Tubac, Arizona: Just another perfect day in the desert. Another beautiful clear sunny day with no wind. Temperatures into the low 70's. But you also should know at 5 o'clock in the afternoon, someone flips a switch and it gets COLD. Last night the temperature dipped to 29 degrees. No matter, we are toasty-warm in the Magna Peregrinus. Her radiant heaters under our full-tile floors keep the entire motorhome über comfortable.
I had a few emails from readers worried about me running alone in the desert. So sweet that you worry about me, but you needn't worry, because...
1. There are other people out there. Walking dogs. Many mountain bikers too.
2. I always wear my RoadID bracelet. Even without the ID bracelet, I would be easy to identify. NIKE shoes + NIKE socks + fluorescent pink NIKE Dri-fit running top + NIKE Industrial Strength Jog Bra + NIKE High Performance running tights + NIKE running hat = Internationally-Recognized Identifier of someone from Beaverton, Oregon with NIKE Employee Store privileges.
3. After a few days, DT (bad hammy and all) would go looking for me.
4. I am never out of the eyesight of the the US Border Patrol cameras. (Probably not a lot of people attempting to slip into the US via this desert wear fluorescent pink.) I bet the agents watching the video monitors are having a good laugh watching me plodding along.
We stayed around the campground this morning - making sure one of us was available at all times to receive the impending UPS delivery. DT rode the exercise bicycle at the RV resort fitness center. The fitness center is well equipped and after working-out, you can have a swim in the indoor salt-water pool or a soak in the hot tub. I ran - only 3 miles - in the desert.
UPS delivered our parts around 2 o'clock and we were able to find a handyman right in the RV park to help DT install the new bathroom exhaust fan motor. It was a two-person job, requiring someone to be on the roof and someone to be in the bathroom. It was also essential that both workers be tall.
Which leads me to post the third photo of this trip of a dude on the roof of our motorhome. This photo is of Ron, from Michigan. Ron is a very delightful (and tall) fellow. His wife (of 57 years) passed away last year and they always traveled south in the winter, so he is trying it on his own this year. Ron likes to keep busy. He walks, he golfs, the owners of this campground and fellow campers keep Ron busy with handyman chores. Ron is in demand.And we now have a working bathroom exhaust fan. Which, as you may imagine, is a very important component of every RV.
Continuing on with this and that...
I have also had several emails from readers suggesting we visit the Cow Palace Steak Restaurant in Amado. We heard the food at the Cow Palace was not-so-great, but that the bar was fun - so we headed out to the bar. The Cow Palace parking lot was empty and a hand-written sign on the front door read "Closed due to kitchen fire - Closed until further notice". We later learned this sign has been on the door of the Cow Palace for over six months. The owner passed away; they had a kitchen fire and the rest is history. Story developing...
So, we ended up across the street from the Cow Palace - at the Longhorn Restaurant.
Even we will admit, the Longhorn looked pretty unique. We are continuously amazed at the stuff we find in rural America. Seems the bar was built for the filming of Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore and was also used during the filming of Boys on the Side.
Sign in front of the Longhorn Restaurant in Amado, Arizona
The Longhorn Restaurant has a regular entrance into the restaurant - or you can reach the bar by walking through the opening of the "longhorn skull". We had a cocktail in the bar and then headed back to our campsite.
In the dark, the "skull" has a very interesting (eerie?) appearance!Maybe tomorrow we will do something. Or maybe not.
Until my next update, I remain, your repaired correspondent.
RV Park: De Anza RV Resort - pull-through and back-in full service gravel sites. Cable, free wifi, bath house, laundry, indoor salt water pool, hot tub, community room, TV room, gated security. Lots of fun here. We paid $40.