San Diego...WEEK 1

San Diego Metro KOA
January 7, 2019
Chula Vista, CA





We are all settled in and looking forward to a great month in San Diego.  

Our good friends Carol, Ronnie and their cute puppy Cooper are right next door.  





It was a bit cloudy and drizzly the first of last week.

But Friday dawned with clear blue skies and temps in the mid 60s.  A perfect day to explore Sunset Cliffs Natural Area.  The tide chart showed a -8 low tide mid afternoon so off we all went.  Looking north...

 and looking south.

To say I love exploring the tide pools would be an understatement !

Hermit crabs and sea anemones were the big finds for the day.

 

Carol invited us over for dinner last week.  She served the most delicious beef stroganoff and salad.  She cooked the most yummy stroganoff we have had in their new Instant Pot.

After researching Instant Pots we decided we would become part of the Instant Pot "cult" and purchased one the next day.







Our first meal was a huge success...a pork tenderloin and sweet potatoes.  It took about 20 minutes to cook the tenderloin and 18 minutes to cook the sweet potatoes.

The sweet potatoes were scrubbed and cooked with the skin on just like I bake them which usually takes an hour or more.  Yahoo!

 


Sunday was Hillcrest Farmer's Market day.  I like the market in the Little Italy district, but Hillcrest is our favorite.  We didn't make it to San Diego last year so our "market" fix was especially awesome.  The colors were so vivid, the happy music put an extra skip in my step, and the yummy smells filled the air and made it quite difficult to decide what to choose to eat ! I didn't take a picture, but Joe and I split a fried halibut burrito.  Add the textures of the fruits and vegetables and all 5 senses had a great workout !

The month is off to a great start.  I will close with a couple of pictures from home.

 So, until next week, 

HAPPY TRAILS !

Fall in Tucson

Tucson Lazydays KOA
Tucson, AZ
Oct. - Dec. 2018

Joe and I made what we thought was going to be a quick trip to Tucson back in early October turned into a three month stay.  Joe needed to see the dermatologist for a spot he had on his left temple.  We spent weeks trying to get him in to see a dermatologist in Grand Junction, but it was just not meant to be.  


As it turned out, Joe had 5 MOHs surgeries (one requiring a skin graft) during the month of Oct.




In addition, he had 2 cataract surgeries...one mid November and the other mid December.  In-between, we found a few fun things to do.

Tucson Village Farm...Harvest Festival
TVF is a working urban farm built by and for youth in the community.  It is a program of the Pima County Cooperative Extension and the University of Arizona.  The goal is to connect and teach youth how to grow and prepare fresh food.  

A 4-H member helps a child plant wheat.

Local 4-H members were on hand to answer questions and help with the events during the festival.    

Volunteers picked corn and shucked it. Lots and lots of corn for popping !

Madera Canyon 
Translated "Lumber Gorge" the canyon is located about 25 miles south of Tucson in the Santa Rita Mountains.  We have hiked here several times over the past 6 years years.  

We chose the trail that begins just past the entrance station and followed Madera Creek to the Whitehouse Picnic Area...a little over 3 miles in and out. 

We were surprised to find water at the waterfall.

Sabino Canyon Recreation Area 
Sabino Canyon, located at the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains, offers some of our favorite hiking trails.  On our first visit this trip we hiked to the dam via Bear Canyon and Sabino Lake Trails.  

Fairy Dusters were very showy !

Sabino Creek Dam,bridges,and picnic tables all built in the 1930s.

It was lunch time for the Roadrunner !

Sabino Creek

 Our second visit this trip to Sabino was on Christmas Eve.  We meandered the Esperero and Rattlesnake Trails enjoying the gorgeous weather.    

 Wreaths Across America
Each December The Wreaths Across America program is carried out at various cemeteries at over 1500 locations across our nation to honor our deceased military veterans.   A short ceremony is followed by volunteers placing wreaths by each headstone in the cemetery.  Joe and I attended and volunteered to lay wreaths here in Tucson.  It was a moving ceremony which included all branches of our military being represented...including two WWII veterans.

We helped many other volunteers lay about 2000 wreaths.  














Catalina State Park
Catalina State Park sits at the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains. There are 8 trails in the park varying in length and difficulty.  Joe and I have enjoyed them all.  This visit we chose the Canyon Loop Trail.  The trail is pretty flat but close  to midway you reach about 90 steps.  This time we chose to  go counterclockwise so as to go down the steps rather than climb them.  The rim offers amazing views of the mountains. 

And the canyon follows a creek... 

with lots of green...

 a sleepy tree...

and a crested saguaro.

 Tucson Botanical Gardens
The Gardens is an urban oasis not to be missed when visiting Tucson.  This beautiful gem is located on the site of the historic Porter property on Alvernon Way.  We have strolled the walkways during the day several times so we decided on a night visit to see the Christmas luminaries...     

 and over 30 illuminated silk sculptures.   

 Tucson Mountain Park
The Brown Mountain Loop Trailhead can be accessed from Brown Mountain Picnic Area or from McCain Loop Road.  We lucked out and parked at McCain Loop Road.  Lucky because the climb up the mountain had lots of switchbacks and some pretty big rock steps...we'ed rather go up steps like this and not down them.  This was a new trail for us and what a beauty it was !  What we thought was a 3.5 miler turned out to be  5.5 miles (oops !). We both had very tired feet when we finished, but it was so worth it !  

 We only have a few more days in Tucson.  Next up, San Diego for the month of January.  I'm really looking forward to some ocean time and seafood !

Until then, take care and ...

P.S.

Sally 

Jack

Dover