Our Home in Tucson

We have been in southern Arizona since before Thanksgiving.  Arriving in Tucson, we stayed at our usual places we so much love, Catalina State Park and Gilbert Ray county park in Tucson Mountains. Beautiful scenery, quiet at night.  Only drawback was limited stays of 1-2 weeks.

Fairview Manor

Back in December, we searched around for a place we could affordably stay for extended period of time.  We were not interested in the mega-RV resorts with all the amenities we would never utilize.  We also wanted to be centrally located if possible.  Hitting upon the idea of a mobile home park we began to drive around north Tucson in search of one suitable to our needs and tastes.  We googled and we reviewed maps and must have looked at 20 different places.  All were either too run down, not great neighborhoods, too dense, noisy, etc.  Almost out of options we happened to drive past an entrance which we actually passed by and had to turn around and return.

Our home from home

We found a location just inside the north Tucson city limits near Miracle Mile street called Fairview Manor RV park. Gee, it is on Fairview Avenue hence the name.  An "over 55" mostly mobile homes with a few open spaces for RV's with full hookups.  We discovered, upon stopping by the main office, that it had a special daily price with one of our memberships so we decided to stay a few days to try it out.  We ended up staying 10 days because we had to go to Utah the week before Christmas for an unexpected family funeral.  We left Charli, our RV here in safe hands while we drove up in the Mr. Toad, our jeep.

Our view out the front window

We found the park to be friendly and quiet despite its proximity (half mile) from the interstate and railroad mainline. Our neighbors on both sides are quiet and friendly.  Space in between lots is sufficient to feel uncrowded and, best of all, we have a view of the Catalina mountains out our front window.  They even pulled all the weeds the other day around our site. I love the fact that I don't have to mow a lawn, or weed or prune, or any of those household things.

Rillito River bike trail from my bike

We had planned to be up in Phoenix area during January so made plans to spend February and March here, paying on a month to month basis. Sraddha visited Ananda Laurelwood in Oregon for 3 weeks while I spent some of the time traveling to Death Valley, Nevada and then some quiet alone time working on photography and cycling.  Bonus was being near the bike trails only a couple miles away on not very busy roads.




This time is rapidly drawing to a close.  We are preparing to head out early next week on our meandering trip through the rest of southern Arizona, New Mexico, and points north, eventually returning to Ananda Laurelwood, Oregon, sometime in June.

We don't have a fixed schedule which is very different for me.  We are going to take it mostly one day at a time and see where the next place is going to be when we get there.  Not sure how reliable the internet will be but I will attempt to post as time and internet allows.

A few more days in Tucson

Free Balloons

A key reason we remained in Tucson was to support our friends at Ananda Tucson who exhibited in a booth at the Tucson Festival of Books last weekend.  Tens of thousands of people came to meet authors, play interactive games, walk in the sun, get some food and generally hangout.  I estimate over 400 exhibit booths of all kinds.

Walking down the side road in the festival

Held on the Mall at University of Arizona, the whole area was over 3/4 mile long.  With crowds it took me over 2o minutes to stroll (couldn't walk fast) from one end to the other.

Ananda Tucson booth

 

 This festival is only 5 years old and we were the new guys on the block, so our booth was on near the far east end across from the music stage.  We arrived 0645 Saturday morning to set up and departed 6:45 PM Sunday night.  Kirtan Saturday night.

Our favorite decorator hard at work

 Fun was had and we met a bunch of new people who seemed to be interested in what we had to offer.

Sraddha and I walked around a lot, ate a bunch of yummy veggie tamales.  Oops, too busy eating to take a photo here.....

We watched a native American couple perform music and dance.  Tony Duncan with his Estan-Bah group is an amazing flute player with several albums on iTunes  Such rich tones. We bought the album he was playing.  So peaceful and deep in spirit sounds.

The family gets into the act

Tony Duncan playing his flute

We also saw this cool fire truck.

 All in all a fun weekend.  Now we are chilling for a few more days here in Tucson since we paid for the whole month at Fairview Manor.  We need to figure out a few things before departure but are itching to get going.  Where you ask?  Not sure yet.  Meander is the word we seem to hear when we consider our options.  Probably south a little bit.  Stay tuned

Where is Kent?

Ok, ok, once again I have been remiss in writing.  Not that I have been eating bon bons and watching Oprah all day.  NOT.  I have just been busy with photo activities.  Whether shooting on locations or processing photos.  Or communicating with friends and family.  i could write 10 blog posts about all of this but am going to condense into one for now. Writing this blog post has taken all afternoon. Long post and click on the photos to see bigger ones.

