Fabulous Tucson, AZ

We arrived in Tucson on Friday, 1/30 by way of our brand new GPS. Yes, that's right folks, we went to a Target in Yuma with our friends, Al & Ann as they have a GPS and said if they could work it so could we. So we purchased a TomTom ONE that was on sale (actually the cheapest one they had) & were told we have 90 days to return to our Target in Fresno, so we took a chance. It works pretty slick & I am learning how to use it. I just put the address in & it finds the place. It's not as slick as Nancy's Hertz Never Lost....but our gal Mindy does a good job.

Our RV park in Tucson is located right in the Sonora Desert with just amazing & beautiful scenery. We are surrounded by cactus, mountains & lot of coyotes. Not that we see the coyotes but boy do we hear them at night...howling. On Saturday, 1/31 Will & I took a walk in the desert by ourselves from a trail that starts right from our RV park and is well marked with lots of interesting facts. At one point they had a couple of yard chairs out there so we just sat down, rested & took in the beauty around us. We both love this desert landscape. Tucson is definitely someplace we will come back & visit.

On Super Bowl Sunday, 2/1 we decided to spend the morning at Old Tucson Studios, which is only about 10 miles from our RV park. The Old Tucson Studios began in 1939 and so many old western films were filmed here. Well to say Will was excited is a complete understatement. He recognised almost all the building & scenery here. Of course, you must understand, he has NOT missed many cowboy movies that were ever made!! We spent the entire day there & saw & did everything. Watched two movies: Remembering John Wayne & Where Legends Walked; Miss Kitty's Can-Can Revue, where Angie Dickerson came down the steps in Rio Bravo in the Grand Palace Saloon (a highlight for Will) a Billy the Kid gunfight out in the streets and guided tours by "cowboys" telling the history of Old Tucson Studios. We went in all the old buildings, some with fabulous articles, clothes & memorabilia of movies & movie stars. We visited the High Chaparral Set, Little House on the Prairie, rode the train & had a wonderful but exhausting day. I'm sure this will be the highlight of the trip for Will. When we left we just made it home for the start of Super Bowl.

Today, Monday, 2/2 we set out for the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum which is located just a couple miles past Old Tucson Studios (all in the neighborhood.) This was another wonderful & exhausting day but sooooo worth it. It started out with Raptor Free Flight which are birds that have been rescued & are sent out in free flight as the docent tells about them. We then proceeded around the grounds viewing many of the 300 animals & 1200 kinds of plants that are native to this region. At 1:00 we went on a tour with a wonderful docent that explained so much and answered so many of MY questions. We both had an opportunity to learn about the Saguaro cactus that are everywhere here. Those are the cactus that grow tall & have the "arms" coming out of them. Of course if I had a camera I would post some pictures for you but we never got a camera before this trip....maybe the next trip we will have one.

Tomorrow at 9 am the park is giving a 2 hour guided tour in the desert around the park so Will & I will be dressed and ready. By the way Nancy, the hiking boots are great that you bought me in New York & I'm so grateful to have them here. Thanks!!!! much love to all.