Tuscon Pima Air and Space Museum

Sunday, Jan 29 was catch-up day, laundry, some shopping, relaxing and swimming at the Base Fitness Club.

It's still hard to believe that we are sitting here within a short distance of moth balled B-52's.

Monday, Jan 30 we went to the Pima Air and Space Museum for a great day of looking at airplanes and tours of the place.  I think Clara actually enjoyed it.

We only covered about half the museum today, so I think this is going to call for a return trip (at least by me).

This is the third largest air museum in the country, following the Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC and the Air Force Museum in Dayton, Oh. (both of which we have visited).

The smallest bi wing airplane ever built and flown

Dreaming of another lifetime

All kinds of airplanes

A lot of propellers.  It's actually a two engine airplane.

The "pregnant guppy"

As we were taking a tour of a B-36, an elderly gentleman joined the tour and he had flown as the Navigator in this very airplane in WWII.  The docent who was leading the tour pretty much turned the talking over to him for a while as he told stories of his days flying.

Tuscon Sabino Canyon

Saturday, January 28, after getting our assigned site, we headed out to pick up Kent and Betty to go to the Sabino Canyon Recreation area. 



Once again, we find ourselves amazed at what we find.  This canyon in the Catalina Mountains just North of Tucson is a spectacularly beautiful mountain desert.  Not at all what I expected.

These cacti can do some damage.

We took a tram about 5 miles up in the canyon, and then hiked on a beautiful 1 1/2 mile trail on the side of the mountain.  It was probably one of the more beautiful hikes I've taken.  The scenery certainly exceeded expectations.



Saguaro Cactus have a relatively long life span. They take up to 75 years to develop a side arm. The arms themselves are grown to increase the plant's reproductive capacity . The growth rate of saguaros is strongly dependent on precipitation; saguaros in drier western Arizona grow only half as fast as those in and around Tuscon. Some specimens may live for more than 150 years;  the largest known saguaro is the Champion Saguaro. It grows in Maricopa County, Az and is 45 feet tall with a girth 10 ft. These cacti can grow anywhere from 15 to 50 feet. They grow slowly from seed, and not at all from cuttings. Whenever it rains, saguaros soak up the rainwater. The cactus will visibly expand, holding in the rainwater. It conserves the water and slowly consumes it.

  

A rose among the thorns

The trails we traveled

After our hike, we came back to the base and moved the motorhome out of overflow parking.  Our site is only a couple hundred feed from the "boneyard" where retired aircraft are stored.  Interestingly, the closest airplanes are B-52's like I once flew.

Saturday evening we went out with Kent and Betty to a great steak restaurant.  They fly back to cold, beautiful Estes Park tomorrow.  We've really enjoyed getting with them and are going to miss the companionship.

Tucson - San Xavier Mission

Friday Jan 27, having made contact with Kent and Betty on Thursday evening, we picked them up and went to the San Xavier Mission South of Town. 

MISSION SAN XAVIER DEL BAC was founded in 1692 by a Jesuit missionary, Father Eusebio Francisco Kino. It was then that he became the first non-Indian to visit the village of Wa:k, or “Bac,” as he wrote it, and it was he who bestowed the patronage of San Francisco Xavier on this large village of O’odham or, as he called the natives, “Sobaipuris.”

The mission is a constant state of restoration to preserve it.  It was a beautiful structure and the artwork and statues are incedible.

From there, at Kent's suggestion, we visited 4th Avenue in downtown Tucson.  This was a trip back to the hippie culture of the 1960's in San Francisco (and maybe today for all I know).  It seemed that the "dress of the day" for the kids there is black.  Some interesting shops, but we had a sense that we were in a drug culture.

We had a great lunch at a Mexican Restaurant, came out to the RV for drinks, the supper at Five Guys.  The hamburgers are as good here as they are in NC.

Going back out West

January 17 to Jan 23

It's time to go back out West and get on the RV for a while.

We left Beaufort Tuesday, Jan 17 after Clara's dentist appointment for the Mountain House.

We arrived in Spruce Pine around 5:30 pm.  Clara called Kit to say Hi and she was getting ready to go to Bonnie and Will's for a "Orchard Cookbook Tasting" and we were to come.  So within a few minutes, we were on the way to their house for a fun evening with friends (while our house warmed up a little).

We had initially planned to stay a couple days in Spruce Pine, but when we woke up Wednesday morning, I saw no reason for not starting our trip today.  So by 10:15, we were on the road to Tony and Jill's in Wichita, Kansas.  We made it through Tennessee and most of Missouri, finally stopping at a small hotel for a few hours
sleep.

