Tucson, AZ (2/23 & 2/24/2019)

Two days before my scheduled departure from Huachuca City, a Winter Storm Warning was issued for Southern Arizona, indicating the next two days would have either heavy rain or snow, depending on elevation.  Not wanting to risk traveling during a snow event,  I packed quickly and made the move to Tucson ahead of schedule.  That proved to be a good move, as the forecast rain/snow occurred just a little later than expected.

In Tucson, the rain started late Thursday and continued through the night, turning to snow early Friday, then back to rain.  I never left the RV for two days.  However, the area I had left received 6-8" of snow, making travel very difficult.  The mountains around Tucson got much heavier snowfall, with Mount Lemmon buried by 30".  Needless to say, new records were set all around Arizona.

By Saturday, skies were clear and we enjoyed a beautiful day, albeit on the chilly side.  With a heavy jacket on, I paid a visit to Sweetwater Wetlands, which is a favorite place for birds and other wildlife.  A friend has seen a bobcat mother and two kittens there in recent months and told me where to look.  I would love to get a photo op with that little family.

On the way to the wetlands, I took time to photograph the snow-covered Santa Catalina Mountains, despite not being able to find a really good viewpoint.

 As it turned out, I had no luck in sighting the bobcats, but did get a few photos of other wildlife.

Verdin

Abert's Towhee

Raccoon

Bell's Vireo

Snowy Egret

Gila Woodpecker

Sunday was a beautiful, sunny day with temps in the high 60s.  Now this is more like Arizona weather.  (And the forecast is for mid to high 70s during the coming week.)  I took advantage of light traffic to cruise around downtown Tucson.  While I don't think of Tucson as a particularly attractive downtown, there are definitely some colorful and interesting buildings here, especially in the "Old Town" Historic District.  I'll start with a few of the large commercial buildings.

Note the window reflections in this first building.

 A rather plain building, except for the wavy wall/windows on one side.

 This parking garage displays the color found in many structures in town.

 This building on the University of Arizona campus has copper plates as part of its facade.  It took a few seconds for me to notice the image engraved in the copper.  I think it's a picture of a slot canyon.

Tucson was founded in 1775 as a fort in Mexico,  Presidio San Agustín del Tucsón.  Remains of the fort can be seen in a museum, but I didn't take time to visit.  Some of the buildings in Old Town date back to before the city became part of the U.S. in 1854 when the Gadsden Purchase was completed.  In addition to residences, the area has numerous galleries, shops and restaurants.

Let's start with some of the larger homes, actually mansions, most of which have been restored in recent years, and some of which are now used for commercial office space.  Regardless, the "Mexican" architecture is what appeals to me.

This first building, known as the Steinfeld Mansion, was built in "Snob Hollow" in 1900 as the Owl Club.  Steinfeld, owner of a large department store, bought it in 1904 and converted it to his home.  It was one of the first homes in town with a bathtub and running water.  Built in Mission Revival style, it cost $13,000 to construct.  Restored in 1979, it now houses commercial offices.

I have no historical information regarding these other large, elegant structures.

 Strange to see a Tudor style home.

In the next travelogue, I'll show some of the really colorful residences in Old Town.