In early March we packed up the trailer for a short (one month) road trip. After two days of running back and forth, moving things back into the trailer, we deemed it “packed” and ready to go. I won’t tell you how long the list of things we “forgot to bring” is. Oh boy.. Our first stop was Phoenix, where we both had appointments at the Mayo Clinic for our annual physicals. We were Very impressed, and glad we made the switch! I had booked several days at a park in Scottsdale, since I didn’t know how long we would need to be there. With all our lab results in within hours, we were free to leave the following day!
We spent our few free hours exploring a museum we’d never been to before- the Musical Instrument Museum. The museum had about 7 rooms of displays with instruments and music from all over the world.
This one contained music from different parts of Canada and the U.S. Each display had typical instruments from the area, and a video showcasing the music of the region. Everyone was given a set of headphones and as you approached a TV screen, the audio would automatically play.
Other rooms showcased different styles of music, such as Zydeco, country, and Marching Band.
One particular room displayed music and memorabilia from specific musicians. Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Elvis and John Lennon were among the stars. This is the piano that Lennon used to compose “Imagine”.
Taylor Swift, as one of the most successful musicians in the world, warranted a “double wide” display.
The final room was the Experience Room, where you could try out musical instruments of all kinds. I liked the banjo and the harp and Paul liked the drums.
Being done a day earlier than we expected gave us an extra day to play. With temperatures predicted to be unseasonably cool, we elected to beeline straight for Picacho Peak, one of our favorite places to hike. This 6-7 mile hike is challenging in a fun way, with lots of cables to use when the trail gets really steep, but it’s not a fun hike to do on a hot day.
This is our 5th or 6th time hiking this trail. You can hike it in a loop, starting from one of two trail heads (we have done it both ways) or you can hike up and down from the same trail head. That’s how we did it this time, because if you hike the loop, you have to walk two miles down a road to get back to your car (unless you brought bikes).
This is what we call a “twofer” hike. The hike itself is fun, and the destination also makes it worth the work.
After a short stay at Picacho, we made our way to Tucson.
