A group of 30 or so like-minded traveler friends decided to get together in Tucson to celebrate some birthdays, and just in general explore the area and have a good time. These are loosely structured get togethers with people making their own plans, and a few planned activities that people went to, or not!
The big event was on the Saturday night at a local friends' home. On Sunday night we had a smaller get together for those still in town.
Here's the recap!
Friday Night
Oops! I got a direct flight to Phoenix, with arrival time at 9:30 pm ish. I had a two hour drive to Tucson, but I wasn't worried about it since I figured it was really only 10:30 ish. Except I forgot that AZ doesn't do daylight savings time so it was really 11:30 ish. Oops! Oh well, late at night it was easy and no traffic. I picked up my rental car and was quickly on my way.
Hilton Tucson East
Our GTG was at the very eastern edge of town, and I was walking in the Susan G. Komen on Sunday at the University of Arizona, so this seemed as centrally located as anything else. Using a combo of points and cash, I got the room for $75/night. The hotel is a little dated, but the price was right, the staff really nice, and the rooms big and the beds comfortable. I hit that bed and went right to sleep upon arrival because I had an early morning Saturday.
http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/arizona/hilton-tucson-east-TUSHEHF/index.html
Saturday
Madera Canyon
http://www.friendsofmaderacanyon.org
Steve and I had visited Madera Canyon a couple of times before, staying at Santa Rita Lodge there. The draw, of course, was birding, but even without the birds I love it there. It's an easy hour drive south of Tucson and I had agreed to meet one of my fellow travel friends there in the morning for a few hours of birding.
I wasn't running on a lot of sleep, but I managed to wake up and make it down there by I think 8 or 8:30. We drove up to Santa Rita Lodge first, where they have several feeding stations and hummingbird feeders.
I could have sat there for hours. The humming birds were so close you could easily view with the naked eye. Between there and the other BnB up the road, we saw five species: Magnificent, Black-Chinned, Anna's, Broad Bill, and I think White Ear but this is why you should write things down. I remember 5, but I don't remember the fifth species!
The Acorn Woodpeckers were hilarious. I never knew woodpeckers could be so gregarious, and at one point there were eight of them hanging out together, flitting around, and for all the world looking like they were playing.
After that we walked up the road to the next BnB where there are more feeders, and where I had seen the Elegant Trogon before. No Elegant Trogon that day, but wonderful looks at the Painted Redstart, and this is where we saw the Magnificent.
We started up the road to the third BnB. We knew there wasn't going to be parking, so we would have to walk, but the elevation and my fat self started to take its toll so we finally decided it was further than we thought. Naturally, if we had kept walking it would have been just around the next bend!
But, we decided to go off road instead. Madera Creek runs all the way down the canyon, so we knew if we followed it downhill we would make it back to our car. It was fun scrambling down hill to the creek, then following it along, looking at birds as they showed themselves.
Santa Rita Lodge http://www.santaritalodge.com
There is a parking area here and a small gift shop, but the parking is limited. Guest parking is for, well, guests. Steve and I have stayed here twice. It's incredibly peaceful and beautiful, and nice to walk out the door and start birding.
Kubo BnB http://www.maderakubo.com
We did not stay here but it is another location where there are plenty of feeders.
Chuparosa Inn
http://www.chuparosainn.com
We didn't stay here either, but isn't it gorgeous? There are only three places you can stay in the Canyon. It is National Forest, so there won't be further development.
