Tucson, AZ

We spent Monday in Tucson catching up on things we already know. First off, however, we had our clocks set wrong so instead of waking up at 5:15 we actually woke up at 4:15. Didn't figure it out until Don realized the Today Show wasn't being carried on the local channel at 7 a.m. BECAUSE it was only 6 a.m. Well that started us off on a good note.

Our first visit was to the Pima Air Museum (not nearly as good as the Naval Aviation Museum and it cost real money to get in). Don had researched the museum and found that it has a P2V-7 and it is the actual plane (one of two) that he flew on in the Navy. It was transfered from the Navy to a forest fire fighting company and used to drop flame retardant for several years. The Pima Museum picked it up as there were just no P2V's remaining in the world in actual Navy condition.

We trekked quickly out to the plane and took many pics. Unlike the Naval Museum in Pensacola, this place must be a thousand outside acres with many hundreds of old planes. And I do mean old.

After we found the revered P2V, we toured the last Presidential Air Force One that had props. It was the Eisenhower/Kennedy/Johnson plane and is so small, compared to the current Air Force One, I wondered how there was room for more then about 6 people and pilots. But there was.

While I found shelter inside a building that was a memorial to a WWII air force squadron, Don walked for miles outside. Ugh. My favorite plane was the SR-71 Blackbird -- the all black, Lockheed Skunk Works stealthy plane that was able to fly at over 80 thousand feet and very, very fast!

Next we were off to the Sagurao Ntl. Park to see the cactus! Now that was something I could have gotten into, however, Don had walked so much at Pima that he didn't want to pay money to explore. Well, rats! Did see lots of great Sonora desert flora and while it's slightly early for the big desert spring color spectacular... there were many plants that were just on the verge of spectacular bloom.

After MY outside adventure, we visited the church where Don's Mother and Step-Father's ashes are interred. Between the cactus and the church, we went by Don's Mother's house when they lived in Tucson in the 60s - 70s. They had 10 acres way outside of town in rattle snake country. It's now a place that teenage girls go to when they have eating disorders (obesity/bulimia). It's still a beautiful area but it sure doesn't sit out in the middle of no where any more.

Since we ate (actually gobbled everything in sight) last night at the best and oldest southwest restaurant in Tucson (El Charro), we skipped a big dinner out. Would you believe carry in Chinese? Yep.

On the road tomorrow to Desert Hot Springs, CA, another back-in RV resort spot to challenge the Captain.

The space at this one in Tucson is so narrow we may be taking the light post with us tomorrow morning. I see it as entertainment for all the early risers.

More to follow.... and, so it goes -- On The Road!