The day started real good though, as I received a skype video call from Emmie! (Judy and Jenn joined in...) Emmie is doing real good and spent the day telling Granny what to do! She is really speaking in full sentences now - and only 2!
Here she is opening some birthday presents that Judy brought with her...
And they had a tea party!
Then they had a painting party..... don't worry about that rug, it will all come out I am sure ...
Did some work around the RV and went for my power walk and then decided too much work was making John boring.... so I decided it was time to go for a motorcycle ride....now we are talking!
I heard an advertisement on the local Tucson Radio station that there was some drag racing going to happen this coming Saturday! A few clicks on Google and I was off looking for the track. It is about 15 miles south east of Tucson and found it no problem. Races start at 12:00 on Saturday and I hope it is a nice sunny day.... should be!
I carried on up the road to see what was up there and found a couple rural sub-divisions... out it the mountains.... about a 20 minute commute to Tucson... here are some pics of living in the desert... as I said, it was very "rural"... Tucson is off in the distance.
That is someones house to the right... as you can see, they live in the mountains...
Another house in the area...
I stopped at another sub-division on the way back to Tucson, which was more populated... these houses were just built, and are selling for $210,000.00 U.S.
Here is another one, nice view from the back yard!
I travelled up to the Saguaro National Park which is north east of Tucson, this is the visitors centre... I was just scouting it out for Judy and I to check it out when she gets back.
I left Saguaro and headed further north just driving.... :-)) and I came across the highway that leads right through the mountains to Mt. Lemon. This mountain is over 8,000 feet up there! I decided to start the climb and they tell you at the bottom, "Don't bother unless you have your tire chains with you!" . Who are they kidding? I started up. It is an incredible drive! One of the best I have ridden the old bike on... I could do this road everyday!
Everywhere you looked there was the Saguaro, just waiting for you to take of picture of it!
As you can tell, I was starting to get up there.... it is great riding through the "Rincon Mountains"...
Every time I stopped, there was another canyon or cliff....
The mountain rain runoff was flowing here, but it is a bit hard to see.... the rain all runs off the mountains and settles at the bottom, and that is where you get the maximum plant growth...(had to go to the movie at the visitor's centre to give you that fact...)
Just could not get the lens to zoom wide enough some times!
I did not get any pictures of them, but a lot of people on speed bicycles were riding up and down, and believe me, they were coming down real fast!
This canyon was amazing... the Saguaro's continue to grow seemingly out of the rock....
I drove 5 miles up before I could go no further.... yes, you guessed it.... it got too cold! I was up about 4,500 feet in 5 miles of climbing.... turned around and headed for the got tub! It felt good. What a day!
Talked to Judy a bit on skype tonight and she reports a great day with Emmie.
Yesterday I ordered some computerized digital maps on an SD card to be used in our hand held Magellon GPS unit. They show every trail in the U.S.A. and are great for not getting lost. You can also use it as a vehicle GPS.... I ordered it online from Magellon and took a semi heart attack when they sent me an email confirmation of my order and told me they were going to ship this directly to Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada! Aughhhhh.... However, after I checked out the Fed Ex Express web site, I noted they were shipping the package to Tucson! Yeah! Now I shouldn't get lost before Judy makes it home!
Till tomorrow....
What a drive! And...no one bugging you on the intercom! Love you! Judy
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