The Mohave Desert to The Sonoran Desert

We spent most of today driving from Barstow, California, back home in Tucson.  We took a circuitous route because we wanted to drive past the Salton Sea and we wanted to visit Ajo.  The Imperial Valley of California, in the Mohave Desert, was not nearly as beautiful as the Salinas Valley with its emerald green hills, but still there was a lot of agriculture!  We stopped for lunch in Yuma, and continued our journey, with a drive through Ajo.

We were impressed by Ajo.  We had read about the Curley School, built Spanish Colonial Revival Style in 1919 as the public school for Ajo, with additional buildings added in 1926 and 1937. 
"In 2000-2001, a group of concerned Ajo residents came together with the University of Arizona on developing a comprehensive plan for the town of Ajo. More than 400 people participated in the forums. The results determined that Ajo needed and wanted to save historic treasures like the Curley School that were in disrepair and falling apart. The conclusion was that an arts and culture center, based on Ajo’s tri-cultural heritage should be the center-piece of a strong, new, creative economic development strategy for the town. More than $9.6 million dollars was raised to purchase and develop the Curley Project. The Curley School completed a multi-million-dollar renovation into 30 affordable live/work rentals for artists, artisans and creative home businesses by early 2007."  Ajo is quite remote but in a nice setting in the Sonoran Desert, with lush desert all around thick with hills and mountains. New housing has been built, a coffee shop was open on the main plaza... it felt like a real community. 

We drove on through the lush Sonoran Desert, thick with brush, palo verde, mesquite, chollas, and a carpet of grass from the rains of the past month.  We even saw a few poppies along the roadside, as well as organ pipe cactus.  We drove through Sells and past Kitt Peak as the sun set and the sky turned pink and purple.  We made fond memories on our road trip to California this week!

More Missions and Beautiful California!

Over breakfast at The Tickle Pink Inn, Papa and I saw over four dozen whale spouts.  Amazing!  The view was spectacular!  We couldn’t have had a better start to our day.

We stopped at the Carmel Mission Basilica, built in 1797, and well maintained in the city of Carmel.    Our next stop was at Mission Soledad, built in 1791, the most simple of the missions we’ve visited.  We drove to Soledad via a two lane county road, through miles of agricultural fields, growing a range of products, from wine grapes to fruit trees, to annual crops and beef cattle.  The hills were emerald green and every farm and ranch was immaculate, with yards trimmed and barnyards tidy. 

We stopped at Mission San Miguel, built in 1797, and the only California mission with its interior murals still intact.  It is still in use, as the primary Catholic Church for the town of San Miguel.

We continued driving south, then east, through Paso Robles wine country, then past Bakersfield, where the terrain changed into rocky hills covered in grassland, perfect ranching country.  Within an hour, we entered the Mojave Desert, with snow capped mountain peaks in the distance and Joshua trees dotting the landscape.  Our from Carmel, on the Pacific, down the Salinas Valley, to the Mohave Desert, took us through incredibly interesting and varied terrain.  We enjoyed every moment!

Up the Coast... Hearst Castle, Big Sur, and Carmel

After breakfast in San Luis Obispo this morning, we drove up the coast to Hearst Castle.  The sky was gray but the mountains were deep emerald green.  It was a beautiful drive!  We arrived 10 minutes before the 10 a.m. tour, so we took it!  We enjoyed the tour and are interested to learn more about Mr. Hearst.  His home and grounds are incredibly grand.  Camellias were in bloom all over the grounds, and exceptionally beautiful.  We finished our tour around noon and headed north toward Big Sur.  

Just after we started driving north, the clouds burned off and the sky cleared up.  Just beautiful!  We stopped a few times to take photos.  We ate lunch at Nepenthe overlooking the Pacific, then drove to Carmel to The Tickle Pink Inn.  We have stayed here a couple of times before, 35 or so years ago.  The manager sent us a bottle of champagne to “welcome us back.”  It’s a special place with an interesting history.  We’ve had a very good day, driving up the coast of California along one of the most beautiful drives in the world!

Green Hills

We have driven through hundreds of miles of emerald green grassy covered hills over the past two days.  The green hills of California are absolutely beautiful!

Spanish Missions

Papa and I visited four Spanish missions today, Mission Santa Barbara (built 1786), Mission Santa Ines in Solvang (built 1804), La Purísima Concepcion (built 1787), and Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa (built 1772).  Each Mission was different than the last and we enjoyed visiting each one.

“The Spanish missions in California comprise a series of 21 religious outposts (missions) established between 1769 and 1833.  Founded by Catholic priests of the Franciscan order to evangelize Native Americans, the missions led to the creation of the New Spain province of Alta California and were part of the expansion of the Spanish Empire into the most northern and western parts of Spanish North America.

The missionaries forced the Native Americans to live in settlements, disrupting their traditional way of life.  The missionaries introduced European fruits, vegetables, cattle, horses, ranching, and technology.  The missions have been accused by critics of various abuses and oppression.  In the end, the missions had mixed results in their objectives: to convert, educate, and transform the natives into Spanish colonial citizens.

