2019 01 05 - 2019 01 14 Apache Junction & Tucson Az

Mesa Apache Junction KOA, Arizona - 3-10 January 2019

Our Campground, with views of the Superstition Mountains, is within 2 miles of the Lost Dutchman State Park.

Hiking one of the trails towards the precipice behind Bob, we traverse through one of Arizona's most beautiful Sonoran Desert landscapes. The fact that it is the 8th of January (sorry to all our northern friends and relations) and we have to deal with sunscreen and dehydration is making us rethink our future wintering plans. Named after the Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine, a famous gold mine legendary among the tales of the Old West, thousands of people continue to search this area for their own pot of gold.  

This area had been getting rain and snow while we were wiling away our time from Thanksgiving through the New Year near Tucson. Here the plants are blooming. This moderate hike, with an elevation gain of 500 feet, wasn't much of a challenge except for the need to monitor the trail map. There were things that looked like paths but turned out to be false trails (other hikers going off trail) or washes where rain water and snow melt have deposited sand, pebbles and rocks.

After a stop for lunch (ours and puppies) we reached the halfway point. As usual, there are admonishments to hikers along the trail that damage to the native plants is done when leaving the designated pathways. Sadly, we found many people taking frolics and detours beyond the trail that really did not get a better vantage point. 

Our home is in for Repairs, so we are heading to Tucson - 10 January 2019

El Conquistador Tucson Resort - 10-15 January 2019

This resort has a multistory hotel, ground-floor rooms and a huge selection of patio Casita suites, several dining areas, pool and adult-only pool. Desert and mountain views from any room, tennis courts, golf course and horse stables spanning 80 acres. The only thing it was missing was sufficient parking adjacent to the rooms when they had special events in the ballrooms. 

Various views 

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, Arizona - 11 January 2019. 

This was billed as a museum but it was also similar to a small zoo of local plants and animals. Built in 1952 with 85% of the experience out in the desert, 1200 native plant species, 230 native mammals, reptiles, amphibians, insects and birds, including a hummingbird aviary.

They have recreated a cave experience (natural enough that a few people had to turn back when the quarters began to get too close) without the native bats and bugs, no dripping ceilings and no troglobites.

Native species of fauna included rattlesnake, mule deer (mislabeled as white tail deer), civet, prairie dog, javelina, black banded lizard, grey fox and bobcat. These are all safely housed behind glass, wires or fencing. However, there are plenty of signs warning of the occasional rattlesnake.

The Raptor Free Flights is a bird of prey exhibition in the open desert. The birds are completely untethered (no jesses or bracelets) and fly so close to the audience that you can feel the brush of feathers as they fly by. 

Gray Hawk

Harris's Hawk

In the wild, Harris's Hawks fly in family groups of three to seven birds. We watched as they flew in as a pack and at one point four of them dove into the brush after spying something moving. Family dynamics (this is a matriarchal society) sometimes change throughout the season and we saw the Alpha female assert her dominance by ousting the smaller males off the tops of the perches. When they are landing on a fist they curtail their wings into sharp V-shapes, drop their tails and extend their talons forward, slowing their descent until they grip the glove. It was amazing to see so many raptors working in unison. The upper middle photo shows one of the birds hunched over and dropping his wings to protect his morsel of meat from the other birds. 

Flowers along the walking path and hummingbirds in the aviary. Although there are fewer than two dozen species of hummers that venture into the US. very few are year-round residents. 

Catalina State Park, Apache Junction, Arizona - 14 January 2019

This park is adjacent to the Coronado National Forest on the western slopes of the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson with an elevation of about 3000 feet. It varies dramatically between high ridges and low creek beds which can be very deceptive as safe walking paths until those high ridges get some rain. 

Several times during this hike we all got our feet wet while crossing a swollen creek bed with rushing runoff. Attempts had been made to provide some stones for safe footing but, alas, the Rangers must have been very long legged. It did not take more than the first attempt for my socks and shoes to slide off into the chilly stream. Of course, both dogs were extremely pleased to pad-foot around, and even sample the waters (not advisable).

2018 12 19 - 2019 01 03 Benson Arizona, Kartchner Caverns

Christmas and New Year's, 23 December 2018 - Benson, Arizona

Decorating for the Holidays at Cochise Terrace Resort. A few Santas from my collection came with us. The Eskimo girl doll, a gift from Kristen. The plush Christmas tree, a gift from Donna (High School bud) and Bill. Hand-made stockings courtesy of my sister, Cathy. Hand-blown crystal ornaments from Mike Alltop and our Merry Christmas trailer plaque from Donna and Bill also.

Our Fenton glass light-up tree also made the cut but it is hard to decorate.  

