Devil's Bridge! One of my favorite Sedona hikes has sadly been discovered by the tourist hordes. It used to be hard to find (remember, Diana?!), but now it's just a matter of following the crowd. Note the polite Disney-esque line forming on the right for photos. Fortunately, none of that takes away from the amazing … Continue reading 3-19-19 →

Today I took Nancy on the Broken Arrow trail. As always, hiking in Sedona is a singular sensory experience. Sight is a symphony of blue-red-green contrasts and long views from peaks to canyons. Sound is an absence of moving water and rustling leaves or magnified echoes against the rocks. Tactile moments range from the gritty … Continue reading 3-18-19 →

Today my Bozeman neighbor Nancy flew in for a brief visit. It's a long haul down to Sky Harbor in Phoenix, but worth the return views on Route 179! We celebrated our friendship with dinner at the Javelina Cantina, my favorite Mexican place with great sunset views (and great margaritas!). Speaking of sunset, we saw … Continue reading 3-17-19 →

Thanks to my friend Jean for again sharing timeshare time! I'm spending two weeks at Sedona Pines Resort, a charming modular village west of town. The peaceful setting on the edge of the Coconino National Forest is enhanced by tall pines and perfectly manicured landscaping. My cozy "cottage" has just enough of everything I need … Continue reading 3-16-19 →

Sedona has changed dramatically since I first saw it in 1998 and continues to change. Whole Foods has come to town (really, it was only a matter of time). The alien-themed Red Planet Diner is now a Mexican cafe (the neighbors are probably happy). The Saltrock Kitchen no longer serves tableside guacamole. What never changes? … Continue reading 3-15-19 →

It's time to wrap up my month in Peoria and say goodbye to Ken and Susan's snug and colorful house. Goodbye to the hot tub I never used (I spent an hour lounging poolside my last morning just to say I was there). Goodbye to Sunrise Mountain and Foothills libraries and the multiple Paneras that … Continue reading 3-14-19 →

I've learned a lot about desert plants. While my preference may still be towering trees and lush undergrowth, I love this landscape for its resilience, its patience, its creative ways of gathering water and sunlight. A garden of cactus (cacti, cactuses...). I'll be leaving saguaro country soon for higher altitudes and will miss their personalities. … Continue reading 3-13-19 →

I need two entries to describe my visit to the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix. I started late in the day with an hour in the butterfly house, then meandered the paths and gardens through sunset. When darkness fell, the Electric Desert lit up the gardens with light and sound shows in six locations. Which … Continue reading 3-12-19 →

This week I finally followed my Peoria host's recommendation to hike up the hill at  Thunderbird Conservation Park. It was well worth the view! I continue to be surprised by the mountainous landscape around Phoenix (treeless though it may be). These views take in Peoria and Glendale. Not sure what's going on in Little Venice … Continue reading 3-11-19 →

After a week of barnstorming Tucson and the surrounding area, I'm back "home" in Peoria for a solid week. Short trips only, I promise - like Sunday lunch at the Cheesecake Factory (yay!) with Glenn and Lee Allinger. In the 80s and 90s, Glenn was one of my favorite MSU instructors, mentors, and champions. Add … Continue reading 3-10-19 →

When I think about Arizona, boat rides do not usually come to mind. Even so, that's what we did today! I delighted in the wind and water on a 90-minute tour of Canyon Lake, one of a chain of reservoirs in the Superstition Mountains. The geologic highlight: a wall along the shore pockmarked with the … Continue reading 3-9-19 →

I'm headed back to Phoenix and, as always, taking the long way! Today that meant driving up remote Highway 79 to visit Jay and Mary Anne, longtime Sheridan College friends who now split their time between Wyoming and this lovely half-acre. Our tour of Apache Junction included the Superstition Mountain Museum and Goldfield ghost town, … Continue reading 3-8-19 →

I remained one more day at Tucson Mountain Park - a windy, warm day mostly spent working inside Tina's RV. We did solve a mystery this morning: why does everyone in our campground loop leave their hoods up overnight? Answer: pack rats are attracted to the warmth and dark. Lovely. We drove to the nearby … Continue reading 3-7-19 →

While in Tucson, I've been on a mission to see missions! The stunning San Xavier - aka the "White Dove of the Desert" - was set against a perfect sky and crowded today with people observing Ash Wednesday. Further south, the Tumacacori National Historical Park preserves the ruins of Arizona's first missions. And between the … Continue reading 3-6-19 →

After two nights in Tombstone we returned to Tucson's Casino del Sol. More accurately, the casino parking lot where hundreds (yes, hundreds!) of RVs have taken up long-term residence. (Tina's son Nick and  his wife live full-time in the vintage Airstream.) There's an RV Singles group that meets each morning for "hugs and mugs" (yikes). … Continue reading 3-5-19 →

Another night in Tombstone, then the Joanna Brady adventures continued! The intrepid lady sheriff solves crimes all across the vast Cochise County, including the remote Chiricahua National Monument. It's a steep climb into the mountains to access this forest of rocks - we hiked between rocks, ducked under rocks, clambered onto rocks, and gazed across … Continue reading 3-4-19 →

Tina and I spent two nights in Tombstone - and today in Bisbee! I love this town for so many reasons. It reminds me of Butte, with a rich copper mining history and a boom-and-bust vibe (along with the usual abandoned pit mine). It reminds me of P-burg, with a Main Street renaissance and lots … Continue reading 3-3-19 →

Today I met up with Tina, my fellow vagabond last seen in Las Cruces. We enjoyed a long afternoon at the Sonoran Desert Museum, playing "Where's Waldo?" with a desert wolf and an ocelot and walking through gardens that highlight the incredible diversity of desert flora. To top it off, we attended the Tucson Symphony's … Continue reading 3-2-19 →

I spent my first day in Tucson with friend Lynn (whom I've stalked from Montana to Rhode Island to Florida and now Arizona). Her backyard boasts a pretty incredible view (and VERY fresh produce). We did a loop around Saguaro National Park, where cactus of all types carpet the hills. It's easy to assign them … Continue reading 3-1-19 →

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is not easy to reach, bordered by wilderness, Indian lands, and Mexico. It's not terribly hospitable either, with posted warnings about  dehydration, sunburn, snakes, and even smugglers. But it has a magic all its own along with a surprising variety of plant life - most notably, the organ pipe cactus … Continue reading 2-28-19 →