We are back in Arizona after a great month in Ohio. While in Ohio, we visited with friends and family, enjoyed many of the Christmas traditions of years past, checked doctor appointments off the list, ate at some of the places we miss most while on the road, and got our fill of snow and cold! It was packed to the brim, but we savored every minute of it! The day we were set to leave, Tate got sick on the way to the airport! We were able to reschedule our flight for the next day. Charlie was overjoyed because he was able to watch Ohio State beat Texas in the semi-final game!
While we were gone, our rig was at a local RV dealer having warranty work done. Unfortunately, the work was not quite finished by the time we were back in Arizona so we spent that first week at an Airbnb in Scottsdale. We had a great little house with a fenced in backyard, a little putting green, grill and fire pit. We started school back up and slowly eased back into routine. The boys were thrilled that the Rams vs. Vikings game was being played to the Cardinals stadium and Ken found cheap tickets. The boys were in all their glory at their first NFL game! We also went to a really neat place called Organ Stop Pizza. A huge organ serenades you while you enjoy your pizza! It was so fun!
Finally, the rig was ready! We drove just a couple hours down the road to Phoenix where we spent the week. Unpacking from our Christmas trip was a chore–finding places for all the new gifts! Our week was low key as we settled back into the camper. Everyone felt back home! We did squeeze in a few adventures while we were settling back in! We had so much fun at a Grand Canyon University basketball game, a trip to the lego discovery center and Sea Life Aquarium.
Last Saturday, we moved two hours south to Tucson. Tucson is home to Saguaro National Park. After seeing a few saguaro cactus in Phoenix and hearing some stories from our friends, we were excited to explore this park. It did not disappoint! In case you are like me who didn’t know, a saguaro cactus is your iconic cactus! The tall cactus with arms pointing up. Probably what comes to mind when you hear the word cactus!
Saguaros, the largest cactus in the United States, are found exclusively in the Sonoran Desert which stretches from central Arizona to Sonora, Mexico. I found learning about Saguaros to be so fascinating so I am going to share a few facts with you! Saguaros can grow to be 50 feet tall (picture a three-story building) and 30 inches across. These incredible cactus can live up to 200 years and do not sprout their first arm until they are 75-100 years old. These arms generally bend upward and can number over 25. However, what is so amazing is that some will never sprout arms, some arms will bend down or even twist, making each and every cactus so unique and amazing!
Our first hike in the park was a flat 3.5 mile hike that took us nearly 3 hours because we kept stopping to point out this cactus and that cactus and that one way over there! We stopped to look at the holes animals have created in the saguaros, to examine the woody ribs on the inside of cacti that had died, and to pick spines out of our shoes from walking off the path! Oops! It was so cool and everyone was so fascinated by these majestic plants! Like I say about so many sights we have encountered, you truly have to see them to believe it!
Tucson pleasantly surprised us with so much to do (and I am sure we missed SO much)! We only booked a week and Ken had to travel so the boys and I filled our days to the brim with exploring as much of Tucson as we could! We bookended our stay with hiking in Saguaro so Ken could experience the park as well.
Our first adventure was the Mt. Lemmon Scenic Drive. It is the only paved road that leads to the top of the Santa Catalina Range. It provided breathtaking vistas, incredible rockscapes, amazing mountain forests, and deep canyons. The 27 mile road starts in the Lower Sonoran Zone and climbs to the high forests of the Canadian Zone which is like driving from the deserts of Mexico to the forests of Canada! As you drive, every turn seems to reveal something new. Every curve offered new vegetation, impossibly perched rocks and panoramas that stretched in a different direction than the one before. Thankfully, there were lots of scenic overlooks to stop and take in the view! Unfortunately, in our hurry out the door, I forgot to pass out dramamine! The Cookie Cabin with cookies as big as the plate was the perfect treat at the top of the mountain!
Next, we visited the Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum. The museum is a beautiful 98 acre zoo, aquarium, botanical garden, art gallery, and natural history museum all in one. The website said to allow 2-3 hours to explore, but no surprise to anyone, we spent 6 hours exploring the grounds and sitting in on their live animal encounters. The highlight of the day was Tate and the Ocelot playing together on either side of the glass! If you are ever in the area, the Desert Museum is worth your time!
Our final adventure was to the Pima Air and Space Museum. The museum has over 400 aircrafts, including a Wright Brothers Flyer, WWII aircrafts, Air Force One, and so much more! We had the unique opportunity to meet and hear stories from a 101 year old WWII veteran who flew B29 Bombers. I think my highlight from the day was watching the boys run with Tate, with their arms out as airplane wings, amongst all the outdoor planes! It was a little boy’s dream!
Tucked in the busyness of our week, I was able to sneak away for a couple of hours to have coffee with a friend from Ohio who now lives in Tucson. It was a blessing to catch up and laugh together. I am so thankful I was able to have that time with her. Thanks, Didi! 😉
New Mexico, here we come!
Tucson! One of my favorites. Glad you enjoyed and thanks for sharing!
Hugs to all