Travel Journals: January 2026

TUCSON '25

POSTCARDS FROM THE ROAD

Wednesday, 1/9/25

(NOTE: Somehow this post remained in my computer, forgotten, for many months. I'm posting it today, one year and one day from the first entry.)

We were out of town before dawn. Mid-morning, at our first stop for gas and a walk, the sun broke through for the first time since before Christmas! It shone for us almost nonstop for the next two and a half months.

We made good time to Wichita, arriving before dark (barely). Walked Barkly and then set off for our favorite Italian restaurant, Albero's, where we were greeted at the door by our favorite waiter, Connie.

We met Connie on our first road trip to Tucson in 2023 and haven't forgotten her. Connie hasn't forgotten us either. Her face lit up when we walked in. She showed us to our table, and she spent time catching up with us as if she had nothing else to do. Connie is a special person. She is full of energy, smiles, friendliness and positive attitude toward life.

Thursday, 1/10/25

Today, a relaxed start after our nine-hour New Year's Day trek. The Wichita Museum of Art is a must stop for us, and we were at their doorstep shortly after they opened at ten a.m.

The special exhibit was a collection of paintings by Robert Peterson. Peterson, who studied design in New York in the early 2000's, picked up a paintbrush and easel for the first time in his life, only ten years ago, to relieve his anxiety over an upcoming surgery. The theme of his exhibit was ordinary Black people living ordinary lives.

Artist - Robert Peterson

"Three Brothers," Artist - Robert Peterson

I almost missed the photo exhibit of David Plowden, who documented the rapid growth of industrialism of the first half of the 20th century, the lifting up of the unionized working class and the destruction of the environment and the health of countless workers and their families.

A short day's drive across Kansas in a long straight line to Clayton, New Mexico. Not much here except a clean motel room with a friendly front desk clerk with an American story to tell.

Our Go-To Breakfast Spot in Clayton, NM

Next stop: Santa Fe, where we re-connected with our friends Dick and Sue Molnar.

The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum was (and always is) a must-visit for us. For our one full day in Santa Fe, we drove to Ghost Ranch, where Georgia O'Keeffe did much of her painting in her wilderness cabin. We heard a docent talk about the fascinating history of Ghost Ranch, which is much more that a favorite place for the artist.

I've visited Ghost Ranch twice, and both times it felt almost magical to me. A contemplative atmosphere pervades and offers me a feeling of peace. This year I did what I began to think of on the first visit, years ago with Carol. I reserved a room on a hill, above the tourist traffic, the gift shop, the parking lot, and historic buildings, for four days and nights next October. I will go there alone to write, hike and think. It will be a road trip, I think, by way of Grand Teton National Park (and maybe Antelope Canyon, if I'm not biting off more than I can chew). Stay tuned.

Ghost Ranch

Chimney Rock, Ghost Ranch, NM

Abiquiu, NM - Not A Ghost Town Yet

Gourmet Dining on the Road at Abiquiu

POSTCARDS FROM THE CITY

Murals are sprinkled all over Tucson.
Get out your bike and take a tour. Or...
Ride the fabulous paved bike trail that encircles the city
(and branches out into the desert for the enthusiastic cyclist).

Looking out on Tucson from inside the Tucson Museum of Art

A resident of the art museum's courtyard.

Raging Sage is more than just a coffee shop. They make the best scones
I've ever tasted, along with Jan MacKenzie-Polanski, my friend back home.
(I think I write about this every year!) We never miss
our Sunday mornings on their patio shaded by orange trees, with our
scone, black coffee and New York Times. Like all the best coffee shops,
they also serve pup cups to canine guests.

Tucson's night life scene draws us away from our desert hideaway from time to time. Above, Swedish entertainer Gunhild Carling and friend entertain at the Fox Theater. We also heard Pink Martini with their
wonderful vocalist, China Forbes, and attended an evening of Odyssey story-telling at The Screening Room where we helped celebrate Odyssey's 20th anniversary.


Frieda watches over the dining room of La Frida Mexican Grill and Seafood. Delicious food and Margaritas, but get there early if you don't want to wait in line!