We have spent many, many weeks this winter in Tucson.  Not totally, since we spent most of January in Phoenix area (see previous blog posts).  Late November through December then back late January through late March.  It's been unseasonably warm if you consider the 70's warm.  We couldn't hope for better weather which has it's downfalls too with draughts, etc.  Not the place on this blog to comment much on all this.  I am a member, in good standing, of the Camera Club of Tucson and wanted to participate in many of its regular activities over a period of time including field trips and Thursday night meetings.

Now it is early March.  Sraddha went to Oregon for 3 weeks and returns tomorrow.   What has he been doing?  Hmm. I like lists so let's look at list and I will fill in with photos.  Click on photos to expand.

One of my bike routes with details

Bike Rides - We rented a spot in an older "over 55" Mobile home park which allows a few RV's Located about 4 miles north of downtown Tucson it is also about 3 miles from Rillito Parkway bike trail which leads to more bike trails.  I have been out 3 times per week for 90-120 minute rides on road bike not mountain bike. I could go further but would need to take more fluids etc so this distance and time is about right.  doesn't take the whole day yet still gives plenty of exercise, and caloric burn so I can eat what I want. But my stomach as shrunk a little as it usually does when traveling so I don't eat as much anyway

Kent, Paul, Loren at Desert Museum

Photo shoot at Arizona Sonora Desert Museum - I love going out the the desert museum which is all about the Sonoran Desert.  I have talked here about it before and have posted many photos of birds wildlife and animals.   I went out with my friends, Loren and Paul to photograph the Raptors during free flight.  We then got a behind the scenes tour by Wally, the raptor trainer.   We couldn't photograph the birds and show you.  Sorry.  But I did get to pet the little Barn Owl.

Attended Wizard of Oz musical at U of A.  Some friends we met last November are musicians who have a a gig traveling with broadway musicals around the country.  They are also really good photographers of birds, bugs, airplanes, tanks etc.  They invited me to attend a showing of their current musical, Wizard of Oz when they returned in early March.  What a treat!  I must confess i cannot remember if I ever saw the original movie in its entirety but knew the story.  The musical was written and adapted for stage by Andrew Lloyd Weber, who added 4 songs yet kept the original theme, songs and script. Amazing musical and now I want to see the original movie.

Photographing Warbirds -  Friday,  after the Wizard musical, I joined my friends, Loren and Paul, to photograph vintage warbirds at the Davis Montham Airbase east of Tucson during an event called "Heritage Flight Training".  We were to meet a freind of theirs who knew the area.  We floundered around for a while watching the various planes take off and fly around but didn't get many photos.  We finally met up with their friend at a place just before lunch where I got a couple photos of the planes.  Shot 350 photos.  deleted 345.  Here is one photo of a P-51 coming in for landing.  I shot this with 200mm lens and heavily cropped to get close enough.  Should have used 200-400 lens.  But fun  Kinda like shooting the Sandhill Cranes.  I learned the settings needed to stop the propeller.

At Zabriskie Point

Photo shoot in Death Valley - I joined 4 other members of the Camera Club of Tucson for a little trip up to Death Valley, Las Vegas, and Valley of Fire.  We stayed 2 nights in Beatty, NV at Motel 6 because it was cheap.  I left the RV here in Tucson.  I had been there last November so knew the lay of the land. We photographed Zabriskie Point and Mesquite Dunes in morning and Badwater in the evening and Furnace Creek Borax works.  You can see my photos here.

Lake Cuomo at the Bellagio on the strip

Photo shoot in Las Vegas - We headed to Las Vegas for two nights.  Arriving late afternoon at a Rio Casino Hotel just west of "the Strip", checked in, rested a little while, then caught the shuttle over to the Strip.  My friend, Steve Dell, was our guide.  We took our cameras and photographed some interesting things.  Paris,  New York, Lake Cuomo in Italy. Chinese New Year.  We had a wonderful dinner at the Mesa Grill run by famous restauranteur, Bobby Flay.  My photos were not that great and my battery died just before dinner so I borrowed Steve's battery for a couple shots.

Pano of Horse in Bellagio Lobby.  Chiluly on ceiling

Me at Pinao Rock in Valley of Fire

Photo shoot in Valley of the Fire - The main reason for stopping at Las Vegas was not the strip. It was a state park east of Las Vegas out by Lake Mead called Valley of Fire, the oldest state park in Nevada. With pretroglyphs, and incredible red sandstone formations it is an amazing place.  I had received a PDF guide to photographing the area which told us some of the great locations.  We ended up spending the morning finding 3 different cool formations.  I am still processing these photos.  Here are a couple.

