Tucson, AZ
Our home. Across the street is a fenced levee and wash.  At night packs of coyotes would roam the wash.
The Tucson Visitors Center is located in the very colorful La Placita Village downtown.
The downtown combines the old and the new resulting in interesting contrasts.
St. Augustine's has a sandstone façade with carvings of saguaro, yucca, and horned-toad lizards.
Susan in Court House Plaza mapping the next destination.  Where's Starbucks?
Pima County Court House.
One of the many houses bordering the old Tucson Presidio.
This half-timbered home with a lawn seemed somewhat out of place in this desert environment.
Classic, colorful adobe building door.
Having heard about Jumping Cholla, Susan warily navigates these cactus.
Historic Rialto Theater, opened in 1920, site of the Cowboy Junkies concert we attended.
The Mission San Xavier del Bac, built in the late 18th Century, is undergoing major restoration.
Local and Vatican artisans have restored much of the interior décor and statuary.
The Mission's interior is very colorful and includes numerous depictions and statues of the Madonna.
A small funeral chapel on the Mission grounds.
Beep beep.  A roadrunner in search of the wily coyote.
The curvy road to Mt. Lemmon in the Catalina Mountains.
A view from Mt. Lemmon to Thimble Peak above Sabino Canyon where we hiked the previous week.
Rock climbers along Mt. Lemmon Road.
Summerhaven, a resort town atop Mt. Lemmon, lost most of its buildings during firestorms in 2003.
Skiing in Tucson?  Mt. Lemmon's 9,100 ft. elevation provides snow skiing during non-drought years.
On March 11, Mt. Lemmon received 20 inches of snow and the ski resort opened for business.
The Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum is an excellent way to learn about the desert habitat and its inhabitants
This diamondback reputedly has WMDs and a very effective delivery system.
The handler and diamondback were entertaining. Can't hear the snake rattling, but it was.
A young Harris hawk, one of a family of five.
On the wing.
Landing on a Saguaro can be a prickly maneuver requiring considerable finesse.
Three hawks looking for rodents.  One is a sentinel while the other family members hunt.
This hawk is using her wings to hide the food she is holding in her talons.
Javelina, the only native, wild, pig-like animal found in the US, can weigh up to 60 pounds.
The beautiful ocelot is a native to the Sonoran Desert.
Bobcats taking a little catnap.
Mountain lions are the Desert Museum's signature icon.  Obviously, we were visiting during Siesta.  
Graffiti of the ancients.
The desert was just coming into bloom.  Careful picking these little beauties.
Schools and offices were closed for the Thursday morning rodeo parade.
The parade was total quadruped or biped powered.  No motorized vehicles at all.
The Queens Float - or do they??
The firefighters.  These horses were quite frisky and were having difficulties with their harness.
These young Latinas flashed dazzling smiles and really seemed to be enjoying themselves.
A short video clip of a "hot" mariachi band.
These young fellows were quite good with their lassos.  They liked the add'l challenge of stepping on the rope.
No desert is complete without camels.  No spitting please.
The entrance to the museum is rather understated considering the wealth of flying machines within.
Man's quest to fly has taken many shapes and sizes.
This picture is a bit fuzzy, but we had to show you the world's smallest plane.
The sleek and powerful SR71.  What a thrill it must have been to fly this plane.
B-29 "Sentimental Journey" originally flew with the 330th Bomb Group, 20th Air Force from Guam.
The B-24J Liberator "Bungay Buckaroo" was refurbished to show how people operated it.
This was Air Force One for Presidents Kennedy and Johnson.  Modest by today's standards.
Susan will be our host on this tour.
The seat of power as it were.   This is the President's chair.
Susan shows us the portion of the plane reserved for the press.
This is the Martin PBM-5A amphibious anti-submarine flying boat.  It was used from 1940-1965.
This Boeing B377SG "Super Guppy" was used by NASA for transport of space components.
This a  Columbia XJL-1, an experimental amphibious aircraft used in 1947.
The Grumman E-1B was used from 1957-78 for reconnaissance.
Susan posing with the helicopters.
This was a NB-52A "Stratofortress" bomber fitted to carry the X-15.
Sabino Canyon offers excellent desert hiking opportunities and great views of the city.
We took the Blackett's Ridge Trail, which gained about 1,700 ft. elevation.  No problem!
The day was warm, the vistas beautiful and hiking strenuous.  A perfect day.
There was severe punishment for straying even slightly off the trail.  Bill kept an eye on these guys.
The desert mountains rise like waves north of Tucson.
A great view of Tucson.
Thimble Peak - our hiking destination.
When they say end of trail, they REALLY mean it!!  Susan come look at it.
Susan smiles nervously as her mate approaches the abyss…  Honey, did we get confirmation on that insurance policy?
Bill poses with Thimble Peak in the background.   No dear, I won't step back for the picture.
A treasure herself, Susan finds a cache stashed under some rocks.
The long trail back down the mountain.  Susan suggests we call a helicopter.
Tubac, about 40 miles south of Tucson, is a great day trip for lunch and browsing galleries.
There are several paths and plazas for strolling and relaxing.
The galleries offered an abundance of outdoor sculptures and fountains at very reasonable prices.
There was the ever-present Mexican inspired pottery as well as textiles and furniture.
The village of Tubac developed around the Tubac Presidio established in the 18th Century.
Presidio docents portrayed personages that occupied the fort in the 18th Century.
An 18th Century schoolroom at the Presidio.
School punishments were clearly posted. Yikes!! Ten lashes for playing cards?
Tumacacori Mission, established in 1691, is now a National Historical Park.
Interior mission view towards the altar.
Beautiful shadows on the mission walls.
Some desert creatures encourage one to turn on the lights before walking around barefoot!
"Non-motorized" Rodeo Parade
Pima Air & Space Museum
Sabino Canyon
Tubac