Tucson - Surprise! We have an extra day

     Tucson is a great place to visit, al kinds of outdoor activities to do.  We spent a week in Tucson in the summer of 2010 with our good friends, John & Cindy.  There was beautiful scenery, great hiking trails and friendly people.  We hiked some excellent trails in the national parks ..........what a great bargain national parks provide.  We also visited Scottsdale, Tombstone, Jerome and Bisbee.  Tombstone was kind of a bust, way too commercial, overdone.

     Bisbee and Jerome were interesting little towns, well worth the visit.  We ran into a guy that built a motorized bicycle, he was thrilled with it and happy to tell us all about it.  He bought a gas engine kit online built for bicycles, pretty cool.

     We ate lunch at the Bisbee Grill and had Bison burger, very good.  Bisbee is in the southern part of Arizona, near the border of Mexico.  As we were heading back to Tucson, we were pulled over by the border patrol to check our citizenship.  Everyone, except Mimi had their drivers license, but one look at her they could easily tell she belonged in the U.S. So they waved us on.  After resting a bit at the hotel we decided to have dinner at Michelangelo's restaurant, great meal.

     The next day we visited the Pima Air and Space Museum and the Aircraft bone yard truly amazing.  If you're an aviation enthusiast, you will love the tour.  We went to Saguaro National Park to do a little hiking then drove around the park, all in all a great day.  We found this gourmet sandwich place near our hotel, which we ate a few times called Baggin's.  Their gourmet sandwiches were very tasty and each came in a bag with a cookie, hence the name Baggin's.

     We inquired about the old town area and we were directed to 4th street, which turned out to be an area where you might see the hippy dippy weatherman.  There were head shops with psychedelic music playing and a bizarre amount of questionable paraphernalia for sale.  It was like a throwback from the 60's burnouts included. Since we drove there, there was no reason not go into some of these shops. It could be interesting.  Well, when the 4 of us walk in, the clerk immediately questioned straight-laced Mimi "Did someone drag you in here or did you come in on your own."  Really, how rude. I guess Mimi could never do under cover work.

     The next day we checked out of the hotel to grab breakfast then head to the airport, when Mimi called her sister (Ann) to tell her we were on our way home.  Ann simply said "Really, I thought you we coming back tomorrow."  This puzzled Mimi enough to look at the reservations and sure enough we didn't leave until the next day, Cool an extra day.  Well, it wasn't really but it felt like it, so we immediately checked back into the hotel wondering way they hadn't mentioned anything when we checked out.  Oh, well our reservations were still in tact.

     Now, what were going to do on our free day, we decided to take a small hike then come back and relax in the pool.  We were staying at the Wingate and while we were down at the pool we met a father and his daughter (Hanna) from Ipswich, England. The father was relaxing while his daughter Hanna was swimming in the pool.  Hanna was very cute, funny and engaging young girl as well as a very good swimmer.  Hanna and her father were supposed to leave for home on Thursday but their return was postponed because of the ash clouds from the volcano in Iceland. We spent an enjoyable afternoon trying to beat Hanna in a swimming race but lost every time.  Youth always wins out in a athletic competition. We hope they arrived home safely in time for Hanna's 10th birthday on April 20th.  I'm practicing the swimming strokes Hanna taught me but I'm afraid there is little hope for improvement.

     The next morning we checked out of the hotel and headed for the airport, Hmm, this feels vaguely familiar, deja-vu. 

My connection to France

     My ancestry comes from three nationalities, German, Irish and French.  There could be other nationalities sprinkled in my background but these three are the most prevalent.

     My grandmother Elsie (Meme) (Grein) married LeRoy McWilliams, which explains my Irish background.  Meme's mother my great grandmother was born in a French village in Illinois with a French surname Huhenenien.  

     My Dad was a WWII veteran but he never spoke much about the war, just a few words on occasion about friends he had while in service but never war stories, even though he had been in combat.  I remember rummaging through the attic looking at my Dad’s World War II memorabilia, which included fatigues, helmet, photos, combat boots, he had even brought back a German luger which he showed me but he kept secured in some unknown location.

     It wasn't until he passed away when we found a letter he saved from the war.  This letter was titled "Some Where in France" which I posted in my blog on Nov 18, 2013.  Sgt. Paul J. Fleming originally wrote this letter on an unknown date during WWII.  My Dad was one of the 18 American soldiers in the group with Sgt . Fleming.  The letter describes one day in a war torn country when the men in the Sergeant’s squad had a pleasant surprise as they entered this small French town.  This was a day of abundant food, wine and an unexpected calm.  It was possibly so memorable because a pleasant day was unexpected during those days in France.  I know with certainty this day was anything but pleasant for the people in this French town.  One's fortune can become another's loss.

