Just south of Phoenix is where we start seeing the Saguaro Cactus (our favourite cactus) and we feel like we are home!!! We love Arizona and feel so comfortable here. This visit we will be here for 4 months, the longest we have stayed in one place in the 3.5 years of travelling in our motorhome. The plan is to settle in and really experience all this city has to offer!
We arrived at Rincon Country East RV Resort around the noon hour, got checked in and proceeded to our site (#183) which is a great central location. We picked out this spot last year as it is wider so we are able to keep our trailer with us. June was an instant hit on the street with the “older” gentlemen and some spectators as she maneuvered the motorhome into the street and backed the trailer into the site. After unhooking the trailer, she then pulled the motorhome out and backed it in from the other direction. We rolled the Harley’s off the trailer and with the help of Chris and Tom we pushed the trailer into the back corner of the site which provided us with some more privacy. We were home and it felt great.
Of course, we did not have time to relax as Toni and Charlie were coming to pick us up to go out for some amazing Mexican food and then to see “Mercury, the Freddie Mercury Story” which was being performed at the beautiful Fox Theatre in downtown Tucson. It is an old theatre from the early 1900s that has been restored to the grandeur of its day. An amazing venue to watch live music in today.
It was time to embrace the Tucson and Rincon lifestyle. This usually consisted of starting the day off with a good breakfast, a couple games of pickleball and then off to cycle one of the many multi-use paths or roadways that we have come to love in this city. We had a conversation on the way down, that this year we were going to try to hike more. So, we tried to get in one hike a week, usually with Greg and Trisha. Then there was our weekly golf games, Larry with the men on Mondays and June with the ladies on Tuesday. Socializing is always near the top of the list which is not hard to do here with all the planned parties, dinners and dances.
Seven Falls hike in Bear Canyon with Greg & Trisha
Did I mention it feels good to be back.
Another unofficial group we belong to is the Rincon motorcycle gang and we even got out on a couple nice rides with the guys. These were usually a few hours and revolved around the pub at Arivaca or Mexican food in Nogales.
In the middle of December Peter and Dianne arrived for their winter hiatus, which is so awesome that they love this place too!! We had a special visitor over the holidays, this year, Shelley came down to spend 10 days with us! So it was time to be tour guides!
First on the list was to show her the beauty of the desert with a drive through Saguaro East National Park. We almost killed her on her first hike, Blackett’s Ridge, but after slowing down a little and getting some energy bars into her we made it to the top. It is a tough hike and she was very proud of herself that she did it!!
June had arranged for her, Shelley, Toni and Dianne to go to a Mexican cooking class, which was a lot of fun! While the ladies did that, Larry went with Peter and Charlie into the desert for some night photography and star gazing.
We went for a motorcycle ride through Saguaro West National Park and stopped at a biker bar for tacos in Marana.
December 23rd was the first anniversary of Shelley’s husband Rob’s death, so we went for a drive up Mount Lemon into the Canadian lifezone and released some of his ashes into the wind and the pine trees. It was a very emotional and beautiful moment and we feel so honoured that Shelley included us. Xmas Eve was spent at an annual party at friends in the park, which is always a fun time.
On the 25th we had a very nice holiday dinner at the place where Peter and Dianne were staying and Toni and Charlie joined us as well. It is a Jedicke tradition to have potato salad and wieners, so that is what we did!
The next day we took Shelley on another beautiful hike up to Wasson Peak, the highest peak in the Tucson Mountains.
She wanted to have permanent memory of her visit so she ended up getting a cool Cactus tattoo!!! We met everyone again for one last Mexican meal, at Casa Molina ( which is our favourite restaurant ) As we were making plans for what to do on her last day, she discovered that she was actually supposed leave tonight!!! Lots of laughing, giggling and teasing was a good way to end a great visit!
To end 2019 we joined Peter and Dianne for the Arizona Bowl football game down at the University, between the Wyoming Cowboys and the Georgia State Panthers. Since our seats were in the Wyoming section we decided that it would be a good idea that we cheer for Wyoming!! The opening ceremonies featured sky divers and a fly by of some fighter jets, it was pretty spectacular. The game was fun and even better, our team won! New Years’ Eve we spent at a dance/party at the rec center in the park which is always a good time!
We started 2020 off with a wonderful afternoon hike to Ernie’s Falls in the Rincon Mountains with Greg and Trisha. A great way to start the new year off.
With our cruise leaving on the 7th, we had to spend some time packing and organizing the RV for Peter and Dianne to live in while we were gone. Of course there was still cycling and pickle ball to participate in, as well as a Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association meeting with Charlie, Peter and Dianne.
Wow, did the first 5 weeks of Tucson living go by fast!
Wow! That looks amazing!