

The old schoolhouse had the 1848 punishments on the board...I'll only share one of the two...and then the teacher duties...Only one of the two of those, too!  Both a bit different than current student/teacher responsibilities!!  If anyone is interested the volunteer gave Bryant a hard copy of the rules and responsibilities...and I'm sure he would share!  The picture above of the two of us was taken in the Museum...I'll let you decide if Bryant was putting the hat over my face...or trying to pull it away from my face!!

To the Anza Historical Trail...riding my bike and mostly wide enough for Bryant's trike!He has gotten quite good at getting through tight spaces!  
When we hiked the trail we stopped for a minute and talked with a couple that had just bought a home in the Tubac Golf Resort...they recommended a place for us to go that neither of us had ever heard of before.  It is sort of (or, we can make it) on our way north...looks like a must see kind of a place...it will definately be on the list!

To the Whipple Observatory...that was a WOW!!
The owner of the place where we have the RV outside of Tubac suggested we visit.  Her dad came this area to help build the obervatory.
There was a short video and lots of information on the purpose of the very large yet intricate functioning of searching for galaxy's and gamma rays!
The roads were impassable to the top because of the recent rains so we were not able to see the expansive views ourselves...but we had no idea when we came here that this existed...
.so all we did see was icing on the cake!  We are headed out soon for another bike ride...it is warming up nicely...we are saving the wine we bought for this summer at the lake house...our shopping finds I am so thankful and excited to have...the spices will make a great addition (just ask my kids, and Bryant)...and another train just passed through...maybe it is more than two trains a day...no matter...we have had a wonderful time in Tubac!