Thursday morning, we were on the road early and arrived at the Pimentel's around 2:30 pm.

We enjoyed a dinner out with them at a club they belong to Thursday night.  Friday, we all relaxed and enjoyed the company and Friday night we had a real treat.  We met with two other couples who had been squadron mates in the 340th Bombardment Squadron at Blytheville AFB, Ark.  Hal Martin had been a B-52 pilot and J T Plummer had been a Radar Navigator in the Squadron.  Combined with Tony, who had been a Radar Navigator and me being a pilot, we revisited many old memories and shared stories, which, for the most part had some truth in them.

Saturday morning we departed from Wichita, drove through portions of Oklahoma and Texas and arrived at Kirkland AFB in Albuquerque late Saturday evening, where we stayed at the on-base lodging - a very fine apartment/hotel.

Sunday morning we got up early to recommission the RV.  However, we couldn't get in the gate.  We thought we had the gate code correct, however, we had forgotten the # in front of the four numbers.  After a frustrating couple of hours trying to get into contact with the owner, we finally got in with no problem. 

The RV was in perfect shape.  We removed the cover, checked everything and in a little while were on the way to the RV park at Kirkland.  We got everything running on the RV and went to the commissary to get provisioned.  Sunday night, we are relaxed and caught up on some rest after what seems like a very quick trip across 3/4 of the USA.

Monday, we took the RV to Tom's RV Service and to change the oil, check the fluids and make sure everything was ready to go.  While they were servicing the Matterhorn, we went and picked up the new tow dolly at the shipping company.  We put it together (screwed on the taillights and fenders) and hooked it up to the Honda.  Then went by Camping World to pick up a few items, then picked up the RV and went back to the RV Park at Kirkland and started learning how to put the car on the dolly (not as simple as the video explained).  Tomorrow we head to Arizona.

The TOAD is hooked up and ready to go

First Sail of 2012

Jan 7 and 8, 2012

The weather for Saturday and Sunday was forecast to be good for sailing, so Joe and I took Eureka out for its first sail of the year.

On Saturday, we had a good, stiff Southwesterly breeze fo 15-22 knots and had a great sail in 6-8 foot seas to Cape Lookout.

Nearing the Cape, we ran into the largest concentration of birds that we had ever seen.  There were thousands of birds congregated on the water.

Saturday evening, we were treated to a beautiful moonrise over the Cape Lookout Lighthouse.

And a beautiful sunset.

Overnight, the winds shifted to the Northeast and we had a great sail in 10-15 knots back to port.

A great start to 2012!!

Spring Break and Great Wolf Lodge

Friday, Dec 30 - Friday Jan 6

This was a rare treat for us.  Slade, Evan and Anna came down to Beaufort and spent the week.  This is the most time we've had to enjoy Slade and the grandchildren ever.  And we loved every minute!

Evan had received a "rip stick" for Christmas and we borrowed one for Anna.  The two of them (plus the older kid - Slade) rode them in the driveway every chance they got.  Before the end of the week they were all getting very good on them.

One day, the old double decker bus was doing special tours of Beaufort and we all jumped aboard for a different view of Beaufort.

We dropped by the Maritime Museum after the bus ride and Evan had his picture made with his Great Great Grandfather, John B. Quidley, who was a lighthouse keeper at Cape Lookout Lighthouse in 1911.

On Wednesday, January 4, we drove to Williamsburg, Virginia for a two night stay at the Great Wolf Lodge which features an 80,000 sq ft indoor water park.  This was our third year visiting Great Wolf Lodge with the Grandkids, but the first with Slade.  Having him with us made it very special (and a lot more fun) for all of us.

Anna and Evan exiting the "Howlin' Tornado".  Anna rode it 29 times.

Evan wipes out on the boogie board

Evan (and Slade) got real good on the boogie boards.  They both got to the point that they could do 360's on the ride.

Anna could walk across the bobbing logs without falling or touching the net.

The family enjoys a few minutes resting.

Great Wolf Lodge Waterpark, Williamsburg, Va.

Christmas, 2011

This Christmas is certainly different from last years when we were stuck on top of the mountain in Spruce Pine by a Christmas Eve snowstorm.

We had picked up Dad earlier in the week and he had spent the week before Christmas with us in Beaufort.

On Saturday, we went to Slades for the traditional Christmas Eve opening of presents with the kids.


This year, we gave Anna and Evan a 2 day trip to Great Wolf Lodge.  This will be our third year doing this.  In the past, we have surprised them, but this year we wanted them to have something to look forward to.

We're going to Great Wolf Lodge!!!!!!

4 Generations that carry the Inscoe name to the future!

Four proud generations!