There are so many good Mexican eateries. When we want to eat at home on the patio and enjoy the view, we get take out for two from the St. Mary's Mexican Food for under $20!

La Frida serves up delicious fare.

POSTCARDS FROM OUR DESERT HOME

We love staying in Adam and Jim's home at the edge of the desert. If the beauty and the solitude of our hideaway weren't enough of a motivation to just hang out here all day, the four-mile drive to get to a grocery store or a gas station or a drug store or take-out makes it easy to stay put. Some days our goal is to not use the car. One exception - driving to a trailhead.

One day, a neighbor brought us some homemade prickly pear juice. It was quite concentrated and took a little experimentation to find the right blend. A real treat!

Gearing up for the day after walking the dog.

The Catalinas, as seen from our "morning" patio.

Taking a break on the "afternoon" patio.


"There must have been twenty javelinas!"

A new visitor ventures to the edge of our patio.

The patio, again! Easy to get photos here, because someone is almost always here.

So many books! So little time!

It's not all play. Here's the view out the window from my writing desk

POSTCARDS FROM THE DESERT

Desert Dusk

Morning Walk in Feliz Paseos Park

We encountered two foxes a few times early in the morning in Feliz Paseos Park. They paid us no mind but trotted with purpose through the cactus, making their own path. Where were they going? Back to their kits? Hunting for rodents? A drink of water? One morning, they crossed our path only fifty feet or so in front of us. The second fox stopped a few feet off the path, partially hidden by a palo verde. As we passed the bush, I stopped. The fox stood motionless, staring at us. Barkly, improbably, was unaware of the creature as he sniffed the ground for treasure. I stared back at the fox. The fox and I held our stares for several silent seconds. Then the beautiful creature turned and trotted after its mate.

Romero Canyon in Catalina State Park. The trail continues to the peak in the background and beyond, a jaunt meant for younger, heartier hikers than us.

There are so many good wilderness hikes within a few minutes' drive from our home that it was hard to get motivated to drive an hour or more to experience new hiking spots. After all, it's all the desert, isn't it? Well, yes, it's all the desert; but it is not all the same. Catalina State Park is a good example.

We hiked Romero Canyon, which I remember doing once before, seven years ago, with Carol. It is not an easy hike, but with enough snacks and water and rest stops, it is more than worth the drive. Up, up, up we climbed. Then rest, take a photo or ten, drink water. Then up, up, up we continued until we proclaimed it was lunchtime (and time to head back).

Before we left the park, we stopped for a shorter hike to ruins of an indigenous people's settlement of hundreds of years ago. There were also some remains of a ranch of Mr. Romero, who established a ranch here in the 19th century. He didn't stay all that long, apparently tired of Apache raids to steal his livestock.

The Catalinas

Sabino Canyon, just one damned hike...

...after another!

POSTCARDS FROM AN OVERNIGHT FIELD TRIP TO CHIRICAHUA NATIONAL MONUMENT

Our friends, John and Kim, have been telling me that the Chiricahua National Monument is a great place to visit for years. This year, we finally went. Only about two hours from Tucson, the Monument is nearly off the grid.

We stayed at the nearest B&B, The Dream Catcher Inn, a 20-minute drive from the Monument entrance. The land is so lovely that even the daily drive was a pleasure and so remote that we usually had the road to ourselves.

An oasis in the wilderness

On the road from the Dream Catcher to the Monument

The Dream Catcher is a lovely and comfortable small inn; Philip and Ramon are gracious hosts. For an extra charge, they serve a delicious dinner, prepared by Ramon, served by Philip, and accompanied by local Arizona wines.

An excellent local white wine. Arizona wines have come a long way to respectability since I tasted my first one several years ago.

The Monument itself is an International Dark Sky Park, benefiting the entire nearby desert with brilliant starry nights.

In the daytime, we enjoyed spectacular hiking. The Echo Canyon loop is a nearly five-mile hike. Having read about the hoodoos we would see, I wondered how far we would have to hike to encounter them. We were startled to see our first hoodoos five minutes after we began our trek and hiked among them all the way to the canyon floor.