Our time in Tucson got off to a wet start on December 3rd. We took a short 4 km walk through the desert and around the campground before pulling out of White Tank Mountains Campground just as the rain started at 11:30. As we were leaving, the motorhome odometer rolled over to 100,000 km, a pretty significant milestone after six and a half years of travelling in our home on wheels.

With rain in the forecast for the entire weekend, we decided to skip Picacho Peak State Park and drive straight to Rincon instead. After a fuel stop at the Pilot, we arrived at the park around 2:00 and got backed in and hooked up.

We then walked over to Bob and Ann’s to surprise them and see the boys. The surprise worked, and we ended up chatting until about 5:00. Bob and I then walked back to pick up our traditional yearly KFC dinner before returning to the motorhome to finish getting everything set up. We still needed to re-level the motorhome in the morning.

The rain continued into December 4th, giving us another wet Tucson day. We joined Bob and Ann for a shopping run that included Total Wine, Costco, Sprouts and PetSmart, followed by dinner at Bovine Burgers with Toni and Charlie.

Things improved the next day, and I headed out for a round of golf with Jimmie, Lorne and Larry. It was a good day, sunny after the first few holes, although the round was a little slow.

June spent her time getting organized and cleaning, including giving the Harleys a good cleaning. Later, Sue came over for happy hour, and it turned into quite the happy hour, with both June and Sue getting a little more enthusiastic than planned. After supper, we took a walk around the park and stopped to visit Wayne and Pam.

The following morning I finally got back to pickleball while June took it easy after the previous evening. She golfed with Sherry and the Rincon ladies while I started getting the outside of the motorhome organized. Santa, Rudolph and the laser lights went up, officially announcing that Christmas had arrived. Peter and Dianne came over for dinner that evening.

Our days quickly settled into the familiar Tucson winter routine of pickleball, cycling, golf, motorcycles, workouts and plenty of time with friends. On December 7th, I played pickleball before going for a short bike ride since June wasn’t feeling up to riding. I changed my rear derailleur, had June’s golf clubs regripped and picked up a door strut for the motorhome at Freedom RV. I also stopped at Bob and Ann’s for a visit. Meanwhile, June and Ann took Toni to a bead store before heading to a garden shop and Costco.

The next day we played pickleball, then took the Harleys to T&C for lunch, where Kathleen and her four-month-old Labradoodle, Charlie, joined us. We borrowed Charlie’s truck afterward and headed to Zeyn’s Tree Farm to pick up our Christmas tree. Once we had it home, we returned the truck and got the motorcycles back.

We later went over to Greg and Trisha’s while June stayed home because her stomach wasn’t feeling great. We gave them their book from their Hawaiian adventure with us, which they loved.

Cycling became a big part of the next few days. We rode 60 km south on the loop, and June went to the gym while I reorganized the trailer to make room for the bikes. We played bocce with Bob and Ann, placed another HelloFresh order and started decorating the tree. The following day began with an hour on the phone with AT&T getting my phone switched over. While June Skyped with Peter and Dianne, with Robert joining later, I squeezed in a few games of pickleball. We then headed out for another 60 km ride, this time toward the fairgrounds and Julien Wash. After working out, we joined Bob and Ann for happy hour and dinner with the boys, then finished decorating the tree that evening.

On December 11th, we played pickleball before heading out for a 46 km ride through Saguaro East, with about 350 metres of climbing. We then took the Harleys to Walmart. That evening we celebrated Dianne’s 67th birthday with Peter, Dianne and David at Saguaro Corners, followed by an after-dinner drink back home at Juergen.

The weather turned wet again the next morning, so I made nuts and bolts and worked out while June went shopping with Sue. I took the boys to the dog park and then stopped for coffee with Bob and Ann.

The following night went down almost to freezing, but that didn’t stop us from playing pickleball the next morning. June then had one of those memorable golf days, playing with Roberta, Pam and Stefany and having what she called the best game of her life. While she was golfing, the motorhome got a professional wash from Desert Detailers and came out looking great. I also talked with Gary Alexander and made a $25,000 RRSP withdrawal to use up our Minimum Tax Credit. Later, despite the cold, I took the Harley around to TJ Max, Broadway Bicycles, Desert Bloom and Safeway. Our first HelloFresh delivery also arrived that day.

December 14th started at -2°C, but I helped out with coffee while the pickleball club sold 50/50 tickets and then played with Mark, Carol and Laurie over at Udall Park. June cycled over to the courts, but her bike rack broke when she left, forcing her to come back and have us put the bike in Mark’s car. After working out, June Skyped with Lois while I cleaned up outside. I took the broken rack to Richard to see if it could be welded, but unfortunately he didn’t think he could make it work.

The cold continued the next morning, with another -2°C start, but the sunshine made pickleball for two hours worthwhile. We then rode 50 km and stopped to see the boys. June and I played another hour of pickleball before walking to Jimmie’s, where I bought a golf cart for $50. Back at the motorhome, we hooked the refurbished computer up to the TV. Ann came over and we ordered the next HelloFresh delivery, and that evening we started watching The Handmaid’s Tale.

