After hours, I had plenty of time to tour the town.  I'm not much for sitting around in my room.  I'd rather get out and site see.  I am very much into the culture of the American Indian, so I had to visit the local reservation.  Just west of where I was staying was the SAN XAVIER Del Bac Indian Mission.  Here indians sold their artistry and crafted jewelry.  The prices were more reasonable than most places for sand paintings and tiles.  There was also a lovely church and small cemetery on the hill.  I then went to (Papago) a Tohomo O Athan Indian Reservation. Traveling west through the foot hills on a small road, with cactus and signs that warned of roads flooding with rain, I came upon the Sonora Desert Museum.  This museum was more like a live reptile and animal zoo.  It was quite interesting.  I saw prairie dogs, snakes and several reptiles, Further along the trail was the "Old Tucson" Studio where they filmed "Rio Lobo and other westerns.  It did look familiar!

On another day I drove south to Tubac.  While driving, you may not see another car for 15-30 minutes.  I just prayed that my rental wouldn't breakdown or it wouldn't rain.  In February, it rains quite a bit.  Many roads have problems if it rains.  You may get somewhere and not be able to get back.  Tubac is close to the mexican boarder.  Not much to see on the way but desert.  Tubac was worth going to though.  It was a crafter's paradise!  Dried flower arrangements, knitting, fine stoneware, Indian and Mexican shops.  I only wish I had a way to get it all back home.

On my second trip to Tucson, I drove south to Tombstone.  This is a small town with a history.  Known for shootouts and the "O.K." corral.  I can see why they had so much fighting.  It was a very small town and there wasn't much to do there.  They did have a nice restaurant, and I found a great "t" shirt.  On the way back I found a winery, so I did some tasting.

Tucson Mall is the biggest and Park mall on E. Broadway was nice too.  I also found some quaint shops, such as the Adobe Trading Post and Desert House Crafts, that had indian dolls and sand paintings as well as other finely done work.
 

California & Nevada - I have been to California several times over the years.  I can't even remember the date I first went there.  I believe my first trip was on the way back from Hawaii.  My cousin and I stopped on the way back to visit relatives.  We went to Anaheim to Disney Land.  On my second trip I visited with a friend, Joanne, from High School when her first child was a toddler.  Her daughter is now out of college.  I would say it was probably 1976.  I remember this trip fondly.  We drove all around Los Angeles.  Through the movie star district, to studio tours, and even to the zoo.  We drove to San Diego and then we went on to Mexico.  Later that week we drove to Las Vegas for a few days of gambling and shows.  Mostly shows, because I'm not much for gambling.  My first time seeing the strip at night with all it's lights was awesome.  We visited MGM before their fire to see the busts of actors.  My favorite show was Boylesque.  These were female impersonators.

My third and several consecutive trips were to the San Jose area.  On my first trip, Mickey was going on vacation to stay with her dad in Las Vegas and asked me to come for a few days on my way to San Jose.  We toured, did casinos at night (I played and own at blackjack), and sat in the sun during the day.  It was nice of her family to have me.  Then I was off to meeting my boss in the training department, I made several trips on business.  On off hours, a few of us would tour San Francisco or take a route along the ocean.  Check out local wineries or get together for dinner.  In 1989, I was asked to help Schlumberger accounting group to relocate.  This was also when I was offered a position with them in California.  Although many of my friends were making the move, it wasn't the position I wanted or the appropriate money for such a move, so I came to RPI instead.  Schlumberger sent me out a few more times and then I visited on my own.  Once was just after an earthquake in the area.  I was staying with a friend and would wake up each morning with my eyes jumping and my heart bouncing.  It wasn't until my last day there that I realized that this was caused by small tremors (after shocks), each morning at the same time.  The last day the tremors made the furniture in my room move.  I believe that was my last trip to San Jose!  I did love visiting, San Francisco, the wine country and getting together with special friends and driving to Carmel and Monterey.  I worked several years with many of these people.  I sometimes still hear from some of them.  Many are working for other companies now.  They say it was just not the same as when they were in Latham.