This is the view from the stone hut. The clouds make the light so interesting.
After hiking there was lunch, and then there was laundry. A good time was had by all.
Sunday, March 2, 2014
A Glorious Day Follows the Rain
Today was a glorious day. It's always so nice after a rain. The air is clear after the dust is washed out. We hiked Hidden Trail out to the stone house and back via Bowen trail. It was good.
This is the view from the stone hut. The clouds make the light so interesting.
After hiking there was lunch, and then there was laundry. A good time was had by all.
This is the view from the stone hut. The clouds make the light so interesting.
After hiking there was lunch, and then there was laundry. A good time was had by all.
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Rain in the Old Pueblo
The run of perfect weather ended today. The giant storm that has been pounding California arrived in Tucson about noon. It was late, it was supposed to start raining in the wee hours. We managed to get a walk in this morning carrying hand weights, but that was pretty much the extent of moving around for us. It's been really windy and heavy rain has come in waves.
See the streaky clouds we had last night? There were high winds aloft. It was a pretty sunset, not really colorful, but pretty.
It's been a low key day, waiting for this infernal weather system to pass on through. Right now we're watching Cowboys and Aliens. It's not a terrible movie.
Update to post. This is what we saw later. It's a double.
Later I found this on the internet on the Damion Alexander Team's facebook page. Pretty cool!
See the streaky clouds we had last night? There were high winds aloft. It was a pretty sunset, not really colorful, but pretty.
It's been a low key day, waiting for this infernal weather system to pass on through. Right now we're watching Cowboys and Aliens. It's not a terrible movie.
Update to post. This is what we saw later. It's a double.
.
Later I found this on the internet on the Damion Alexander Team's facebook page. Pretty cool!
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Ride to Arivaca
Today was the ride from Amado to Arivaca. I have a love-hate relationship with this ride. It's 22 miles out, and the route climbs via many short steep hills. Short steep hills are not good for me. I like longer consistent grades. Plus the route just pisses me off because now that I am old and decrepit, I can no longer stand up and muscle my way up the hills. No, the elderly must sit down and use their granny gear, or risk blowing up half way there. So, on the one hand it's a good work out in a beautiful part of the state, but on the other hand I suffer like a slow animal.
This is the destination, Sweet Peas restaurant. We had 18 for lunch, and service was swift and very pleasant. The food is pretty good.
This is what it looks like out there. Just down the road from Arivaca is the Buenos Aires Wildlife Refuge. It's enormous. One of these days I want to drive down (in a car) and look at it. Paul and Nina of Wheelingit recently stayed there and it looks well worth a visit.
Coming back we mostly had a tail wind. It took two hours to go to the restaurant and one hour to get back to the truck. Downhill with a tail wind is a beautiful thing.
It appears that someone bought the Longhorn Grill. Last time we were out there it had a for sale sign on it. It's good to see it open again. Something with architecture this unique should not be allowed to go under.
So that was today. The jury is still out on doing this ride again. I'll have to consult this post next year when the email goes out for the ride and think about it some.
This is the destination, Sweet Peas restaurant. We had 18 for lunch, and service was swift and very pleasant. The food is pretty good.
This is what it looks like out there. Just down the road from Arivaca is the Buenos Aires Wildlife Refuge. It's enormous. One of these days I want to drive down (in a car) and look at it. Paul and Nina of Wheelingit recently stayed there and it looks well worth a visit.
Coming back we mostly had a tail wind. It took two hours to go to the restaurant and one hour to get back to the truck. Downhill with a tail wind is a beautiful thing.
It appears that someone bought the Longhorn Grill. Last time we were out there it had a for sale sign on it. It's good to see it open again. Something with architecture this unique should not be allowed to go under.
So that was today. The jury is still out on doing this ride again. I'll have to consult this post next year when the email goes out for the ride and think about it some.
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Spring in the Old Pueblo
The Big Weather Baby (me) did the breakfast ride today. At 0900 hours it was chilly and there was whining. The cloud cover was interesting. I'd call that a popcorn sky.
Later, we rode the Rillito trail to the Santa Cruz trail and then home. Along the way there was a tree in bloom.
