BEER AND ART NEAR THE OK CORRAL

Having done the Ghost Town thing on our last trip, we opted for breweries instead in Las Cruses and Tucson!  LOL! Before arriving in Tuscon, we did a little more than a “stop and drop” in Las Cruses.  After dropping at the RV Park, Dave took Deb to Old Mesilla to shop around, while he tried to go to White Sands.  We had seen the sands and the AFB on the way in.  He realized quickly that the missile range was closing and joined me in the Old Town with authentic adobe structures.  We found a brewery from Clay’s list and enjoyed sandwiches and good beer there.    We had sacrificed shade for a spot near the laundry and we enjoyed talking to Mike and Jean, full timers from Wisconsin in the cool of the evening.

Near our RV park in Tucson, we drove past the “airplane bone yard” at the AFB.  It is like a junk yard for airplanes.  Dad had told us about this and I realized that the “really nice” RV park we were heading to, was probably one they had stayed at.  That made me smile and feel an echo of Mom and Dad.  We got out our Segways and they proved a good vehicles for meeting folks and we were invited to the “5 o’clock Toddy Club” at a Mobile Home down the street. Yep!  Echos of Clay Roberts reign!!   Everyone we met seemed very nice.  We settled into the park and grilled steaks for supper in the cool desert breeze (versus the very hot sun earlier!).

One of Clay’s friends, David Tisdale, had told David of an investment opportunity in a brewery start up in Tucson, so David decided to stop by and check Borderlands out.  While he toured the operation and was duly impressed with their business plan, Deb took the segway into the Presidio and a shopping district called 4^th Avenue.  There she bought a replacement watch for her misplaced one, and 3 “Three” books for Abbie for her 3^rd birthday.  The Three Little Jevelinas (a Southwestern take off on the Three Little Pigs), likewise 2 other take offs, The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig, and The Three Billy Goats Stuff!  Do you see a trend here?  Now she just needs to find the originals, so Abbie will know both stories.  David joined me, and then we segwayed to an art block near the museum.  There we saw some amazing pottery and bought a piece for Kate and Matt (Deb will keep the Owen piece for herself or maybe give them a choice!).  We decided to check out the start-up’s competition and were able to segway to one of the breweries and drove to the other.  We returned  to Borderlands later that night to see it in operation.  Deb realized quickly that the desert sun was dehydrating her, and opted for a lot of water between the beers.  Back at the RV Park, Deb enjoyed the pool and spa and joined the “5 O’Clockers” before David picked her up for the second trip to the brewery.

Just as we saw “both days of fall” in Alaska, we are seeing the short spring in the desert.  We are most impressed with yellow trees and red blooming cacti.  I hope to find out the name of the yellow trees, but they appear to be a type of mimosa.  We also had jasmine at our campsite but with large blossoms instead the small trumpet ones we’re used to. We have also passed the 2000 mile mark and I only have 6 more license plates to spot!  Of course the last one is the hardest!!  (and I already have THREE Alaskas!)