     The letter describes the bombed houses and buildings in the town as well as the emptiness in that the French citizens were driven away from their homes abruptly.  This was apparent based on how the soldiers found the town.  The towns' people had left so quickly that there was no time to take any valued positions including their pets.  This made me wonder about the people of that small French town and how they would have to rebuild their lives after the war.  I don't know the name of the French town but there were likely many small towns in France that has a similar history.

     We visited France last year but we did not have an opportunity to go to Normandy (Normandie) or the small towns in the northwest but we will make this on a future trip because I feel it’s part of my family history.

Politicians and their Egos

     Politicians seem like an odd bunch to me.  They initially promote themselves by saying what they intend to do for our country and it's citizens but their actions lead you to believe that's it what they can do for themselves.  Yes, they live their lives under a microscope but they know that before signing up.  

     Obama cameos on David Letterman, Michelle Obama on Night Shift, Parks and Recreation, Nashville, Late Night, John Kerry taking selfies with an elephant, Joe Biden on Late Night.  These celebrity appearances have been going on for awhile so the Obama's administration didn't start this but they certainly have adapted to it well.  

     The thing is for me it takes something away from the prestigious office of the President or First Lady to appear on a TV show especially when they participating in a skit.  Is the Presidency just stepping stone for their next career as a TV personality?  In the distant past you seen the President on TV but it was for a state of the union address or a news report on a national issue.  Now, I think it's great to see the President or First Lady on the news promoting humanitarian issues, health concerns, a college commencement speech or sponsoring other important issues for the American public.  Maybe I'm showing my age but seeing the President or First Lady on a TV comedy seems to devalue their office.

     Some say this is the new way politicians can use TV (pop culture smart) but is this what we want.  The Guardian states of Michelle Obama "Her many TV cameos to date have revealed that Michelle Obama is a pretty good actor: she is skilled at playing herself in the role of herself."  Really! she is good a playing herself, Amazing!  Yeah, that's what I want see on a TV series, Michelle Obama playing herself, not really.

     Who I would like to see elected is non-politicians, someone without a personal agenda to promote themselves.  We need people in the high political positions that are not concerned about their political future but just wants to do the right thing; someone that will not be influenced by the lobbyist.  The problem with my wish is that it is unlikely that the pubic will elect such a person because they will be too influenced by the promises of the career politicians.  "Just Saying...."  

Stuck at the bottom of the Royal Gouge

     When I was growing up, my parents (Sissy & Sonny) liked to took vacations (driving) every year, which may have been unusual for middle class families at that time but they always found a way. One year when I was a young boy about 6 or 7, we drove to Colorado.  My cousin (Kath) went with us on this trip as she did with many.  She was my age and we could entertain each other.  My sister (Rose) had not yet entered the picture (8 year difference).

     I can't say I remember a lot about the trip except our day at the Royal Gouge near Canon city, Colorado.  There is bridge that spans the gouge, it's a wide (50 ft) walking bridge, no cars allowed. It's not a bridge that goes anywhere just to the other side, but it has a great view of the Arkansas River below.  The river has cut a huge canyon in the rocks and the river is 1200 ft below the bridge.  It was an amazing view to look over the bridge at this huge canyon and river below even for a kid.

     Now I never thought of my parents as adventurous even though my Dad was a WW II Veteran but I guess kids never look at their parents that way.   There was a cable car that you could ride to the bottom of the gouge and be next the the raging river and it was a powerful river as I remember.  This was before there were zip lines and bungee jumping, so taking a cable car to the bottom of the gouge was probably considered adventurous.  There were also railroad tracks at the bottom that paralleled the river.

     After spending time on the bridge, we got in line to take the cable car to the bottom.  This was an exciting experience for a kid and my cousin and I were thrilled to get a chance to ride a cable car.  We  got out of the car and were allowed to roam around the scenic river bank (not too close).  Looking up at the bridge we had just stood on earlier was pretty cool as well.  We were allowed to stay at the bottom as long as we wanted but at some point we got back in line to ride to the top.

     It seemed like we waited a long time with little or no movement in the line.  At one point we were told the cable car was broken and they had to fix it.  This went on for about 2 hours and the word came down that if they couldn't get it fixed they would have to take us out of the canyon by train to wherever the nearest town was.  Kath and I were thinking, cool a cable car ride and train ride in the same day.  I'm sure those were not the thoughts of my parents since the car was parked in the lot above us and we would need to be transported back to the gouge to get our car.  It would have been a very long day but none of that worried Kath or I because we knew my parents would take care of us.

     Finally the word came down that the cable car was fixed, which to us kids was disappointing since there would be no train ride.  I could tell that my parents and others adults around me were a little concerned about the ride back up, not knowing if the cable car would break on our way up.  Stuck at the bottom was minor compared to being stuck half way up.  It was an exciting day that ended well.  Kath and I slept well on the way back to the hotel.

Why is the World at War?

