Del Lago Golf Club, Vail

Look closely for embedded golf balls!

More water on this course than most we have played.

Pat and I. 

 Del Lago Golf Club is only 15 minutes from here, in Vail, which is just on the edge of Tucson.  I thought Quarry Pines was a great course but this one is amazing as well.  It is in excellent condition and the views of course are magnificent.  I played well for a change too.  The saguaro cactus here was just off to the left of one tee and several misfired tee shots were stuck in it!  I wanted to do it on purpose and maybe others did too but I refrained.

The beautiful 18th and clubhouse.  

We paid $30 with a cart which is an incredible price for this quality of course.  John uses EZ Links to book tee times on line.  Even though  times and prices are are a little harder to find than before Christmas we are still managing!











We have enjoyed the company of Pat and Derryl from Southampton Ontario.  Yes, they are mutual friends of our Southampton gang we met in Florida.  They are renting a house in Quail Creek, a beautiful 55 + community in Green Valley,  just south of Tucson.  If any of you are considering renting a place in AZ check it out.  Just google it.









The brown grass is winter dormant but still easy to hit off.  It gives great definition to the fairways.   I wonder what it looks like in the summer?

Madera Canyon with a little snow

How invigorating it was to visit Madera Canyon again!  I asked John to PLEASE stop and see if the there was anyone at the guard shack to tell us if the trails were in good shape and if there was any reason for not heading out.  After all, the sun was shining full bore, and the temperature was getting up to the high 60's F in the Valley.

But I could see snow up in those mountain tops!  No matter, we were excited to get on a hike,  and with Mike and Sally in tow, we set off.  Mike and Sally are our current neighbours here at Voyager and they live in Las Vegas but grew up in California.

We headed up to the trail head; Mount Baldy hike, the same one we had done in November with Ken, Ann, Brian and Bev.  The first few hundred feet had us huffing and puffing but then it evened out.  As we got closer to the top we came across a few icy spots.  We could see snow in the trees in the distance but I was still surprised to see snow in our path.  

Sally is a woman after my own heart.  We both had to do a strange kind of crab walk to maneuver our way across some of the icy sections.  She is not a "luger" but has had her own traumatic  issues with which I could totally relate!

We made it to the top, had a picnic and were glad that for the most part our trek down was on the sunny side.  Only one icy section had us stymied.  I could not do it on my feet and sat down only to find scat half way down.  YUK!  I crawled around it and then had to tell Sally.  Mike, being the hero that he is, flung the scat down the cliff to make way for Sally.  Doing a similar "butt crab crawl" to mine, she made it to safe ground.

This hike took us over 5 hours but that included stopping for lunch and also to smell the ..... hmmmm....snow and cacti!  A great day!

The Project

I really enjoyed my first attempt at stained glass.  And here it is!  There were 7 of us in the class; 4 men and 3 woman.  We all made the same project, specially prepared and designed by our excellent instructors; Cleatus and Sally.  Both of them are accomplished stained glass artists and at least 20 years older than I am but with steadier hands.  Being a teacher and having a good understanding of how difficult it can be to teach people how to do something, I was very impressed with how well each step in this process was presented.  I am so confident that I now have a larger project in mind and am enthusiastic about getting going on it.  Now that we have decided to stay here for the month of February I have lots of time to make it.  Since taking the beginner class I now have full use of the stained glass shop and access to the materials I will need at a very reasonable cost.

I discovered I am a closet "shop girl."  And I do not mean "shopping girl".  I loved using the glass grinder and the soldering thing.  All the tools were fun to use and I was amazed at how easy it is to cut glass when you have the right equipment.  Talk about flow!  Time lost it's meaning while occupied in this project.  A great feeling.  Whoohoo!

The Greatest Game Ever Played

If you love golf and you have not seen this movie it is worth a look; again.  I have seen it a couple of times, maybe even three and want to see it again.  Lately we have also watched "Tin Cup" and "Bagger Vance" and have read a couple of golf books such as " The Match."  I know this may seem over the top but  kindred golf spirits (Brooks and Lou) have re-"kindled" our interest.  Lou lent us her movies and books while they were away and we have enjoyed "The Journey".

Recently John and I went on our own and played the "Forty-Niners" course in Tucson north east of here.  It is an older course with great mountain views and lots of old mesquites.  They have wandering branches that get in the way reminding me of live oaks in Florida.  (There are live oaks here too.  I didn't realize there were so many kinds of live oaks!)

We were paired with an older couple from Arkansas who are renting a place in Sabino Canyon near here.    Concentration and patience are important attributes that can help your golf game and today these were truly tested.  L and J were so genteel and we were not worried about how they played.  But once we got going we soon realized that there was something not quite right about L.  At first I thought she was blind, then I thought Alzheimers or stroke, but I knew there was something.  It was one of the most unusual situations and like nothing we had encountered before while golfing; and we have played with many different kinds of people at many different levels over the years.  After a while J took us aside and explained that his wife had a temporal lobe problem and was dying.  He said he appreciated our kindness.

