December 9, 2006

December 9, 2006

With our golf game in a tailspin, we figured we needed to get some real exercise today; so we drove to the eastern side of the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area and found the remote trailhead of the Bear Canyon Trail. This hike starts out in the desert foothills and winds its way north up this canyon following a large rocky wash. Surprisingly there is a trickle of water running down the middle. This is the first natural water flow I have seen out here. The hike is very pretty with Saguaros growing everywhere along the canyon walls. Two hours later we arrive at an area called Seven Falls where the tiny creek cascades out of the mountain in a series of small waterfalls.

After eating a snack lunch beside the waterfalls, we retrace our steps back to the car. This almost-empty river wash is huge. It is amazing to think that in the rainy season this creek turns into a raging river. I hope I get the chance to see the difference.

December 2, 2006

December 2, 2006

We spent the day with the Tucson Illini Club watching a doubleheader of basketball in Phoenix. Illinois played Arizona in a revenge match of their meeting in the 2005 NCAA tournament. On the bus ride up we watched a video replay of that Elite Eight game, where the Illini came back from a 15-point deficit with less than four minutes to go. That has to be the most exciting four minutes ever of college basketball.

With Arizona ranked 15th this year, I was expecting a trouncing. I can tell you I was pretty pleased when I found Illinois up by 16 early in the first half. Unfortunately with two starters on the bench with injuries, it didn’t last and eventually Arizona wore us down. My voice is pretty hoarse from cheering on the Illini.

December 1, 2006

December 1, 2006

Our apartment complex finally caught up to us and wanted to know when we were moving the RV out of the parking lot. We had it parked out of the way next to the maintenance shed and I was hoping we would be able to keep it close at hand. We finished emptying it, winterized the water system with antifreeze and drove it to an RV storage area Aimee found in the desert south of Tucson.

Since embarking on our southwestern chapter, we have logged another 1600 miles. The mileage though was a pretty poor 9.25 mpg, probably because of the fierce prairie winds we ran into along the way. Our grand total is now over 10,000 miles.

In the afternoon we get the bikes out and ride the one-mile to Sabino Canyon which heads up into the Catalina Mountains. It is a beautiful area and we are there to take some Christmas pictures of the desert scenery.