Up Mount Lemmon: From 85 Degrees to 40 Degrees

Northeast of Tucson in the Santa Catalina Mountains, up a very winding road for some 30 miles is the summit of Mount Lemmon, 9,157 feet above sea level. We had heard it was a pretty drive, so we decided to see for ourselves.

We went from 85 degrees in Tucson on the desert floor, to 40 degrees at 9,000 feet. As we started the drive, at about 2,500 feet among the mountain Saguaro cactus, we had a nice view of the City of Tucson spread out in the valley below.

 

When we got above 3,000 feet, the Saguaro cactus landscape gradually gave way a mostly barren desert mountain landscape as we drove up the winding mountain road.

We saw a lot of barren rock areas . . .

. . . and then many interesting rock formations along the way . . .

 

Including numerous hoodoos (tall spires of rock) . . .

Gradually, as we passed 5,000 feet, the landscape transformed into a mountain scape of tall Pines . . .

 

And then when we reached about 9,000 feet, we ran into snow and one of the ski lifts. We didn't see anyone skiing, but the lodge was open and the lift was running. However, the temperature had dropped to 40 degrees.

 

Not far from the ski slopes, is a small mountain ski community called Summerhaven, with extravagant, but very nice looking homes built on the mountainside.

Some were crammed in very close together even though there was a whole mountain next door . . .

Some were built right on top of the road with no place for a garage and no where to park . . .

 

Some of the homes looked like they were barely hanging on to the mountainside, but I guess the owners wanted to be on top . . .  Must be a nice view from up there.

Mount Lemmon is a beautiful location with lots of nature and nice scenery, but I can't imagine living up there and commuting to Tucson everyday down a winding mountain road for 30 miles. But then, from the way the homes look, maybe the people who build up there don't have to work.

Must be nice . . . but it's cold up here. I'm going back down where it's 85 degrees!

Hail in the Desert

Wow! This morning we awoke to a racket on the roof of "The Bus". We looked out the window to see our "front yard" covered with hail.

Who would have expected precipitation in Tucson, Arizona, here in the Sonora Desert? Especially hail! But here is our neighbor's car being pelted by hail.

One of our lawn chairs on the patio collected a few hail stones too . . .

The hail stones were not large, but were certainly unexpected here in the desert.

Daytime temperatures have been in the 80's, but last night a cold front blew through from the northwest and brought some rain, sleet, and hail to the desert. We should be able to "tough it out" though as the 80 degree temperatures are expected to return in a day or two.

Corned Beef and Cabbage

St. Patrick's Day is another excuse for a dinner and a party. Many of the residents here in the RV Park got together in the Clubhouse for a traditional St. Patrick's Day dinner of corned beef and cabbage along with all of the trimmings.

It was a good home cooked meal and everyone certainly got enough to eat. And we enjoyed all of the conversation with our neighbors dressed in green.



St. Patrick's Day Parade in the Park

Here in the RV Park in Tucson, Arizona, the residents enjoy themselves every day. I guess that goes with retirement and St. Patrick's Day was another opportunity for them to have fun.

The residents had a parade through the streets in the park . . .

. . . golf carts, bicycles, tricycles, scooters, and walkers; plus some residents walking the route. Many carried noise makers including pots and pans with wooden spoons. What a racket!

Most were dressed in St. Patrick's garb, or at least something green. Carole and I sat it out. After all, every parade has to have spectators. Our neighbor, Karl Kellner, took our dog, Millie, in the parade. Below is a picture of Karl dressed for the parade leading Millie.

Everyone enjoyed themselves. Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Pima Air & Space Museum

The Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona, has over 300 airplanes on display, from a full-size replica of the Wright Brothers first airplane . . .

to an F15 Eagle.

From the smallest . . .

to the largest, a Super Guppy.

On display are many historical military planes, like the F51 Mustang . . .

the B25 Mitchell Bomber (like General Doolittle's group flew from an aircraft carrier in the Pacific in 1942 to bomb Tokyo) . . .

the B17 Flying Fortress (famous for bombing missions over Germany)  . . .

the B29 Superfortress . . .

and World War II planes from other countries including a British Hawker Hurricane . . .

and a Japanese Nakajima Ki-43 "Oscar". 

The display also included aircraft from the Cold War, like the B52 Stratofortress . . .

A Russian MIG . . .

Lots of trainers, fighters, interceptors, and bombers . . .

many helicopters . . .

and an SR71 Blackbird, a long-range Mach 3 reconnaissance aircraft, which could outrun a ground-to-air missile shot at it . . .  and what a beautiful airplane this is!

We spent five or six hours walking around the many planes and exhibits at the Pima Air & Space Museum and could easily have spent much more time there. It is a great collection of aircraft, both military and civilian. We saw so much more than the few I've shown here. I plan to return and I strongly recommend this museum to anyone interested in aircraft, flying, or history whenever you are in the Tucson area.

Greg's Visit

My son, Greg, was able to visit us in Tucson, Arizona, on Friday and Saturday. It was nice to see him as he had not been home since last June. He lives in Guam and only gets to the Mainland occasionally, this time he had a couple of free days between business meetings.

We tried to make the most of his short time here, so after I picked him up at the airport Friday morning, we went straight to the Pima Air & Space Museum.

Greg is shown here in front of an F51 Mustang which had been flown by an Ace from Kansas City who had flown combat missions during World War II in Europe, Africa, and the South Pacific.

After the Air Museum, we toured the Arizona University campus, then stopped at the Wildcat House near the campus for some wings and a beer. Then we picked up Carole and drove to Chad's Steakhouse, where we all enjoyed a wonderful steak.

Saturday morning, we went out for breakfast, then drove through the Saguaro National Park so Greg could get up close with the Saguaro. Those cacti are mush larger and taller than they appear in most pictures. So Greg stood beside one to get a good perspective. That cactus must be about 40 feet tall!

 And, of course, Greg had to check out the desert flowers . . .

After touring Saguaro National Park and some nearby desert areas, we returned to "The Bus" where we put some brats on the grill and had a beer . . . then, sadly, it was time to take Greg back to the airport.

A very short visit . . . but I cherish every one of "Greg's Visits", no matter how short.