Flying down to see Bestie before the winter sets in too far, back to Tucson, AZ! A short trip, just a few days long but with some great hang time and outdoor adventures. We started out visiting Madera Canyon, in a somewhat unique setting. The clouds were unusually low and there was...moisture in the air? Such an unexpected situation for being in the Arizona desert in winter. It was a sight to see as there was a mixture of deciduous, evergreen, and succulents everywhere which made for an extremely lovely experience. Glowing white barked trees with brilliant red leaves were hidden along the once-watered canyons of the park. Even found some fascinating shapes in the gnarled roots of other sage-like trees. It was wonderful to see and catch up with Bestie as a lot of her life has changed lately too. It was refreshing to see her so content with life. We had some tasty thai food. Mine had raw peppercorns in it. Fun fact, they are green on the outside of the peppercorns and hot AF. Not like the way chili peppers are. In like, a smoky and penetrating fashion because I had to chew them. Great experience because it was something new, though!
The next day, we went to Sabino Canyon for a big hike (big for me, much easier for her). It was breathtaking as usual, seeing the vastness of mountains, saguaro, birds, lizards, and sun. Did I mention the lovely, warm sun?! Wearing sunscreen in November seemed funny, but it was totally necessary. We binged watched season 3 of Skinwalker Ranch that night as it is a whole new fascination for the two of us--though it started with Bestie.
Next day, an insightful visit to the Titan Missile Museum where we got to go inside a decommissioned cold war nuclear missile structure. The tour guide was engaging and provided some wonderful examples of what life looked like for those working in such a space. It gave me a greater sense of appreciation for some of the boomer generation's many habits and imagined fears. I texted my father-in-law and he had some profound thoughts on this topic as well. Without going into my soapbox, I will just say I have hope that Gen Z starts to get things more right than we Millennials did/are. Afterwards, we took a trip to Mexico at Nogales (like usual). A quick walk-through to the border and ate at the same place Bestie and I did when we visited a few years back. Same table and everything. It was a nice outing, got some cool photos of the city at sunset, too.
In the end, the only painting I really got done was a gift for Bestie's partner and this pool-side mess from their back patio. Hilariously, it was a lot of fun doing the other painting, even though it was mostly a re-creation inspired by his favorite t-shirt. Topped off with some St Germaine drinks based on our favorite Skinwalker Ranch cast members, it was a great trip as usual.
Comments