Day 48
After a cool night without running a/c we arrive at Flagstaff Walmart and park coach. Travel by car to the Lowell Observatory planning on a couple hours. Guided tours lasted 2 hours covered the history of the discovery of Uranus, Neptune and Pluto (which was discovered at this observatory in 1930) as well as the history of Percival Lowell and the Observatory. Also observed the sun through telescope and saw sun spots and solar flares as they were happening, well at least about 8 minutes prior. Viewed exhibits and suddenly it was 2 pm. Lunch back at the coach and then a drive around historic Flagstaff. Early supper on coach and back to the observatory for evening programs and telescope viewing. Saw Jupiter, Saturn and a star cluster of some 300,000 stars 24 light years away. Pretty neat day for this former astronomer wannabe.
June 16, 2015, Tuesday, Munds Park, AZ
Day 47
Departed Phoenix and parked at cousin Rosemary and Ron’s mountain cabin after a 2 hour drive. Their driveway measures about 38 feet for my 37.5 foot coach. Fortunately, not too much traffic on the road so coach shouldn’t be hit. Traveled by car to Sedona and spent the afternoon seeing the sights in Red Rock State Park and Sedona. After boba teas, we visited the Trailhead Tea shop and Rosemary filled her tea supply. About a 24 mile drive along the Oak Creek Canyon highway with some breathtaking views. Breathtaking literally for Rosemary as she cringes on each mountain curve. We end up in Flagstaff for some grocery shopping at Sprouts. Dinner in the coach of leftover Asian.
June 15, 2015, Monday, Scottsdale, AZ
Day 46
Had a very nice visit in the morning with my Aunt Nanci, my dad’s sister. Afternoon we visited the Musical Instrument Museum. We could have spent a day or two here. It was a great museum with each person given a headset and when viewing an instrument, you could watch a video and listen to the instrument being played. All kinds of musical instruments from all over the world from many time periods. If in Phoenix, I rate it a must see. Dinner with cousin Rosemary and Ron at Jade Palace, another Asian place for my Rosemary. Although spending time with family is great, we decide it’s time to leave tomorrow and head to cooler climes. If Tucson was the frying pan, Phoenix is the fire. Highs around 110 are too much for the coach’s a/c’s which trip breakers by day but which have no problems by night. This makes the coach mostly uninhabitable during the day. Never again in southern Arizona in the summertime!
June 14, 2015, Sunday, Scottsdale, AZ
Day 45
Departed Tucson and arrived in Scottsdale (just north of Phoenix) to cousin Rosemary and Ron’s house. Cousin Rosemary and Ron hosted a wonderful dinner and we were joined by cousins Hunter and Joni. It was great seeing my first cousins but sad that we all live so far apart.
June 13, 2015, Saturday, Tucson, AZ
Day 44
Visited the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum in the morning. A “beat the heat” guided tour had a group of about a dozen following the umbrella holding guide. Two others had umbrellas, Rosemary and I. All the others told us how smart we were to bring the umbrellas. The museum was virtually all outdoors - in the desert! In addition to the desert plants there were many animals exhibited. A bird aviary and Rosemary’s favorite a hummingbird aviary were pretty neat. The hummingbirds did stay seated on some branches allowing a close up visit to within about a foot. The museum is next to the Saguaro National Park which was our next visit. A bumpy five mile dirt loop road made sure we saw all the cactus we could ever desire. Afternoon boba teas and then a goodbye dinner with Staci, Jon and Avery at Avery’s favorite Thai restaurant. Also included was a belated birthday celebration for Avery, and gelato! We spent the entire day away from the coach, a mistake we will not repeat. Both our a/c units had tripped their breakers and the coach temp was 99 degrees, and that is only because the gauge does not have three digits. Took about 75 minutes to get us cool. No hot water heater needed this night. The only casualty appeared to be Rosemary’s chocolate chips which became one chip, although a big one.
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