Kartchner Caverns State Park, 23 December 2018 - Benson, Arizona

Ready for our cave tour. There are two rooms in this "wet" cave. This cave system has an average temperature of 70 degrees (F) and 99 percent humidity all year round. We took the Rotunda/Throne Room Tour which has no open access to the outside. The entrance is kept closed with two double-door-lock panels (like industrial freezer doors) to keep the interior environment from loosing its natural "wetness". The Big Room Tour is only available from mid-October to Mid-April due to the use of that room during the rest of the year by a migrating bat population as a nursery. Each tour is 1/2 mile in length and lasts about 1.5 hours. The trails are paved but some areas can become very narrow. Since some cave formations are very close to the walkways, it is imperative that no direct human contact is made which would damage, possibly destroy the activity of those formations. Each tour guide requests to be notified if contact is made so he can mark the general location with tape. Later a staff member comes through, spraying disinfectant and rinsing off the formations. 

We wish to acknowledge these 3 photos were transferred from online. The standard tours do not allow any photography inside the caves. Special lighting is required for cave photography and sufficient time is needed for accurate timing and making camera adjustments. A specialty "Photography Tour" is available but we chose not to participate since one of us would not have anything to do. Above is a "curtain" formation (some call it "bacon". I can see that). This is made by water running down a slope and gradually increasing into a sheet. The different colors represent changes in chemical make-up of the water percolating through the cracks.

This formation is called "Kubla Khan", a large, five-story formation that is still active today. You can see a worker at the bottom of the picture for scale perspective. Workers do enter the formation areas to retrieve dropped items, inspect the formations for structural soundness and make needed repairs to the lighting systems. The lights have been recently upgrades to LED lights which decreases the amount of heat generated during the day. The system has switches in various locations so the guide can turn lights on and off as they enter and exit each room. This also decreases the amount of heat trapped in the cave.

I believe this formation is called a butterscotch drapery, a magnificent vision that has taken thousands of years to develop. There were stalactites that had grown so large they had fallen off the ceiling and stalagmites that are called "fried eggs", a new one for us, that has a concave top holding a little water. There are popcorn, moon milk and soda straws. One soda straw was over 21 feet long. That has to be a record. Some straws had broken off the ceiling and embedded themselves like a spear in the muddy floor. 

A really nice specimen of Yucca (foreground) with the cave entrance on the right hand hill. They have a tram from the Visitor's Center up the hill. 

Kartchner Caverns was discovered in 1974 through a sinkhole on private property in the Whetstone Mountains and was kept a secret until 1978, even from the property owners, James and Lois Kartchner.  The cave and surrounding property was purchased by the State of Arizona in 1988 and is maintained in its mostly pristine beauty. The upper caves were finally opened to the public in 1998, while the lower caves didn't open until 2003. They are so concerned about managing all contaminants that they spray your shoes with alcohol if you have visited another cave or mine in the last year.  

There are cabins and camping areas and several hiking trails into the surrounding foothills.

Hiking Trail near Kartchner Caverns, 24 December 2018

We came back with the dogs for the Foothills Loop Trail, a 2.5 mile walk, rated moderate to difficult. 

The trail climbs the limestone hill north of the cave and descends into the wash that follows the fault between the two block hills. The dogs and I declined the additional 1/3 mile hike to the Mountain Top Overlook. We decided to sit (or stand or lay down) in the "shade?" and wait for Bob's return. 

Bob at the Overlook. Looks like someone has been adding rocks to the cairn. 

This whole area is surrounded by various mountain ranges. 

Marry Christmas, Cochise Terrace Resort, Benson, Arizona - 25 December 2018 

Our evening walk to the front of the resort which was decorated for the season. We had a more traditional dinner with a turkey breast, homemade cranberries, mashed potatoes, and Bob's homemade butterhorn rolls. Similar to today's crescent rolls but with a fluffy instead of flaky dough. Yum and YUM! Damn, he's a great baker. Not good for my keto levels.

Snow on the Mountains, Cochise Terrace Resort, Benson, Arizona - 28 December 2018

Our stay was two weeks at this resort which was divided into short-term or Snowbird rentals and permanent residents. But we met the nicest people, inviting us to camp fires, dinners, breakfasts, dances, card games and exercise classes. 

We had increased our elevation to 4100 feet from our previous location in downtown Benson. Getting ready for bed, we checked for lights on outside and were astonished to see this coating of snow. This one melted fairly quickly the next day but we had 3 days of snowfall, the last one amounted to over 6 inches. Bob even had to shovel the slides and roof with our last spring acquired snow shovel. 

Happy New Year!

Technically it's the New Year, eastern time but it's all good. Eggnog and a few fireworks nearby. 

1 January 2019 - Second snow on truck. This one also melted the same day.

2 January 2019 - Third snow on truck. This one of 6 inches+ did not melt. The temp only rose to about 34 during the day and went down to 17 over night Brrrr. 

Snow out the back window on the bikes, cactus and trees.

This snow on the tree looks so familiar. Weren't we suppose to be getting away from all this by coming out here? Good news, it didn't last very long. And we(Carol) slept through the most below freezing temperatures. (Bob was up at 7:15 to take the dogs out).

3 January 2019 -  Our coldest morning and we are heading north to Apache Junction, AZ just east of Phoenix. Lower elevation but higher temps. Yay!

Let's get moving. Don't be fooled by those long shadows. It's still before noon but we have almost 3 hours of driving and we don't want to hit rush hour traffic.
You can't quite see it but just behind the trailer someone build a snowman.