In March I usually stay interested in the area south of Tucson, for a month. This year it looks like it will be closer to two months. The main attractions are the high grasslands and the Santa Rita mountains. The grasslands go up to 5000 feet, so you can stay comfortable almost to May.
Several years ago my standard (ammonia/hydrogen) RV frig went kaput when I was here. It turned out to be an interesting experiment to junk it and replace it with a homemade, super-insulated ice chest. It took three dreadful days in Lowe's and
Walmart parking lots to finish the job.
I don't recommend the ice chest as a permanent solution, primarily because of the inconvenience and cost of block ice, but it's nice to know that it works well as a stopgap. After putting up with it for a couple years I bought a Whynter 12 volt refrigerator, with the high-efficiency compressor. It has worked well the last six months on a full time basis, and appears to be the permanent solution.
Just a few miles south of Tucson is the Helvetia mining area. You do find some good rockhounding in the arroyos around there. It's no surprise why; you are just on the other side of the valley from the giant Pima copper mine.
Full time RVers are supposed to be rootless vagabonds. How then can you explain my sappy sentimentalism when I revisit one of my little valentines, like Patagonia? Why do I always choose towns where I don't fit? Everybody here is foo-foo New Age, Democrat, Green, has a butterfly garden promoting world peace, eats organic food, etc. I can't believe there are that many people who need to buy
For some reason I overlook all that. Patagonia makes me feel human; this can be felt most sweetly after a few days in Tucson. Maybe it is the same feeling that I had rockhounding close to that huge mine. Recall that Thoreau once walked across Manhattan and reported that he hadn't met one man who was actually alive.
Comments
Does this mean the Little Pueblo is next?
Goose Gander.
Nothing wrong with revisiting a favorite place. Enjoy!
I'm not worried about it becoming popular. It is too close to the border. There used be several RV boondocking where I currently am. Now, apparently, everybody is too afraid.
Ted, good point about good ol' Henry.
Like you, I am basically conservative but my friends have always been kind of liberal and I always gravitated to the liberal meccas, like San Francisco and Austin. Now that I live in rural Shasta county CA, land of the right wing obese and meth heads I miss those liberal artsy types with their healthy foods and lifestyles. I think the universe is trying to tell me something.
I am about ready to ditch this property and hit the road in the RV myself, but for the moment I have to content myself by living vicariously through blogs like yours, thanks.
After all when the world is your back yard, you gotta inspect the far corners every now and again :)