Bebe inside Windstone Arch

One of the most interesting formations was this one at Windstone Arch.  Literally had to crawl in on hands and knees.  I had knee pads I had purchased  at Home Depot.  Bebe had better ones.  Sraddha and I will return to this place as there is a really nice camping area.  I need to be there in the morning and evening.

Windstone Arch (B/W)

Bee on flower.  Macro Simplified

Photo shoot at Tohono Chul - One morning last week, I met my friends, Steve and Vicki for coffee at Starbucks then headed to Tohono Chul gardens to photograph.  Here is link to my album of photos of the plants, bugs, birds.  I shot some with Macro lens and others wit normal lens, then processed the photos both normally as I do in Lightroom, then put several of them through a filter called "Simplify" which renders them as paintings.  Real fun to see.  I have put up some additional photos on my photo site

Posing Camera for HDR shot

Photo shoot at St. Anthony's Monastery - I got to tag along with Steve and Peggy of the Camera Club of Tucson when they were reconnoitering a place to take the club members for a field trip.  St Anthony's Monastery lies in the middle of the desert about 50 miles north of Tucson, halfway to Phoenix but 10 miles east of the freeway. Literally right in the middle of the desert.  Founded only in 1995 by six monks from Athos Greece, this Greek Orthodox Monastery is home to 48 monks now and some of the most amazing architecture in recent times.  We walked around and shot a few locations looking for opportunities to bring the group back to teach HDR photography.  I am not sure I will be here then so asked to tag along.  Glad I did.  Haven't posted photos yet but got a few good ones.

Farmer's market shopping - no pix but good food.  We usually go to St Philip's Plaza Sunday mornings.  I bought some great purple asparagus,  tamales, grapefruit, eggs, escarole.  Coulda bought more but our fridge is pretty small.  We also to to Saturday market up by Catalina State Park.

Oh, yes, clean the RV prior to Sraddha return. Whew.  Is this enough?  Gotta get back to processing photos.

Bear Canyon and 7 Falls Hike

Each year, while in Tucson, we have visited Sabino Canyon in the Santa Catalina over in NE section of town.  It is not a park, rather part of the Coronado National Forest.  Thousands flock here each year and it gets real busy with a lot of walkers and hikers in the main part of the canyon where you can see amazing flora and sometimes fauna.

Click on any of the photos to expand and enjoy.

Gazing west into Downtown Tucson at the 2+ mile marker

What really brings us back each year is the smaller canyon to the east of Sabino.  Bear Creek Canyon offers a more rigorous hike of about 700 ft elevation gain over 6 miles round trip from shuttle stop or even further (9+ miles) if you begin and end at Visitor center.  Today we took the shuttle both ways.

Turning around from previous photo you look up the canyon towards our destination

Her:  "gorgeous, simply gorgeous!!"
Him: "Yup"
Her:  "Gorgeous, simply gorgeous!"
Me:   "Yep"
Her: .......... you get the picture.

The destination is 7 falls at upper end of this canyon.  As we approached the canyon end, we could see over to the falls area. Yikes.  Must've been 75 hikers over there.  Talk about a crowd.  Not to worry, I say,  I think they are hiking club and have been there a while which means they will depart soon.

Looking out over 7 Falls

 Sure enough, by the time we arrived at the pools, the clubs were beginning to pack up after their lunch.

Gazing back at the trail in distance.  Resting the feet.
Some people (you know who) took off their shoes and soaked.

 We found a rock near the main pool, leaned back, and snacked on nuts and dried berries (like a bear).

Resting at the Pools

 We actually found someone to take our photo also.

Click on this iPhone Pano of the 7 Falls area to see it in its glory.

I climbed up above our lunch spot to see this falls.

one of the upper falls

 Then looked down on the pools  That is Sraddha in the red next to pool down there.

Can you see Sraddha down there?

A "broom" flower

A few little wildflowers begin to bloom along trail

Narrow trail and geology of the canyon

 As we returned down the canyon we finally realized that, if we really press, we can make it back to the shuttle which runs only once per hour.  So a forced march back was great cardio as we pressed hard.

Stopped briefly to catch this little scene along Bear creek.

Yes we did make the shuttle.  Felt real good.