It is travel day for us today...a fairly easy drive at just over an hour and a half to Catalina State Park in Tucson (actually Oro Valley). Again, we were not in any hurry because check-in isn't until 2:00, but it seems if we arrive around 1:00ish, we have no problem getting in. So we had a relaxing start to the day, got everything packed up and then went for a final walk around our loop in the campground.
We pulled out just after 11:00, stopped at the RV dump and then headed towards highway 60 east. Fourteen miles later we turned south onto highway 79 south...to 77, and Catalina State Park...
It was shortly after 1:00 when we pulled up to the gatehouse...and had no problem checking in. We received our permit and a map and headed into Campground B...site 62, a long pull-through with water and power ($35/night).
After getting set up, we turned on the A/C in the trailer and sat outside in the shade...it was 82F/28C. In other words, hot! The beautiful Santa Catalina Mountains make a beautiful backdrop...
In order to stay 9 nights, through the American Thanksgiving long weekend, we had to book 3 sites. So our walk this morning was to check out the other 2 sites which are in Campground A...we move Monday and then next Wednesday. Not a big deal as we can take advantage of the RV sani-dump with each move.
Ruth and Dale, RV friends that we met at the RV Dreams rally back in 2012 have invited us over for dinner. We usually see them in Quartzsite every year, but, like quite a few of our RV friends, they have "changed it up" and have purchased a house in Tucson. They have sold their big 5th-wheel, downsizing to a smaller trailer and will get away from the summer heat by going north.
We made our way to their place, about a half hour away, arriving at 5:00. They have a lovely home in a great area. I love the architecture, adobe-style, homes and the easy-care landscaping...they have a variety of cactus in their backyard.
We sat outside, enjoying drinks and a snack...cheers!
Sunday (Nov. 24) morning we met Dale and Ruth in the parking lot across the highway at Oro Valley Marketplace. There was plenty of room to park Buster there. They have a car now, so it is much easier getting around...thanks for picking us up, guys!
Our hike today would be at the Enchanted Hills Trails Park...A 356-acre natural open space park located on the eastern foothills of Tucson Mountain Park. The park is named for the scenic Enchanted Hills Wash, which courses through the southern part of the natural area.
The Enchanted Hills Trails Park offers terrific views of the city of Tucson, surrounding mountain ranges and Tucson Mountain Park. Despite its close urban proximity, Enchanted Hills maintains a remote feel for park users, who can enjoy 7 miles of non-motorized trails for hikers, trail runners, mountain bicyclists, hand-bicyclists and equestrians of all ability levels.
We are taking the El Grupo and Tecolote trails...so many interesting cacti along the way. This is a type of Prickly Pear we have never seen before...
A closer look at the one in the distance...
Steve took a 52 second 360 degree video...
Back down they go...
Noble Hops is back in our neighborhood...those are Santa Catalina Mountains in the background. It dawned on me that we had lunch with Dave and Leslie here back in November 2018...
Thanks for a wonderful day, Ruth and Dale!
Once we were all set up, we took off into the Tucson Mall for a little shopping.
Monday (Nov. 25) morning we walked over to see if our new site, A-41, was available. The folks were just finishing their pack up, so we went back and got ready to move then over to the RV dump. Our site with another great view of the Santa Catalina Mountains...
We decided to go to Sabino Canyon Recreation Area on Tuesday (Nov. 26)...it's a place we had tried to check out at one of our previous visits but it was just so busy we couldn't find a parking spot for Buster. So today we decided to get there just after opening at 9:00. We had no problem finding a spot in the large parking lot, and had we known we would not have had a problem, we would have reserved a seat on the Sabino Canyon Crawler...
Sabino Canyon Crawler, an emission-free electric shuttle, enhances the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area experience and is designed to protect the area’s natural and cultural resources. The electric shuttles seat up to 62 passengers and offer an enhanced interpretive program that shares details about how Sabino Canyon was formed, what kind of plant and wildlife live in the canyon, seasonal changes that occur in the canyon, plus important historical and cultural information. An individualized automated narration system allows each passenger to plug provided earbuds in at their seat to enjoy a unique experience and shield non-shuttle canyon visitors from noise and sounds. As it turned out, the next ride we could get was at 11:00, so we had an hour and a half to kill. So we checked out the Visitors Center...
We met the fellow setting up his display of skulls and skeletons, a scorpion and tarantula. Steve had quite the chat with him as he had been to Vancouver Island, loved it, and did a bear watching tour...
At 10:45 we lined up for the Shuttle...and then grabbed seats at the back for our one hour 11.9 km/7.4 mile round trip tour...
We decided to get off at Shuttle Stop #2...for our picnic lunch...
A short 24 second video...
Back at camp relaxing and enjoying the view...
After getting set up in our new site, Steve worked on picture editing and then I took over to write this blog update.
Our new site...not quite as good of a view of the mountains, much more treed...
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