I have been thinking about that.  It was a beautiful sunny day and she was a beautiful sunny person.  She was so polite, so well dressed, so involved and enjoying the game in a way that seemed surreal.   I can hardly believe it in hindsight.  J took her out to enjoy life and to feel like she was really doing it.  Sadly she was not.  Or was she?  L asked me some questions during the round which indicated that she was very much engaged in the game.  After the front nine I met her in the washroom and she did not remember me even though we had said goodbye only moments ago.  John and I were feeling a bit guilty that we were thankful that they only played the first nine.  We finished the second nine on our own.  Neither of us regained a rhythm.  At least not for golf.  I did gain a rhythm about another aspect of life.  Just living.

Giant Prickly Pear Cactus at Forty-Niner

A Patient Man

A few days later we met Brooks and Lou at a course west of here called Quarry Pines.  Those of you familiar with golf will appreciate the name.  This is one the most interesting courses I have ever played.  I enjoyed the front nine but can hardly remember it because the back nine jumped out!  It was laid out in a quarry and the holes were so precariously placed among sandy cliffs that were once too ugly to entertain.  But someone had a marvellous idea.  I know the pictures do not do it justice but maybe you will get an inkling.  It was wonderful meeting up with our "de Anza" friends again and we enjoyed not only the golf but a great dinner and chin wag at the Olive Garden.  

Just a teaser

And the fairway is where?

Beep Beep

No way!

What hole are we on?

Friends

Stunning backdrop

Nimbus

http://giantblueband.com

What a surprising and fun evening we had here.  Jackie and Nick introduced us to Nimbus, a great restaurant/brewery.  The food was excellent road house style, the brews delicious, the atmosphere kept my attention and produced a smile.  This venue is actually at the brewery but the cement floors and high ceilings did not seem cold.  It was neat to see the huge glass wall with the tanks of beer and all the shiny stuff.  We were not expecting a band and they turned out to be worth listening to and then dancing!  It was so spontaneous and joyful.  Check out their website if you want.

There was a "halo" that evening around anyone who got the urge to dance.  I am not sure what the monkey has to do with Nimbus but I do know that there was more than one monkey in the crowd.

I did not have the camera with me but took these with the I-pod touch.  I am loving this technological wonder and am now using it as a PDA (personal digital assistant) as opposed to PHA (personal human assistant) which is non existent.  We got it mainly for music and did download ALL our cd's from home and now can carry our music with us in this teeny device.  But it has so many other features and I figure I might as well use it and expand my brain as the second bird.  (2 birds, one stone)

Desert Bike Ride Saguaro East

Before Christmas Jackie and Nick took us on a tour and we drove a loop in the Saguaro East National Forest.  The other day John and I took our bikes there and rode around it.  The steepness of the hills had increased considerably since we were last there!  We had an enjoyable picnic on Javalina Rocks.  But that is not a javalina up there.

Kitt Peak

What a great evening!  We drove about  90 minutes east of Tucson to the Tohono O'odham Territory and Kitt Peak.  ( http://www.noao.edu/kpno/ )  This mountain top has 26 telescopes, more than anywhere in the world!  These are being used for research and data collection purposes by many interested parties.

The curvy 12 mile, and as far as I am concerned somewhat nerve-wracking, drive up was worth it.  Even if we had not gone for the evening program this drive would be an incredible event on its own.  My heart pounded as the elevation increased and the curves and cliffs became more intense!  We could see the white domes at the top of the mountain but I could hardly believe how long it was taking to get there.  The panoramic views of the surrounding desert and wilderness became more spectacular as we climbed.  Once ensconced at the mountain top I settled down.

We were in a small theatre area in the visitor centre and Ross soon told us about the evening itinerary.  After eating our box lunch Emily took us out to a view point to watch the sunset.  I can barely describe it.  Kincardine's sunsets are gorgeous but this was out of the ordinary.  Being at the second highest point for miles and miles, seeing the sun's effect on the mountain formations and the change in colouration not just of the sky but of the land, was incredible.  From there we went back to the visitor centre theatre and spent the evening learning about telescopes and using one.   We were dressed for a trip to the north pole and in between bouts with the elements we came indoors for a warm up.  The telescope domes are not heated since it affects the way they work.  At least we could get out of the wind which was severe this evening.

Sunset West view

Reflection of sunset, Eastern View - Purple/Blue band called Venus ' Belt

STAR GAZING!   We viewed Jupiter, the moon, galaxies, nebula, and many stars and constellations using a telescope in a dome.  We went outside with binoculars.  We had access to a 21 inch telescope which is small compared to some of the huge ones up there but one of the only ones the public can access.  Still, the details revealed by this telescope were impressive.  We could see 3 of Jupiter's moons and some rings,  moon craters and formations, gaseous open star clusters and more.