A few degrees warmer on December 16th, I played pickleball before meeting Express Auto Glass at the motorhome to have the chips in our windshield repaired. June still wasn’t feeling well, so I headed out on my own for a 50 km bike ride to Alvernon and back. I then took the Harley to Costco and Safeway before settling in for a quiet evening.

Neither of us was feeling particularly great the next day, so it was a low-key one. I walked over to the Clarks to help Bob put together Ann’s Christmas trike. Ann later cycled over to visit with June and enjoy some sunshine. Richard stopped by with some Christmas treats, and we enjoyed a shot of cherry liqueur with him.

On December 18th, we watched the first half of the World Cup final before I headed out to pickleball. June was still under the weather, so she watched the second half and the dramatic penalty shootout. Argentina beat France in what was one of the most exciting finishes in World Cup history. I went for a 30 km bike ride to pick up groceries, made pancakes that afternoon and even attempted to braid June’s hair. That evening we headed downtown with Bob and Ann to the Fox Theatre to see All Is Calm, with Peter and Dianne meeting us there.

The next day brought beautiful blue skies, and I golfed with Jimmy, Lorne and Larry at Del Urich. I shot an 89, which I was happy with despite some putting problems. June was still not feeling great, so she kept things quiet with laundry, walks and a bike ride over to the Clarks. I got home around 4:30 and we had a quiet evening.

The social calendar picked up again over the next few days. June golfed while I played pickleball, and our HelloFresh delivery arrived. We divided it up and I took some over to the Clarks. Ann brought over orange juice and ham for our fridge, and that evening we drove out to Winterland in northwest Tucson to check out the Christmas light displays. Most were fairly basic, although there were a few really impressive ones.

On December 21st, we were back to our usual routine of pickleball and cycling. June rode 40 km while I did 60, and we stopped at Safeway on the way home. June worked out and then went shopping with Ann at Trader Joe’s and World Market while I baked red peanut butter cookies topped with peanut butter cups. I also made the HelloFresh pork loaf for dinner.

The next day we again played pickleball before cycling, with June riding 40 km and me 60. June still wasn’t feeling completely back to normal, so she spent some time lying in the sunshine. I went to Lorne and Gail’s hot chocolate and cookie party, then we borrowed Greg and Trisha’s car and headed downtown.

It was another busy evening. Peter and I went into the arena to watch the Tucson Roadrunners take on the San Diego Gulls, with the Roadrunners coming away with a convincing 6–2 win. At the same time, June and Dianne attended The Nutcracker at the Linda Ronstadt Music Hall, performed by the Tucson Symphony and Tucson Ballet groups. On the way back, we stopped to admire the huge 20-foot Santa and reindeer display on Kolb.

Christmas was now just around the corner, and pickleball and cycling continued to fill the days. On December 23rd we both played pickleball, then joined Mark, Carol and Laurie before returning to the park because Udall was packed. June got in a bike ride and workout afterward.

Christmas Eve started much like many other days — pickleball followed by a 40 km bike ride. June worked out while I made pancakes for brunch. Peter and Dianne arrived around 15:00, and at 16:00 we played bocce with them and Bob and Ann.

We Skyped with Lois before settling in for our traditional Jedicke Christmas Eve dinner and watching Dr. Zhivago.

Christmas Day was relaxed and spent with friends. Peter and Dianne stayed the night, and we had brunch at our place with Bob and Ann.

Later we headed over to Bob and Ann’s for Christmas dinner.

Boxing Day brought golf for me at Del Rio with Lorne and Larry, while June rode 50 km, worked out and did laundry. We finished the afternoon playing bocce with Bob and Ann as the sun went down. We even spotted two owls that day — one in the trees near the gym and another perched in a palm near the laundry.

The days between Christmas and New Year’s continued to be a mix of exercise and socializing. I played pickleball, rode 60 km and played another session of pickleball with Mark, Carol and Cindy while June golfed with the ladies. On a rainy December 28th, we borrowed the Campbell’s car to go grocery shopping and then worked out. We stopped at the Clarks for Bear’s birthday and Skyped with Ian and Glyness, who would eventually be staying in our motorhome. Toni and Charlie joined us for dinner that evening.

On December 29th, we both played pickleball while June and Ann went shopping. I put away more of the Christmas decorations and took Bob for a short 16 km bike ride over to Valencia and back. We later took the boys for a walk and Bob and I had coffee together.

December 30th was a little different from our usual routine. After morning pickleball, Bob and Ann picked us up around 1:00 and we headed to the Arizona Bowl. We met Peter and Dianne outside Gate 7 and watched the Ohio University Bobcats take on the Wyoming Cowboys. It turned into a great game, with Ohio winning 30–27 in overtime.