And this will attest to the fact that we're entering the season of love - bird love. We have a ladder hanging on the back of the RV. This dove is sitting on two pieces of dead grass, pretending it's a nest. We keep shooing it away. There are hundreds of palm trees in this park, suitable for nesting, and the dove wants to build on a ladder tread exposed to the southern sun and heat. Doves are not smart.
This is what we saw today. It was nice having some cloud cover, it's not so steeenking hot!
Later, we rode the Rillito trail to the Santa Cruz trail and then home. Along the way there was a tree in bloom.
And this will attest to the fact that we're entering the season of love - bird love. We have a ladder hanging on the back of the RV. This dove is sitting on two pieces of dead grass, pretending it's a nest. We keep shooing it away. There are hundreds of palm trees in this park, suitable for nesting, and the dove wants to build on a ladder tread exposed to the southern sun and heat. Doves are not smart.
This is what we saw today. It was nice having some cloud cover, it's not so steeenking hot!
Saturday, February 22, 2014
On Walk-about in Tucson
Have I mentioned that we're going to Prague in June? That's the plan. This is a trip we'd planned to take in 2006, but Jim had to go and break his pelvis about two weeks before we were due to travel. I keep thinking about that as we're spending all of this time riding to get in shape for the trip, that we're increasing our odds of another bike accident. But those are negative thoughts, and I will try not to put them out into the universe.
Neither of us slept well last night, and we just didn't feel like riding. We need to get ourselves back in city walking shape, so we parked up at the university and walked.
Here is the new bus barn for the modern street car, or as it is also called, Sunlink. It's a 3.9 mile loop, costing $196M.
This is a grocery store, laundry, and bar down off of 4th avenue. I like the old signs. The one far left is "The Buffet", a bar and package store. Everything you need, nothing you don't.
A courtyard of the Don Martin Apartments. They were designed by Josias Joesler, an architect who was active in the Tucson area in the 1920s. If I ever win the Powerball, I'll be buying one of his homes. Click through to that link and you can see some of his work, beautiful just beautiful. The apartments have been restored, and are now student housing. Personally, I think they're wasted on students, but that's just me.
We walked by the back of Tucson High School and saw these ceramics attached to a wall.
When I was at the U, this hotel went up. At the time you would have thought the world was coming to an end architecturally because it was so tall and towered over everything. There was much controversy over it and the adjoining parking structure.
However, it looks like we've gotten past that. The U is now putting up these mega dorms that tower over everything, blocking the view of the mountains and everything else. They're really hideous.
This a view from Speedway which better conveys how they loom over Tucson, which is not a city of tall buildings.
It was a good walk, and it reinforced the fact that as well as riding, we need to be walking. My walking muscles need a little tune-up.
Neither of us slept well last night, and we just didn't feel like riding. We need to get ourselves back in city walking shape, so we parked up at the university and walked.
Here is the new bus barn for the modern street car, or as it is also called, Sunlink. It's a 3.9 mile loop, costing $196M.
This is a grocery store, laundry, and bar down off of 4th avenue. I like the old signs. The one far left is "The Buffet", a bar and package store. Everything you need, nothing you don't.
A courtyard of the Don Martin Apartments. They were designed by Josias Joesler, an architect who was active in the Tucson area in the 1920s. If I ever win the Powerball, I'll be buying one of his homes. Click through to that link and you can see some of his work, beautiful just beautiful. The apartments have been restored, and are now student housing. Personally, I think they're wasted on students, but that's just me.
We walked by the back of Tucson High School and saw these ceramics attached to a wall.
When I was at the U, this hotel went up. At the time you would have thought the world was coming to an end architecturally because it was so tall and towered over everything. There was much controversy over it and the adjoining parking structure.
However, it looks like we've gotten past that. The U is now putting up these mega dorms that tower over everything, blocking the view of the mountains and everything else. They're really hideous.
This a view from Speedway which better conveys how they loom over Tucson, which is not a city of tall buildings.
It was a good walk, and it reinforced the fact that as well as riding, we need to be walking. My walking muscles need a little tune-up.