The number of stars that could be seen with the naked eye on this dark mountain top away from any light pollution is unreal.  The number of stars  seen through the telescope is unfathomable.  I don't have enough adjectives!

John and I both are inspired to spend more time looking up!!  There were incredible views from the telescope but I was blown away by what you can see with a decent pair of binoculars.  Emily taught us to use a planisphere.  We have one but haven't really learned how to use it.  Maybe we will now.

To end the evening with a little excitement we had to drive down the first mile with our lights off!  We learned about this once we were already there.  It was not mentioned in the pamphlets or online information  that I saw.  I wonder if I had known ahead of time if I would have gone?  Headlights could interfere with the work of the telescopes.  It wasn't that bad actually.  We got in a convoy behind Ross in a white van.  You could easily see the tail lights of the vehicle in front of you and to tell you the truth the mountain was less scary at night simply because you couldn't see the sheer drops at the side of the road! The trip down was uneventful thank goodness.

I was so well bundled I didn't get cold!

Tucson Tragedy

We went for groceries today and even though we are at the opposite end of the city from the tragedy it was different for me.  I couldn't stop thinking about the people who were grocery shopping  on Saturday and the horror that happened there.  Today I thought every one was extra polite, extra cheerful, and so vulnerable.  My heart goes out to the victims, their friends and families and to those surviving and struggling.  The more I hear about Congresswoman Giffords the more I am rooting for her.  It is incredible that she is alive and I am so hopeful for her.

Tucson has been our home for a few weeks only but it feels so awful that this has happened here.  I feel deeply sorry for the Tucson community, especially those in the area of the shooting and for the ordinary people whose lives have been changed forever.   The community where the shooting occurred will never be the same.   In a way I want to leave here and avoid any connection to this.  But life has to go on.  The snowbirds need to keep shopping.

Today our keys were locked in the truck and it was so irritating but an employee at our grocery store offered to drive us to get our extra set once she was off work.  Ordinary people.  It is not a "bad" place but I have so many concerns about the gun laws and many other aspects of this.  It is not "just" an Arizona problem but I can see how this is a microcosm for problems all over this country; this world really.

National Saguaro Forest West

After leaving the Desert Museum we took a drive around Saguaro West.  A few weeks ago we were at Saguaro East with Jackie and Nick taking a smooth ride on a paved but curvey road through a section of the forest.  This drive was a little rougher though the information claimed you did not need a high clearance vehicle to take the 5 mile loop through this section.  Hmmmmm....let me tell you I was glad we were in The Beast and not The Honda.  The dirt road was graded but eroded in some spots.   You had to drive slowly so it took much longer than expected but it was a lovely drive.  In "The Zone" the concept of "forest" is MUCH different from ours back in Ontario!

Saguaro Forest (sah-wah-row)

It takes a saguaro 40 years to flower and about 70 years to start growing arms!


We took a little side hike to see some ancient petroglyphs on Signal Hill.  I liked their method of keeping people from climbing on the rocks!

Desert Museum Cacti

Fat ones, skinny ones, short ones, tall ones, red ones, green ones, curly ones, straight ones, fuzzy ones, smooth ones, big ones, small ones, pretty ones, ugly ones, flowery ones, plain ones...

But my favourite is the "Bonker Hedgehog!"

Desert Museum Animals

 These are just a few of the animals living at the Museum.  It was great fun seeing them and learning about their life in the desert.  Again, most of the critters here could not be returned to their natural habitat so I did not feel sorry for them.  Their home here is well constructed, similar to the Toronto Zoo exhibits.  Some were stage trained however.  It was really funny seeing a skunk, porcupine, ringtail, road runner, pelican and a few others parade across the stage.  I wasn't able to get good pictures of all of them.  You have to look closely to see some animals in the pictures below but pay close attention to the large eared bats!  AmaZing!!

We have seen road runners on the golf courses.  You just want to say beep beep even though that is not their real sound at all.  They are fun to watch.

Arizona Senora Desert Museum - Raptors

Finally! Back to one of our favorite AZ pastimes ... touring! The Sonoran Desert is one of the unique features here at Tucson and it has been on our list to visit this " museum."  It actually is more like a zoo and nature centre featuring plants and animals native to this desert.  We started off with a "raptor" show. 

Here John is looking out over the desert as we wait for the raptors to appear! I love raptor shows. Just hearing them described that way gets me all excited. Even though dangerous dinosaurs do not appear, the show these majestic birds put on is impressive. I love it when they fly right over your head and you can hear the wing whooshing as well as other bird sounds.  The trainers are amazing.  The birds usually cannot be returned to the wild due to injuries or that their upbringing has somehow imprinted them to humans.  They could not survive in the wild.  But they have a good life!  Easy food, lots of exercise and even challenges to face thanks to the ingenuity and knowledge of their trainers.  We have seen a couple of other raptor shows elsewhere and this one did not disappoint.