Desert Trails- Dispatch 2

We decided to try something different during this visit to Tucson. Instead of moving around we’ve put down roots at the RV park for an extended stay. Being in the same place for an extended time has allowed us to do more socializing and more completely explore this section of Tucson. We were even able to have the Tincan washed and waxed during our stay.

Pat has decided to take up painting with watercolors as a way to channel her creativity and create a record of our desert stay.

It has become apparent to us during this trip that Arizonans of a certain age enjoy going out to hear live music and dance. Always on the lookout for local music venues we have found a few we enjoy.

All the bands have been different, good and playing danceable music. While it’s been fun to go out on the town it’s the desert that keeps calling us.

We’ve also continued to take our Wednesday morning 1 1/2 mile walk up Tumamoc Hill.

We’ve run into a spate of windy, cold and wet weather. This was not what we came to Arizona for. However, Pat found a spot 22 miles southeast of Tucson where it’s always dry and 70 degrees. Colossal Cave Mountain Park has an ancient karst cave that is classified as a dry cave. What this means is that the cave formations are dry and do not grow. The cave was discovered in 1876 and has had its stalactites and stalagmites, broken off and carted away. In 1933 the CCC came to the cave and built outbuildings, stairs, and laid out park roads. Today the cave is part of a Pima County park.

After a short hike we entered the cave.

During our last visit to Tucson we saw flyers announcing the arrival of the Zoppe Family Circus. Who doesn’t love a one ring circus in a tent? We had to leave Tucson and didn’t attend. This year we made it happen.

Twenty five miles south of Tucson is the Titan Missile Museum. It is the site of a former intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) silo which was operational from 1963 to 1984. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in1994. The inert missile is the only one you can still see in its original silo.

Most of the tour took place underground and culminated in the control room with a simulated missile launch.

Perhaps a rainbow is in order after contemplating the Titan missile and the mutually assured destruction, that it guaranteed.

I’m not sure why, but winter sunsets in the desert are beautiful and we never get tired of them.