New Mexico-Arizona 2004

Drove up to Mount Lemmon for some mountain birding. We stopped at the registration area where they have picnic areas and birded there for a while. Lots of Acorn Woodpeckers squawking in the trees, so many Spotted Towhees that they were a nuisance. Canyon Towhee and several others kept us busy for a while. Listened to the nice sound of a House Wren. Then drove upwards. The scenery was wonderful so long as we kept the city of Tucson out of our view. Some rapidly flowing streams were nice.

Drove on further and came to some snowy areas. Then about half way up the mountain, the Pima County Sheriff was turning back cars that didn't have chains or four-wheel drive. Snow tires were not enough. Love that nice warm Arizona weather. Actually, it was fun. Quite a few Tucson residents had brought their children up to make snowmen and throw snowballs. We saw people putting snow into the back of a pick up truck so they could bring it back to town with them. We saw much evidence of last summer's fire, started by a careless smoker, which consumed about 85,000 acres. The burn pattern was very uneven; up this wash, but not that one.

I took time to smell the roses (or whatever) and then, as our plane was leaving from Phoenix, we drove up there on country roads rather than the Interstate. Much better to see relatively undisturbed landscapes rather the clutter along I-10. Stopped at a restaurant—Sunny Side Up. The best thing about it was the paper towel dispenser in the restrooms. They were motion activated. Wave your hand in front of it and it dispenses a towel. Talk about the solution for something not needed! (And they didn't have the automatic water faucets or toilets which do make sense.)

We didn't have any time to do anything in Phoenix so we just turned in the car and went to the airport. Boarded the plane and then had a delay of more than a half hour because of computer problems. We were a little distressed by a Middle-Eastern type fellow, seated in our row, who was chanting and bobbing forward and back; apparently just saying his "take-off" prayers. Other than that, the flight was uneventful and we arrived home at about 3:00 a.m.