Open carry gun law and the oldest bar in Arizona
by My sister, who lives in one of the small towns south of Tucson, suggested–actually insisted–that we go to Arivaca to have lunch. “Best burgers I’ve …
Flashback to the past at St. Xavier Mission near Tucson
Glancing off to the west from the 19 Freeway, I glimpsed what the St. Xavier del Bac mission must have looked like in the 1700s: …
Tombstone: a fading Disneyland for cowboy fans
A year ago I took a trip up high in the mountains of southern Arizona to visit the legendary town of Tombstone. Here is what …
“Nothing to see here”. Visiting Nogales Mexico
Visiting the border at Nogales was light years away from my experience at Calexico. First of all, I went across the border into Mexico to …
Avoid Scottsdale. Take a hike instead.
The city of Scottsdale claims to be a western town. Well, maybe it is if you consider it a 21st Century Western town. Not much …
See Apache houses at the Desert Botanical Garden
While I was in Phoenix I made a quick visit to the Garden to see what was new. The entrance and the area right behind …
Arcosanti, a 1970s dream, fading into the Arizona desert
70 miles north of Phoenix, off a winding dirt road is the experimental village of Arcosanti. This collection of structures built into the side of …
“Nothing to see here”. Visiting Nogales Mexico
Visiting the border at Nogales was light years away from my experience at Calexico. First of all, I went across the border into Mexico to …
Adios romaine and rice. Hello solar and concertina wire.
The biggest surprise as I drove along a rolling backroad across the desert toward Calexico were the miles of farmland where romaine, radishes, and rice …
‘Mary’s Nest’ is the place to stay near San Diego
My very first Airbnb stay was in Escondido, a town in the hills about 25 minutes north of San Diego. Escondido recently appeared on a …
The luxury of stopping by the side of the road
South of Dana Point on the 405 freeway I saw a sign reading ‘Vista Point Ahead’ and decided to stop to enjoy whatever view the …
Franciscans at the historic San Luis Rey Mission?
In 1834 the Mexican government secularized all the now-historic Franciscan Missions in California. The Franciscans were booted out, their enormous holdings of land and cattle …