     It seems like we are all fighting one another but I'm not sure why.  Syria, Iran, Iraq, Ukraine, Russia, USA etc., no one seems to get along with others, be it countries, religious factions or nationalities. This fighting extends beyond countries to neighborhoods and towns within small communities. Neighbors are fighting neighbors with no reason other than to show their dominance. Why is everyone so dissatisfied?  What will make your neighbor happy?  I wish I had a answer that would make sense to everyone, but I don't.

     We all have different cultures, dreams, backgrounds but we have things in common as well.  We all desire happiness and success but our definitions and methods of achieving them are different.  Many people disapprove of others just because their beliefs, nationality, race or country of origin are not aligned with theirs.  In order to move forward in this world we need to be accepting of people’s differences.   There is no rational reason why our differences should drive us apart; actually it makes more sense that our differences bring us together.  We expand our knowledge by learning different cultures.

     Religious wars puzzle me because they go against the basic belief of religious teachings.  Religions have different teachings, worship different gods but all religions believe in a higher power so that's a common thread.  The goal of all religions should be to help mankind through peace and understanding not violence.

     I think the majority of people have all lost sight of the real purpose of mankind.  We can achieve greatness and leave our ancestors a bountiful world if we work together.  It should be important to think about others first before you act because the actions you take have value.  I don't know if everyone believes in karma but it will show its teeth when you least expect it.  "Just Saying...."

Our 12-mile hike in Arizona

     We have hiked many trails on vacations throughout that USA but our longest hike was in the Catalina Mountains in Arizona.  When I say we, I mean Mimi & I and our close friends John & Cindy.  The plan was to hike the Sabino Canyon trail to the 7 falls which was a 8 mile hike but we had hiked that distance before so it should no problem.  We had hiking boots, poles, water and hats so we felt prepared.  We parked our car early in the morning and geared up, then deciding to walk to the trailhead instead of riding the bus (that would be lame).

     The first thing we did was get a map from the tourist office which showed us which way to head but we were not aware the trailhead was a 2 mile walk.  That's ok we're fresh and anxious to get started. Now if you're paying attention the hike has now turned into 12 miles instead of 8.

     Our plans were solid except for food (just a few Powerbars), but since the average walking speed is 3.1 miles per hour and adjusting for rocky terrain we should average 2.5 miles per hour which means we would be back from this 8 mile hike in just over 3 1/2 hours, 4 hours at the outside.  We figured we could have a nice lunch when we got back from the hike.  Our calculations were based on an 8 mile hike not 12 miles plus we slowed down dramatically on the return trip so we were not achieving our 2.5 mile estimate.  The hike took us 7 hours or as Mimi would say "7 freaking hours". 

     The scenery was beautiful on the trip to the falls crossing through clear icy cold streams, picture perfect.  The trail meandered up and down the hills giving us great vantage points for taking a few pictures, "Oh Yea! we forgot the camera, must have left it with the food".  We had the falls in sight so we couldn't turn around now, it was just ahead, but it seemed like it took forever to get there. Mimi and Cindy waited just above the falls while John and I climbed down the rocks to reach the falls.  After spending a short time at the falls we headed back down the trail and I'm sure the scenery was just a beautiful going back to the trailhead as it was going to the falls but we didn't seem to notice it as much.  We were on a mission to get back and the beautiful scenery was not going to slow us down.

     Water had now become an issue because we ran out about after 5 hours on the trail.  Then Mimi wrenched her ankle a bit so we stopped to let her rest, but luckily it was minor and she being a trooper pressed on.  We made it back to the trailhead and got some water and thought about waiting for the bus to take us to the parking lot but we didn't know how long it would be so we hoofed it.

     It was a fun hike but we should have taken the bus to the trailhead and made it an 8 mile hike instead of 12 miles.  I have to give props to Mimi and Cindy for sticking with us on this long hike since this was not their idea.

Yesterday and Today

     When I was younger I would leap out of bed in the morning, literally.  I would be lying prone on the bed and when the alarm woke me up I would jump out of bed as if I was on a trampoline, no joke.  I always looked forward to what each day may bring.

     At some age in my life I stopped leaping out of bed, I don't remember exactly what age maybe late 30's.  Now I'm in my 60's and in the morning I sit at the edge of the bed getting my bearings and letting the blood flow to my legs before standing up.  Each step I take I feel and hear creaking joints and sore muscles.  The first few steps are shaky but with each step I become more stable and within a few minutes all is good, well as good as it's going to get.

     I enjoy living an active lifestyle and I am still active today but it just takes me a little longer to get geared up.  I'm not complaining, that's the way life is, many have it worse.  I still look forward to each day but my operating system has slowed down, I can still do many of the activities I did in the past but with less speed.  That's ok, things change and all you can do is the best you can.  Today, I'm going cycling with my buddy John and though we're not 30 anymore we will act like it for a few hours because our spirits are young.

     I know one thing for sure " Never give up or give in, keep pushing".  "Just Saying...."