Palo Verde Inn And Suites Tucson

... this mission to advocate for Lizzie and other people like her who rely on the generosity of others. I would like to be a part of more trips like this to educate/encourage public volunteerism. I am thankful I could be a small part of this team.


Thank you all for your support and encouragement.

... I had the strength to ride another 29 miles.

We finished together and were cheered like winners. The finish line was in the middle of Tucson. There was a big celebration afterwards. We met up with the Bells and took pictures with Lizzie. We even got medals for finishing. Lizzie signed our matching jerseys. It was a hoot!

We then went back to our beautiful condo to disassemble our bikes and rest a few minutes.


We were asked to come to ...

... Un Momento--a popular lunch place for locals.
Having been ignored and neglected by the city may have actually worked in it's favor, however. Too far from central Tucson for walk-bys, it's laid there deteriorating until folks started waking up to it's historical significance and simply cool possibilities. Okay, a chunk of it got bulldozed to make room for a civic center, but there's still a lot left to love.
It's ...

Friday- the four of us are mostly on our own to enjoy Tucson and soak up the warmth and sights of the city. It is a hoot to see my teammates again- I can't believe it has been a year since we saw each other. We enjoy each other quite a bit. We went to the convention center to "work at the booth" We just talked to the other cyclists that were here to get their ride packets and look at all the new "stuff" offered by other vendors. The Lizzie ...

my flights were quite fun! I think we had the oldest male flight attendant in the history of flight on the trip from Denver(no snow) to Tucson.

being up at 4:00 am to go anywhere is a challenge to me. anyway, Nancy(Denver RN) and I arrived in Tucson at the same time. We were met by the host mom Kathy Bell and she took us to our beautiful condo at the foot of the mountains. Nancy and I walked on the riverwalk, which is really a sandy walk ...

... and not on the banks of a small stream?
We learned why as we investigated further.
Great care has been taken to restore, repair and revive San Xavier. Begun in 1783, it's been hit by lightening, shaken by earthquakes, and nearly ruined by water (go figure).
Surrounding missions have been deserted and drifted off into the desert, but San Xavier is a vibrant, working church with a dedicated ...

We found a nice park for an overnight stay. It has nice showers, wi-fi, cable TV, a heated pool and a hot tub. All for only $16.46 a night including tax. This is the cheapest park so far and definitely one of the best. It is getting warmer. Last night we swam in the outdoor heated pool.

... and we were at the mercy of American Airlines and to relax and enjoy the flight. The plane sat on the tarmac for a half an hour then rolled down the Tucson runway and lifted off toward Chicago. The flight was very smooth as we headed east first following Interstate 10 and then turning Northeast toward the Windy City. As we started to our descent into Chicago we broke through the clouds and I could see out the window that we were headed out over Lake Michigan to ...

Well, you're probably wondering why I'm posting this from the states so early. About a day outside of Mazatlan my rear shock blew something out and started leaking oil all over the place. I was able to get in touch with the manufacturer and found out that I could make it back to Arizona if I rode on mellow roads, but Baja Mexico doesn't ...

... and all around the huge mountains of cactus. It's such a nice view. 11:13 - At the visitor's center. About to embark on a trail and sightseeing at the park. 12:00 - Walked one trail for about a mile or so. Saw lots of little lizards. We saw a rattlesnake for ten seconds and then it slithered away. Now we are back on the dirt road driving through the desert. The sun is covered by the clouds but it's still hot out. 2:20 ...