By 1810, Spain’s king had been imprisoned by the French, and financing for military payroll and missions in California ceased.  In 1821, Mexico achieved independence from Spain.  The 21,000 Mission Indians produced leather, tallow, wool, and textiles, exported to Boston, South America, and Asia.  The missions began to lose control over land in the 1820’s.  At the peak of its development in 1832, the coastal mission system controlled an area equal to about one-sixth of Alta California.  The Alta California government secularists the missions in 1833, which divided the mission lands into land grants with the transfer of Indian congregation lands to military commanders and their most loyal men.  These became the Ranchos of California.

The surviving mission buildings are the state’s oldest structures and its most-visited historic monuments.  The oldest cities of California formed around or near Spanish missions, including the four largest, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, and San Francisco.”

Santa Barbara

Papa and I spent yesterday driving from Tucson to Santa Barbara, an 8 hour + drive.  The reward upon our arrival was quite nice.  The last 20 miles of the trip were along Highway 101,  from Ventura to Santa Barbara, along the coast, at sunset.  Beautiful!

We stayed at The Cheshire Cat B&B.  We woke up this morning and walked down State Street and up Anacapa Street, stopping at the the Santa Barbara County Courthouse to explore.  It is a Spanish Colonial Revival style building completed in 1929.  It is known for its Clock Tower, which we climbed to see the beautiful views, and its Mural Room, that reminded us of the long history of California and its Spanish heritage.  We came back the The Cheshire Cat for breakfast.  A great start to our day!

Hiking the Finger Rock Trail

We met our long time friend, Mel and his fiance, Robbie, for lunch yesterday, then embarked on a three mile hike on the Finger Rock Trail.  It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed the views up the mountain and down to the city.  We had a terrific time!

Bear Canyon Hike

Jennie picked me up at 9 this morning and we drove to Sabino Canyon.  We took the Bear Canyon trail and hiked about 4 miles.  The water was running in the creek.  It was a beautiful morning with lots of other hikers out and about too.

Sky in Tucson

We are enjoying a spectacular winter in Tucson, with the sky scattered with clouds almost every day.  The clouds often hang low on the mountains and the sunsets are full of color.  We've had over 1" of rain already in the month of January.  Love winter in Tucson!

If Beale Street Could Talk

Papa and I went to see the film, If Beale Street Could Talk, this afternoon.  It should be required viewing for every American.  The film was beautifully done, from acting to cinematography.  The film is set in Harlem in the 1970’s.  It is about a young couple, Tish and Fonny, friends since childhood, devoted to each other and dreaming of a future together.  Their plans are derailed when Fonny is arrested for a crime he did not commit and spends several years in prison.

The film was directed by Barry Jenkins and produced by Adele Romanski, a school friend of Claire and Whitney’s from Sarasota.  Her husband did the cinematography.  They won an Oscar for Best Picture in 2017 with Moonlight.  It’s fun to see success for old friends!

Birthday Breakfast

My friend, Jennie, invited me to an 89th birthday breakfast for her mother Jovita’s friend, Belen.  The conversation ranged from Napoleon sending Maximiliano and Carlota to Mexico from Austria, to supporting an orphanage, to Belen's family heritage of Italian, French, and Spanish grandparents, and much more!  I enjoyed every moment and was honored to help Jennie serve breakfast and be part of the celebration.

Gingerbread House Demise

Claire put together gingerbread houses, made frosting and got lots of candy for Emerson, Colby, Lauren, and Taylor to decorate on December 31.  The kids and Claire had a great time!  On New Year's Day, each of the kids took their gingerbread house outside and Papa put each one on a large rock under our bird feeder.  Taylor's gingerbread house was nearest the walkway, so she helped herself to several pieces of candy over the next few days. 

We had close to an inch of rain on Saturday night, and the gingerbread houses collapsed and melted.  This morning, while eating breakfast, a pack of javalina came along to lick up what was left of the gingerbread houses.  One javalina left with a piece of candy stuck to his nose!

 

Rain!

We had rain overnight, about 9/10”, and sprinkles off and on through the day, with sun too.  Then this rainbow appeared about 4:00 this afternoon.  Beautiful!

Anniversary Hike

Papa and I celebrated our 38th anniversary on January 3 with a hike in Catalina State Park.  Lauren and Taylor led the way “up the mountain.”  It was a beautiful afternoon!

Colossal Cave Experience

We drove to Colossal Cave around 10:00 this morning, along with Audrey, Lauren and Taylor.  When we left home, the temperature was near 40 and there were clouds, but the sky was clearing to our south and west.  As we drove east, just a few miles, the sky was darker and the clouds lower.  We turned south and it started snowing.  By the time we arrived at Colossal Cave, there was close to 3-4” of snow on the trees and covering everything.  It was an incredibly beautiful sight!

                               We toured Colossal Cave, and at 71 degrees, it felt terrific!

Our drive home was surreal.  We drove north from Colossal Cave toward the Santa Catalina Mountains.  There was a visible line on the mountain, with snow on one side of the line and no snow on the other side of the line and the sun was shining.  We arrived home, with absolutely no snow.  Driving to and from Colossal Cave today was an unusual experience!