Travels with Lar

August 26-29, 2009

Tucson, Arizona



I went there to teach a two day class. Granted, it is the end of August which is probably not the best time to visit Tucson. Yes, it was hot, but it cooled down okay in the evenings, and the first evening there were thundershowers – the kind you can see coming and then drive into them and then drive out – the kind with great big rain drops that don’t just hit the windshield, they explode on the windshield. Sunsets were beautiful – true dessert sunsets. But I just don’t think I was ever meant to be a dessert dweller. I like green – and there isn’t a lot of it in Tucson – except for the cactus and dry plants that really are more grey than green.



I didn’t have a lot of time to sight see – it was just two days. I guess I could live there – but I don’t want to have to.



Mama, don’t make Larry go live in Tucson.
The people are nice, and the sky is so blue,
But the sidewalk’s so hot; it’ll burn off your shoe,
And the grass is so sparse, if it even is there,
Backing into a cacti, gives a pricked derriere,
So Mama, don’t make Larry go live in Tucson.



Now the trip home was an adventure. Here it is crystal blue skies, but my flight got cancelled. It was a mechanical problem with the plane – and they don’t keep a lot of extras in Tucson. Mind you, I’d rather not fly on one that was broken, so I took the alternative. I flew to Phoenix and then home to Denver. It was only an extra 6 hours to get home.