Down Time in Tucson, Az

25th  Feb Desert Trails RV Park.

We checked out “Coffee & Donuts” first thing Monday morning to discover this camp site had lots going on - and the Donuts had all gone!  The camp site is almost full - 95% occupancy with many from Canada avoiding their cold winter.  With the range of activities in the RV Park, and so many things to see around the area of Tucson, we decide to have some down-time from travelling and to stay here for a month.

Saguaro National Park

Our first afternoon we spent at the Saguaro National Park; our initial reason for coming here.  The Sonora Desert is just one big cacti garden, and everywhere hundreds of the enormous Saguaro cacti stand like trees.  They are the largest cacti in the USA and can grow up to 50ft.  The seeds start life under another plant and can live as long as 200 years as the nurse plant dies from old age.  All Saguaro are protected and I was really surprised at how many there are; not just in the park but all around.  Many of them have perfectly round holes made by Gila Woodpeckers.  The birds make a new nest each year but the old nest is then often used by others birds such as Elf Owls.

 

 

 

 

 

 

They had snow here a week ago and there is greenness to the dessert.  The Ocotillo, which looked like sticks-with-nasty-spikes in Texas, have gown leaves within just a few days of the moisture. 

 

 26th Feb  OK Corral Shoot-out

This close to Tombstone …. well it has to be done doesn’t it .... so we watch a shoot-out re-enactment at the OK Corral.  The town of Tombstone initially grew up due to the mining activity in the local area, but it now exists purely for the Tourists.  They have kept the centre fairly close to the 1800s original town with wooden boardwalks and the old signs on the buildings.  People walk around in period costume and the atmosphere is friendly. 

 

We even paid a visit to Boot Hill Cemetery on the way out of town.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

27th Feb Old Tucson Film Studios

After having had lunch with another couple from the camp site, Tami and Duane, we left them we and drove over to the Old Tucson Film Studio Museum.  It is set up like an old 1800s town and has many Film sets which were used in a variety of old Westerns such as Bonanza and High Chaparral to name but a few.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 28th Feb Sabino Canyon

We joined the Camp Hiking Group and walked a trail up into Sabino Canyon, on the north east side of Tucson.  It was a sunny day and a very scenic walk of around 10 miles.  There were yellow poppies flowering and the Ocotillo were coming into bud.  It seemed strange to be walking in a desert with snow melt gushing down the river at the base of the canyon.

 

1st Mar

We needed a rest day.  There are numerous activities within the camp site.  We have been out every evening at the various entertainments; creative writing stories, musical bands, games nights etc.  We played pool, sat in on the photography group, and best of all – used the hot tub every night! 

Spring is in the air and all the birds are going around in pairs.  This included the Great Horned Owls who have made a nest in the palm trees nearby.  We listened to them hooting every evening and through the night.

2nd Mar Sonora Desert Museum

Tucson is surrounded by Mountains.  To the north are the Santa Catalina Mts, to the east the Ricon Mts and on the west side are the Tucson Mts and Park; and our camp site which is on the southern edge of the park.  The Desert Museum was more of a wildlife park for native creatures in their natural habitat.  There was a flying demonstration of Raptors including Red-shouldered Hawks, Horned Owls and Grey Desert Hawks. 

 

 

 

We spent nearly 5hrs wandering around.  The most delightful experience was sitting in the Humming Bird Aviary with the tiny birds whizzing all around us – they were making tiny nests using spider’s cobweb which allows the nest to expand as the chicks grow.

 

3rd Mar  Down-Town Tucson

We drove into Down-Town Tucson for the Ford Mustang Car Show and saw some lovely (and expensive) Mustang cars.  Leaving the town we then drove up over the Tucson Mountains stopping to admire the views.  Clouds had developed over the afternoon and there was a lovely sunset that evening.