Rodeo Week In Tucson Arizona

When we are young children a vacation from school is always welcome. Well in Tucson Arizona the last week of February is always Rodeo Vacation! How cool is that? Tucson Unified School district schedules Thursday and Friday as "Rodeo Vacation" When I was young, I thought all schools had Rodeo Vacation! I rode in our Rodeo Parade "La Fiesta de los Vaqueros" (The Fiest of the Cowboy's) I rode once as Old Fashion Fire Engines! On a budget of about $0 dollars, we died the sheets red and made ladders out of scrap wood and painted them black! Once I rode representing the 3 styles of horseback riding; English, Western and Bareback. I also rode with my 4-H group.... don't remember much about that except I needed "kelly green" pants. My mom shopped for those pants without much luck. We rode through the downtown area and it was really great fun!

Visiting Tucson Arizona 1850

Visiting Tucson....The Rantings of J. Ross Browne

J. Ross Browne, a wandering journalist, visited Tucson in the late 1850s and had this to say: "Tucson was a place of resort for traders, speculators, gamblers, horse thieves, murderers and vagrant politicians. Men who were no longer permitted to live in California found the climate of Tucson congenial to their health. If the world were searched over I suppose there could not be found so degraded a set of villains as then formed the principal society of Tucson. Every man went armed to the teeth, and street fights and bloody affrays were of daily occurrence. It was literally a paradise of devils." And that was before the indictment.

Sabino Canyon 7 Falls Trail

Don't let the barren space and brown tones of the desert trick you into thinking you can't find beauty in the desert. For years, well, about 35 years, I have visited Sabino Canyon in the Santa Catalina Mountains. While there is a vendor who runs a tram through the Canyon, there are many people who hike in and out. Some of the tram drivers offer a little history of the area, the geology and the wildlife. One of my favorite hikes is 7 Falls.

Seven Falls
Santa Catalina Mountains

Total Length 7.8 miles
Highest Elevation: 3250 feet
Lowest Elevation: 2600 feet
Elevation Change: 650 feet
Difficulty Rating: C

Best Seasons: Spring Summer Fall Winter (I don't agree with summer)
Hiking Time: 3 hours
Dogs: Dogs not allowed

This is a very easy and popular hike to the incredible Seven Falls. Everyone who lives in Tucson should make the trip at least once. Even though this hike is in the hot lower elevations, I list it as a summer hike because you can cool off in the pools at Seven Falls, and get your clothes wet so they keep you cool on the hike back.