Friday, February 21, 2014
Weekly Wrap Up and Lunch
It's been forever since I've posted! It's been a week. For almost a month I've had a headache. It's entirely right sided. My theory was ears, it's always the ears. So I actually went to a doctor to get the ear looked at, and no it's not the ear. The Dr's theory was temporal arteritis. Short version is that it's an inflammation of an artery in the head. My symptoms are very similar. The worst part is the treatment, TWO YEARS of prednisone. Bad, so very bad. However, it's not that. We don't know what it is, but it's not that. I'm getting my head and neck MRI'ed on Monday, so perhaps then all will be revealed. So that was the front end of the week.
The weather continues to be perfect, except for the drought. The Bougainvilleas are very lovely in the park.
And here is a crested cactus in the park. I don't know what this is, but look how nicely it's cresting at the base.
There has been riding. This was taken out on Kinney on the way to McCain Loop. We've about decided to stay off of Kinney until the end of February. This is the big tourist month, and traffic in the Tucson Mountain Park was really heavy. There are no shoulders, so mass quantities of cars and motorhomes are unnerving.
Today was a lunch ride to the Barrio Brewing Company. It's a pleasant ride from the RV park. It goes through some old neighborhoods that have been lovingly maintained. I really like the pink against the blue of the house.
Here is the brewery. It's an old building, it's pretty cool.
This is my beloved, wearing his doo-rag from Italy. We enjoyed lunch. The food was good. We didn't try the beer, so I can not report on that.
In other news, the Federal Government has told California farmers they're on their own with the drought. No water from federal reserves will be made available for irrigation. The central valley produces half of the produce eaten in America. During the winter we can import produce, but not during the summer. What are people supposed to eat? What better use of federal water is there than to grow crops? WTH?
In local news, the Arizona legislature has passed a bill saying that businesses can refuse service to anyone in violation of anti-discrimination laws, as long as it's for "religious reasons." What's next? A return to segregated lunch counters? Ostensibly, it's to allow restaurants to not serve gay people, but the language is vague enough that it can be extended to just about anybody. The governor has not decided if she'll sign it, and if she does, it'll be challenged in court. Given the problems this state has with the economy, the wretched condition of the roads, the terrible state of education; is this what the bozos in Phoenix think is important?
So, tonight I'm in high dudgeon with my headache and the sorry state of our politicians and the weather on the east coast. I feel so bad for those poor people who are now flooding, and will soon be freezing again.
The weather continues to be perfect, except for the drought. The Bougainvilleas are very lovely in the park.
And here is a crested cactus in the park. I don't know what this is, but look how nicely it's cresting at the base.
There has been riding. This was taken out on Kinney on the way to McCain Loop. We've about decided to stay off of Kinney until the end of February. This is the big tourist month, and traffic in the Tucson Mountain Park was really heavy. There are no shoulders, so mass quantities of cars and motorhomes are unnerving.
Today was a lunch ride to the Barrio Brewing Company. It's a pleasant ride from the RV park. It goes through some old neighborhoods that have been lovingly maintained. I really like the pink against the blue of the house.
Here is the brewery. It's an old building, it's pretty cool.
This is my beloved, wearing his doo-rag from Italy. We enjoyed lunch. The food was good. We didn't try the beer, so I can not report on that.
In other news, the Federal Government has told California farmers they're on their own with the drought. No water from federal reserves will be made available for irrigation. The central valley produces half of the produce eaten in America. During the winter we can import produce, but not during the summer. What are people supposed to eat? What better use of federal water is there than to grow crops? WTH?
In local news, the Arizona legislature has passed a bill saying that businesses can refuse service to anyone in violation of anti-discrimination laws, as long as it's for "religious reasons." What's next? A return to segregated lunch counters? Ostensibly, it's to allow restaurants to not serve gay people, but the language is vague enough that it can be extended to just about anybody. The governor has not decided if she'll sign it, and if she does, it'll be challenged in court. Given the problems this state has with the economy, the wretched condition of the roads, the terrible state of education; is this what the bozos in Phoenix think is important?
So, tonight I'm in high dudgeon with my headache and the sorry state of our politicians and the weather on the east coast. I feel so bad for those poor people who are now flooding, and will soon be freezing again.
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