New Year’s Eve was another active day. We played pickleball, rode 62 km around the loop and worked out before heading to Greg and Trisha’s for happy hour. From there we went to Bob and Ann’s for New Year’s Eve. Richard and Donna were there, along with Paul and Marsha for part of the evening, as well as Dennis and Effie. We stayed until after midnight and made it home around 12:30.

The new year started quietly. On January 1st, June took down the Christmas decorations and cleaned up the motorhome while I was sick and slept most of the day. It was raining again, so perhaps that was just as well. The following day was also rainy, cancelling golf, although that worked out fine since it was supposed to be my rest day. We took down the tree and put the motorhome back together.

By January 3rd, the weather had improved, although it remained cool and grey. I played pickleball while June walked the park with Sue, then June went golfing with the ladies while I went to Walmart and stopped to check on Bear and his eye. I spent some time working on the motorhome, cleaning the coach battery terminals and investigating the inverter. I discovered that the refrigerator outlet had no power when we were disconnected from shore power. We finished the day with a sunset bike ride around the park.

The next morning we played a couple of games of pickleball before Levi came to look at our motorhome floor. He thought he could replace the damaged tiles for a couple hundred dollars, considerably less than the $1,000–$1,500 it would cost to replace the entire floor. We then went to Tucson Stained Glass Studio with Ann, Sue and Marsha, where we made a couple of bowls. Back home, we made an apple pie before Toni and Charlie picked us up and took us to Peter and Dianne’s at Copper Crest for dinner.

January 5th was another full day. After a few games of pickleball, we rode 50 km and chatted with Shelley and Wayne in the park on the way back. Later, Phil and Kay joined us for a 60 km Harley ride through Saguaro Park, Pistol Hill and Vail. We went back to their place for drinks on the patio and then climbed onto the roof to watch the sunset. It was beautiful.

The following day started with pickleball and another bike ride, although this time I did 25 km and June rode 50. We played another session of pickleball with Mark, Carol and Laurie before going to Nate’s Italian Kitchen with Greg and Trisha. Back at our place, we spent the evening looking through our Newfoundland pictures and talking about our summer travels.

On January 7th we Skyped with the Jedickes before cycling the Pistol Hill Loop and getting in a workout. Sue and Judy came over later for happy hour. The next day we played pickleball on another beautiful Tucson morning, then cycled down to Broadway, stopping at Michaels and a shoe store. We went over to Bob and Ann’s to see the boys clean before playing bocce at 4:00.

Golf returned to the schedule on January 9th, when I played El Rio with Jim and Lorne. June spent the morning helping the Rincon group pick up garbage along Camino Seco. We then managed another 52 km bike ride and a workout before I met her at Bob and Ann’s.

By now, our thoughts were turning more seriously toward our upcoming departure for Hawaii. On January 10th, after morning pickleball, June went golfing while I took the Softail out to drop off the old computer. I stopped at Fort Lowell and First, then had lunch at Casa Molina on Campbell. The restaurant had the same menu as the Speedway location, which we were looking forward to seeing reopen in the summer. After some shopping, I headed home to work out. That evening we enjoyed happy hour at the pool with Shelley, Wayne and Allan and talked about their upcoming trip through Eastern Europe.

The next day brought more pickleball, followed by a ride around the Saguaro East Loop, returning home via Valencia and the path. After working out, we had dinner and appetizers at Phil and Kay’s. It was a wonderfully relaxed evening, mostly just chatting and enjoying each other’s company.

On January 12th, we played pickleball and then headed out into the wind for a tough 54 km ride to the Pima County Fairgrounds, the Koba on the loop and back home. June still wasn’t feeling 100%, so she spent some time soaking up the sunshine. That evening Toni came over for dinner while Charlie was in Hawaii, and we looked through our summer pictures.

Our final few days in Tucson were all about squeezing in a few more activities while getting ready to leave. On January 13th, high winds convinced us to take the Harleys instead of the road bikes. We rode down Speedway, over Gates Pass, through Kinney and back via Valencia and Houghton. After a workout and a visit with Bob and Ann, I met Peter at Sport Clips on Broadway for a haircut. We grabbed dinner at Five Guys before meeting Gil and Jim Scotty at the University of Arizona Wildcats hockey game. Unfortunately, the Wildcats had a rough night, losing 5–0 to UNLV.

On January 14th, we played pickleball until 11:00 before getting out for one final 58 km bike ride around the southern loop. Back at the motorhome, we did laundry, cut up the Christmas tree and took it out to the garbage. We also gave our poinsettia to Sandy. We took the Harleys to Walmart and back, and Phil and Kay stopped by after their ride for one more visit. With our departure getting close, we spent the rest of the day getting organized.

January 15th was a classic departure-eve day — cloudy, rainy and windy from start to finish. We spent the day doing laundry, packing and getting the motorhome cleaned up.

Then, finally, on January 16th, it was time to go. Bob and Ann picked us up at 7:00 in the morning, and after a quick stop at McDonald’s we headed through the rain to Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. There we met Peter and Dianne, and with this part of the Tucson chapter of our winter adventure behind us, we were ready for the next one.

Next stop: Kona, Hawaii!