Saturday, March 26, 2016

Wrapping up in Tucson

Tucson/Lazydays KOA
March 27, 2016
Tucson, AZ

It's time to wrap up our stay here in Tucson and head north on Monday the 28th.  First stop will be Camp Verde, about 25 miles south of Sedona.  But before we go, there are a few things to wrap up.


 Joe worked hard to complete a DIY project for me.  In November of 2014,  we replaced our floor with linoleum tile.  After receiving great news from the oncologist at that time, we did not finish the base bolding in favor of having some fun. I am very proud to say that now we have floor trim to finish the project.
and after


Before...









We also had Jeff Fisher, (Fisher's RV Maintenance and Repair), install a Magnum Auto Gen Start.  We did not mind a couple of homeless hours to get this done for the safety of our puppies.  We just set the temp and enable the AGS before we head out and if the electricity goes off, the generator starts to keep them cool.  We have relied on Jeff for 4 years now to take care of all our motor home service and repair needs.  
 
We did not want to leave Tucson with taxes hanging over our heads so last Sunday, we bit the bullet and got it done.  What a relief and a biggie to check off the list !

And with it being Easter week-end, we couldn't leave this little, big city without a hunt. So today we took a ride out to Baja Loop Drive to hunt...for saguaro blooms and other pretty things.  We did not hit the mother load, but we did find a few things to ooh and aah over.  Baja Loop Drive is a sandy road with some washboarding.  You can do it in a family car, but anything over 10 mph will not be comfortable.   We enjoy the ride and were in no hurry so 10 mph was perfect for us.    



Baja Loop Drive is well marked.  Just make a right turn off Kinney Rd after you pass the Red Hills Visitor Center in Saguaro NP West.

   
Pam, we did spot a crested just past the VC on Kinney Rd. Have you seen this one?




The cholla offered the most variety in color.  







 And the hedgehog cactus were very showy too. 





The ocotillo were ablaze with rich vibrant color and there were so many blooming.  We sat and watched as this Gila Woodpecker went from flower to flower.   






 The lower saguaro arms didn't have and flowers, just buds that look like they are ready to explode.


But way up at the top of the tallest saguaros (very hard to find and photograph), we did see a few flowers. 









 The flowers are always white and emit a strong smell described as overripe fruit.  Very important because the bloom last less than 24 hours.  They open at night and remain open through the following day.  These beauties are pollinated by bats at night and bees and birds during the day.
 Today we had the drive all to ourselves and time to take in the incredible beauty that surrounded us.  

 We bid farewell to the Tucson Mountain Park today, but we will be back.




 Remember to drink lots of water,
...live in the moment, and 
 ... always have fun !


Until next time, Happy Easter...and




happy trails !

12 comments:

  1. You stayed just long enough in Tucson for the cacti to bloom, even the saguaro!! How beautiful! So glad a few saguaro blooms opened for you:)

    Yes, I did see that crested saguaro:) As a matter of fact, we asked at the VC if there were any near by when we arrived in Tucson. They sent us out to that one. Love the blooming ocotillo in front of it:)

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  2. All the blooming cacti this year is wonderful, we managed to see a few before we left the area.

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  3. Happy Easter. Love to see the saguaro in bloom.

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  4. Happy Easter. Great easter bloom hunt for the bloom'n cactus. They have such brilliant blooms. Borrego peaked last week. Safe Travels!

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  5. It's too bad the saguaro wait until it gets quite warm to open!!!! Those masses of blooms must be stunning!

    We too leave on Monday...heading back to San Diego for another 6 weeks. Looking forward to your Camp Verde posts!

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  6. Love the cactus in bloom. Once we get all of our "musts" taken care of, we're going to be off looking for those blooms.

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  7. It certainly is colorful in the desert this spring. No saguaros here, but everything else is blooming away.

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  8. Wonderful to see the blooms - the chollas are so pretty for such a nasty cactus :-) Ocotillos are always a favorite, but the saquaro blooms are a real catch! We'll be in the Flagstaff/Williams area for a couple weeks if you're continuing this way - maybe we can grab lunch or a brew?

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  9. Gorgeous photos Gay. Safe and fun travels to Camp Verde! Congrats on your new molding, looks great!

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  10. Enjoyed the cactus blooms & photos of the "Tan Crew". Safe travels to Sedona.

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  11. Now that was a great send off from all the blooming cacti. And you are right, the cholla flowers gave me a big wow, for I have not seen a cholla blooms before nor the saguaro.

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  12. Lovely photos of the cactus blooms (and ocotillo, too)! We were just commenting on Friday at the Desert Museum how early is seems for cholla to be blooming.

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