Alaska Kiwi: 2013

Sunday, December 15, 2013

December 15th Anchorage Alaska

December 15^th Anchorage Alaska

Since I last wrote my blog we have hiked up Tumamoc Hill with our friends who live in Green Valley. Tumamoc Hill walk is about a 1000ft gain over 1.6 mile on a paved road. On the top you get a great view of Tucson.

We put our truck and trailer in storage at RCW on December 11^thand flew back to Anchorage in the late afternoon to arrive home about midnight.

In Anchorage the temperatures are about 15F. I cleared the driveways of about 8” of snow yesterday afternoon and about the same this morning and it is still snowing so more snow will be getting moved tomorrow.

We have had the wood stove going continuous since we got home, so we are enjoying a typical northern climate winter weather.

We went to a Tuba Christmas concert held in the lobby of the Performing Arts Center in downtown Anchorage yesterday afternoon. Tuba Christmas is a music concert held in cities worldwide that celebrates those who play, teach and compose music for instruments in the tuba family.

Tumamoc Hill Tucson

Christmas RCW Tuscon

Tuba Concert Anchorage

Blowing snow in my driveway Anchorage

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

December 3rd RCW Resort

December 3^rd Rincon Country RV Resort

We are still enjoying the RV Resort, there are a lot of things to do here in Tucson. We went to Arts and Craft show at one of the Museums in Tucson. We enjoyed looking at the high quality crafts that the vendors were selling. The museum had some lovely exhibits.

We had a Thanksgiving Dinner with about 300 people who are staying here in Rincon RV Resort. We have put our bikes in the back of the truck and drove about 20 minutes to Paseo Del Rio Trailhead on the Rillito River. This is another beautiful bike trail running on both sides of the river valley. We had friends that have been touring the states camp in the site next to ours, so we had lots of stories to catch up on. We have been playing Pickle Ball 3 days a week and really enjoying the game, shooting pool when we feel like it, or going to the library to pick up a book to read. We have hardly scratch the surface of the many activities offered here at Rincon, yes we are enjoying ourselves.

Arts & Grafts Fair Tucson

Enterainment Arts & Grafts Fair Tucson

Arts & Grafts Fair Tucson

Tucson Museum

Duane Bryers Studio Tucson Museum

Friday, November 22, 2013

November 21st November Rincon Country RV Resort

November 21^st November Rincon Country RV Resort

Prairie Dogs

Since I last posted we been for a bike ride along a different segment of the Santa Cruz Wash. Also visited some friends from Anchorage. The big attraction over the last few days has been an all day visit to the Sonora Desert Museum, its a sample of the birds, plants and animals of the Sonora Desert. We went to a lecture and demonstration of a Gila Monster and Grand Canyon rattle snake. We also saw a live free flight program of birds of prey.

Heron interacting with Me

Black Bear

Bighorn Sheep

Interesting Art

Nice Flowers

Mountain Lion

Boojum Tree

Grey Fox

Owl in Free Flight Program

Free Flight Program

Cat

Barn Owl

Our next day trip was to visit the Pima Air and Space Museum. This Museum has 100's of different type of Aircraft, most of them are Military Aircraft but also there are a lot of civilian planes. We went on a docent lead tour of 4 of the hangers, and then we were on our own to explore some of the rest of the museum. We really enjoyed touring the 390^th Memorial Museum. The 390^th was a bomber squadron station in England during World War 2. There is a rebuilt B17 bomber inside, a list of the mission that they participated in during the war. We also spent some time in the Space Gallery. Seeing this museum in a day you just skim the surface.

It starting raining in Tucson last night and it rain quite a bit today, and we were surprise to see the Santa Cruz River actually had water running in it. Tucson gets 15 days of rain a year.

Paul Docent at Pima

Mustang

B-17

Thursday, November 14, 2013

RCW Resort Tucson

November 15^thRincon Country West RV Resort Tucson

We have settled in at Rincon Country West RV Resort. 5 days a week we start our day off with a 30 minute Stretch and Flex class. We have been for a few swims in a very nice pool and also enjoyed a few soaks in one of the 2 spa pools. Lots of walks around the park, and have done some bike riding on the trail in the Santa Cruz Wash which is next to the park. We have just started playing Pickle Ball (I have heard described as Tennis for Old Folks). There is a nice Pool Room here with 6 tables and there is a tournament every Thursday that

I participate in

We went for a 3 mile hike with some friends from Green Valley along part of the Historical Anza trail from Tubac to Tumacacori. This trail originated in 1775 when Juan Bautista de Anza led 240 men women and children on a epic 1200 miles trek to Monterey, California.

Last night we went to The Southern Arizona Boating Club Meeting and the speaker show slides of Birch Creek an Alaskan River north of Fairbanks.

Anza Trail

Wall decoration Tumacacori MIssion

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Rincon Country West RV Resort Tucson

November 1^st Rincon Country West RV Resort Tucson

We moved to Rincon Country West RV Resort where we will be staying till December this is a big campground with lots of activities that we enjoy.

On Sunday evening the 3^rd of November a friend of ours from Anchorage took us to us to a uniquely-Tucson event, the All Souls Procession, which winds its way through downtown to honor love ones who have passed on, but whose spirits are still live strong. Inspired by Mexico's Dia de los Muertos, the event has become a Tucson tradition almost since its beginning in 1990 as a performance piece. Thousands of participants and visitors flock to the downtown area to witness costumed characters, huge puppets and other various displays of personal expression. It is a very family oriented parade and wonderful parade to witness.

All Souls Procession