January 14 to February 25, 2017

No, I did not crash and end up in a ditch near Tumacacori although that was one of my stops this past week.  I’m learning that a blog takes time and effort – two things I like to fill with other mindless stuff.  Not sure if I was going to like this new lifestyle of mine but so far I’m LOVING IT!  So enough of an intro, on to my travels these past 2 months….

My buddy Brad Hendrix suggested that I check out Catalina State Park near Tucson. I booked a site there for the max 2 weeks, little did I know it came with Roadrunners and coyotes cavorting off my deck.  When not working, time was spent hiking, biking, eating amazing Mex food at El Charro and attending two dinners at the annual Dude Ranchers Association meeting at the Tanque Verde Ranch. Got to see some old rancher & media friends; Russell True, Gene Kilgore, Nancy Schretter…. but most faces were new. When the temps hit freezing one night I was glad that I was headed south to Mexico again!

Picked up my dear friend Marion at Sky Harbor and we hightailed it south across the boarder once again to the Reef RV Park in Puerto Penasco. Our mission was simple, bask in the sun, play bocci, eat fresh caught seafood, drink beer and go on a treasure hunt. You may remember our first trip there and that mason jar of contraband we buried in the Sonoran desert? Good news is that our memories are still razor sharp and we dug it up at the first try. Needless to say the rest of the week was a blur…. But did we have some fun! Dolphins and a sea lion visited our beach. Osprey dove for fish in the tide pool right in front of the back deck. Vendors enticed us with tamales, burritos, Cuban cigars, a cowboy sombrero and a cute handmade cocktail table I just had to have. Took a backcountry road tour of El Pinacate Biosphere Reserve where NASA trained for the Apollo missions. Love this place!  Be back the entire month of February 2018 (booked) so come and visit!

Got back to Arizona and a forgettable RV park just in time to watch the Stupid Bowl. Boo Patriots, Brady and Belicheat! Bid farewell to Marion and headed southeast, past Tucson to the small eclectic hippie artist town of Tubac, AZ.  Established in 1752 it’s the oldest European settlement in Arizona.  Great history, shops, bars, restaurants (all the baby back ribs you can eat on Thurs at Tubac Jacks), and a great RV Park – the Flying W Ranch.  Visited the tumbledown mission of Tumacacori and took a self-guided tour.  Very cool.

On the road, traveling like I do, you are always open for surprises. One evening I saw a new trailer pull into the Flying W and park a 100 ft from me.  Thought nothing of it.  The next day I was heading into town and waived at the cute blonde gal hanging by the door.  Wanting a better peak I walked closed and said “Howdy!” I was not expecting her response…. “Wiggins?”  My God! It was Susie Hendrix, an old acquaintance from Boulder. Then out walked Brad, her hubby and damn, I knew I was in for some good social time and three nights of serious drinking.  You see Brad was the one who told me of this place. This was their 3rd visit.  Small world.  Getting with them for laughs reminded me how solitary a life I lead and how good it is to see friends.  I’m off to Phoenix and the airport this weekend. Flying to Denver to see a bevy of doctors for wellness check-ups, my tax guy and most of my old buddies again! Be good to recharge my social life!!!  Next post…. on my return to AZ trip and Lake Havasu. Then on the Joshua Tree, Death Valley and the parks of Utah!!  Back to Boulder for the month of June. Travel on!!