Alaska Kiwi: November 2013

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

Catalina State Park Tucson AZ

October 29^th to November 1^st Catalina State Park Tucson AZ

We hike Canyon Trail a 2 .2 mile hike on a good relatively flat trail. In the afternoon we went to the local library to get internet access.

We visited the Tohono Chul botanical gardens. What a wonderful experience we had there. When deciding where in the gardens we should go I asked a lady what were the must sees in the garden. She is a regular visitor to the gardens and took us on a tour. Karen spend a couple of hours talking with us and showing us the plants and the gallery. She also gave us the Gardens calendar for 2014 and the cover of the calendar was a photo she had taken of a flower named Queen of the Night, the plant blossoms only one night a year. This a garden that we will revisit.

Tohono Chu