Benson

We have a good drive here. The weather is good, hot and sunny. Traffic is much lighter in the west compared to the east side of the USA. This makes for nice driving and better time on the road. We stop at a Walmart and get my hotspot for the internet. I really need this if we are going to stay in state parks where there is no Wi-Fi.

We make it to our park in good time and get set up. We are here for 5 nights and are looking forward to checking out this area. This park is also a state park and there are very few people here. Our site is much smaller than the last one but it has some shade and is not as windy. Doesn't take us long to set up and have a coffee outside and relax.

Day 1

Today we take a walk over to the Discovery Center that they have here. There are cave tours and a nice shop not far from our campsite. We will do the caves another day and just take one of the short trails this morning. They have signs up everywhere about the 'wild life’ that is in the park. Two kinds of them have rattles and slithers on the ground. They also have Gila monsters and other neat lizards. I am pretty cautious on the trails and am determined not to scream when I see them. I don’t see any today. (Thank goodness)

This afternoon we head over to Tombstone, Arizona. This is the dusty little down of Wyatt Earp fame. On our way there, we stop to check out one of the Good Sam’s RV parks. It is actually very nice, all the sites are 40’ x 80’ and have little bushes in between. They have an indoor pool, community room, etc. The scenery is nice. The surrounding area is quiet and has a nice vista of the mountains. The prices are reasonable. This may be a place to come back to for a month or so in the winter.

On to Tombstone. This is a cute little town, that little kitschy and touristy. They have people dressed up in costumes of the past walking around. They also have a gun fight and tram tour that are worth taking for the entertainment value. They have tried to recreate the past glory days and don’t do too badly of it either. We walk around the town and look into the stores. We have dinner there in an old time saloon called the Longhorn Restaurant. I order a glass of wine and you get to keep a souvenir glass. Kitchy but cute. They had a piano rift playing in the background and it felt like an old saloon. Some of the villagers who were dressed up came in to have dinner so this just added to the atmosphere. The food was good and the service pleasant. However, it is time to head back for the evening.

Time for a shower and some down time.

Day 2

Today we go check out the park. There are many trails here, so off we go with my camera in hand. We head down to the Discovery Center. There is a class trip with about 20 children but I think they are leaving. We go inside and find a nice little store where you can buy t-shirts, postcards, books and things. We pick up a hat for Guenther. We don’t normally wear hats but with this sun and heat he really does need one. (I brought the one I had gotten in Costa Rico a few years back.) So with hat installed off we go. They do have caves here to check out, but only on a guided tour. They also do not allow cameras, so maybe another day.

Today we head off for a walk on one of the trail. The first sign you see is that of a poisonous snake. I hate snakes! However, I’m in Arizona and have to accept that this is their state not mine. As we go on you see the different kinds of vegetation that is here. There really is a lot of colour in the desert. I don’t think all the cactus are blooming yet, but the ones that are create a nice scene. The real center piece here are the mountains. They are all around us and every vista has mountains in it. I’m not seeing any snakes but I’m not seeing any bunnies or prairie dogs either.

We head back to the trailer for some down time.

Day 3

Today we have an appointment to take the Jeep in. There has been a clunk in the front end for about a week now. I’m not having much fun with this new car! Off we go to the dealer in Tucson. They are really nice there but a little slow. Our appointment was for 9:30 AM but the car didn’t get looked at for over an hour. They said it could take a few hours, but without another vehicle (and nothing around this spot) we have no other choice but to stay. I, of course have brought my knitting, so I’m not too bored. After a few hours they finally discover the root of the problem. It is not the Jeep itself but the towing package we had installed by the RV dealer. Apparently there is a tie down with extra length and a C-clamp that has loosened off and is causing the noise. It won’t affect the towing or the Jeep, I just have to wait 6 months to have it fixed by the ones who installed it.

With half the day shot, we go look for a place for Guenther to get his hair cut. The young lady there tells us about Sabino Canyon and how nice it is. This is on the list for tomorrow. After his hair cut we head back to the trailer. It is an hour’s drive so our day is done.

Day 4

Today we head off to Sabino Canyon and were we glad we did. This is a gorgeous canyon to explore. It is just on the north side of Tucson and well worth the price of admission ($5.00 per car). We take the tram up to the top of the canyon ($8.00 each) and walk back down. This is a 9 mile trip each way. You can get on or off at several stops along the way, so this is an easy way to walk as far as you want and still see the whole canyon. On the way up you get a narration about the canyon. Apparently many of the Ponderosa TV shows were shot here because Michael Landon loved this canyon. It is also interesting to find out that the Saguaro cactus only grow under an elevation of 4500 feet. So off we go. The scenery here is beautiful and the walk down is very peaceful. I’m in camera heaven here with peaks, cactus, a little river and sunny skies with a gentle breeze. Check out some of the pictures. I wanted to walk as far as the hawk nest that we saw on the way up. We get there and who do we find but a hawk guarding the nest. This is a Cooper ’s hawk and very pretty indeed. We walk about 2 miles down the canyon and then hitch a ride back down. Now I have been very lucky in not encountering our little slithering friends on this trip. Well on the way down who is blocking the road but a King snake. Just stretched right across getting a sun tan. Well out comes my camera and up go my feet (a natural reaction even though I’m inside the tram!). Apparently they actually stop for these things and wait for them to safely leave the road before proceeding, something about them being good for the environment. After he slithers into a plant and completely hides (makes you wonder how many you don’t see!) we proceed down the rest of the way. I have to admit that from the safety of my tram he is a beautiful (and long) snake, maybe I’m getting used to them, NOT!!!

Well this has been a wonderful day! Time to go home and check out the pictures.

Day 5

Today we are having a slow day at the park. We walk around, read a book, and do some knitting. This is the long holiday (Memorial Day) weekend for the Americans. The park is filling up and according to our camp hosts the park is book full for the weekend. Good for them to see so many out and enjoying their parks.

Tomorrow we leave for the north of Arizona. We are heading to Winslow, Arizona, so everyone get out your old Eagles albums.Read more