HIGHLIGHTS VI

Reluctantly leaving Carlsbad behind, we headed west/southwest across the morning desert on our way to Tucson, Arizona. One would think that going from New Mexico to Arizona would be a rather straightforward event, but the first major town along that routh is... Wait for this... El Paso, TEXAS!! No illusions, no mirage; it's just there sort of unexpectantly in the midst of a lovely southwestern desert full of fascinating cacti and colorful mountain landscapes.

Just south of Tucson we arrived at the home of Bill and Carol, a most gracious and congenial couple, for a couple of wonderful days in their gorgeous home and community. While Betty was researching and composing her book about Jessie (See http://wyattjourney.com/jessie/index.htm), she encountered Carol, who as a child knew Jessie and who was able to confirm and contribute much insight to her life. Carol visited us twice in Vancouver offering her eyewitness memories and family movies to help document the research Betty was completing.

Carol also holds quite a number of items which once belonged to Jessie, and it was such a treat for the two new buddies to review these treasures and celebrate the publication of the book which had just come out. In fact, one the the very first book orders to arrive anywhere came to their house only an hour before we arrived from Carlsbad. We all enjoyed checking out the completed text together. The serving set pictured belonged to Jessie's parents and are monogramed with her fathers initials. I wonder how many moose or caribou roasts it has carved?

The "Friday Tour" in Tuson is not to be missed. I took dozens of pictures but do not have space for them here. We saw the lovely community in which they live, and drove to the viewpoint on "A" Mountain overlooking modern downtown Tucson, we drove up an intriquing valley full of stately saguaro cactus to a view of "Old Tucson".

Next we located the home where Betty and family lived when she was in high school and were amazed at how far she and her brother had to walk to the massive, classic building. We visited for a couple of hours at the local botanical gardens, and we shared a strange but serendipitous luncheon at the historic Arizona Inn. What a wonderful day in such special company. The rest of the time we lounged in Bill and Carol's lovely home, enjoyed the wild birds and quail, explored the golf courses nearby for wildlife, and visited about life and families. This was a most relaxing stopover and deeply appreciated.

Such was the first half of our time in the Tucson area. Return for Part VII in a few days.