Our route is continuing to take us west. Dave and I are now in the southwest and nearing Memorial Day weekend. Holiday weekends always present a challenge when traveling across the U.S. You need to book campgrounds in advance; yet, you do not always know exactly where you may be that weekend. Dave does a phenomenal job in route planning and campground selections. For Memorial Day weekend, he selected Rockhound State Park, just about an hour west of Las Cruces, NM, in the small town of Deming. Sometimes, it is these unknown parks that turn out to be real gems. We must be getting old as this park was tucked up in the foothills of the Florida Mountains, very peaceful and quiet, and we loved it! As its name connotates, it is known for finding rocks, or rather gemstones. We struck out on finding any but we did enjoy 3 peaceful days, combined with hiking, watching gorgeous sunsets and a beautiful night sky. (Note: Click on one picture and you can scroll through them full screen).
On our way to Rockhound, Chris & Roger, our looper friends who now live Tucson, AZ, let us know we would be passing near a terrific Mexican restaurant in the small town of Mesilla, just outside of Las Cruces. I am all about authentic Mexican food, so we stopped. Luckily, we were able to find a spot to park Mini-T and our truck on a nearby street and we headed inside. La Posta, a Registered National Historic Landmark, is famous for its Mexican Food & Steaks since 1939. It has been in business for 86 years! It had a nice courtyard for the three of us to sit and enjoy a scrumptious lunch. The host, who had worked there for over 50 years, shared the beef tacos were just like his grandma made. So, Dave ordered those. I had a prickly pear margarita and a combination platter with a tamale, rolled taco, cheese enchilada and red chili. It was delicious and I had plenty for lunch the next day. Our dessert, Fried Ice Cream, was the best we have had in 30 years (our favorite was at Carlos ‘n Pepe’s in Ft. Lauderdale). The lightly fried tortilla the ice cream was sitting on was the best part for me.
After Rockhound, our next stop was Tucson. Earlier I mentioned Chris & Roger now live in Tucson. For those of you who followed along our Great Loop adventure in 2021, they were on Betty Gail, a Mainship 400 just like ours. We buddy boated for several months and “loop frogged” throughout the loop reconnecting along the way. They have retired in Tucson and were our private tour guides for all things Tucson. They did such a phenomenal job showing us the sights (and scrumptious Mexican food), I said they should run a private tour business. Oh, but they retired. Never mind! Below is a picture of the 4 of us on the loop and yes, eating (which you will see is a theme below) and our two boats. Slo Pace (in blue) was Dave and my boat and Betty Gail was Roger & Chris’s boat.
Roger & Chris arrived at our campsite a few hours after we did and brought us dinner! Homemade potato salad, southwest style baked beans, and hamburgers to grill. Delicious. It was so nice to be treated upon our arrival. And wouldn’t you know it, we had so much fun catching up, I forgot to take a picture. Below is a picture of our RV site. I know – not a great substitute. Just picture us sitting around the table having drinks, yummy food, and great conversation.
For our first full day in Tucson, Roger & Chris treated us to two great hikes. Our first stop was Saguaro National Park (and I got my national park passport book stamped). Saguaro is pronounced se-war-e (the g is silent). The saguaro cactus is often the emblem of all things Southwestern. The cactus blooms in May, and we were able to see several with flowers, which is the Arizona state flower. As the Arizona temperatures are quite warm in late May, we met Roger & Chris very early in the morning so we could hike amongst the saguaro and other cacti before it got too hot. This desert is quite lush compared to what Dave and I saw in New Mexico. Chris & Roger were very informative hiking guides.
After our early morning hike, we were ready for breakfast. Roger & Chris suggested one of their favorite breakfast/brunch stops, the Baha Café. Oh my! It was so good. The variety of benedicts, rancheros, and pancakes was amazing, all with a southwestern twist. Roger ordered one of the café’s famous Snickerdoodle pancakes for the table to share. Everything was amazing. But wouldn’t you know it, I forgot to take a picture of the pancake as it arrived after our meals did. But keep reading…
Next, we headed to the top of Mt. Lemmon, with an elevation of 9,159. It was named for botanist Sara Plummer Lemmon, who trekked to the top with her husband, a local rancher in 1881. Mt. Lemmon is home to the southernmost ski destination in the continental United States. We enjoyed breathtaking views on a hike around the summit. Fun stop!
Our second day of touring started with the Pima Air & Space Museum. Unfortunately, Murphy had an upset stomach and had been vomiting all morning, so I stayed home with him. Dave, Roger & Chris enjoyed several hours of touring this large museum after which, they stopped by and picked me up to enjoy lunch at El Torero. The food was amazing! Roger & Chris had been trying out various Mexican restaurants and are taking us to some of their favorites. I know pictures of Mexican dishes may not be the most visually appealing, but the fusion of flavors is just so good!
Pima Air & Space Museum
El Torero
Before we arrived, Roger had sent me a link to an article of the best tortillerias in Tucson. What? They have shops that sell nothing but freshly made tortillas? That is a must stop. One of the tortillerias rated the best was right down the street from El Torero so Chris and I popped in to buy fresh tortillas. I bought two dozen as they freeze well. I am so excited!! We ended the night listening to southwestern folk music by Don Armstrong and the Whiskeypalians at Monterey Court, a repurposed roadside motel. Another awesome day.
Fun fact: Peter Dalton Ronstadt, a nephew of Linda Ronstadt, plays in the band. Linda Ronstadt was born in Tucson.
Our last full day was another jam-packed day. We started by visiting San Xavier del Bac Mission. The mission began in 1692 by a Jesuit missionary, who traveled the region to spread Catholicism and foster peace among indigenous communities. Construction of the church in the pictures below began in 1783 and completed in 1797, when southern Arizona was a part of New Spain. It is the oldest intact European structure in Arizona and an example of Spanish Colonial architecture, specifically Baroque style. It reminded Dave and I of the churches we recently saw in Cartegena, Spain.
Leaving the mission, we drove about 40 miles due south to Tupac, AZ. There is so much history here, too much to share in the blog. We enjoyed a self-guided tour around its presidio. One fun fact I do want to share is that in 1775, Tupac was the launch point for the Anza Expedition, which led to the founding of San Francisco. Juan Bautista de Anza led over 240 colonists, livestock, and support personnel and founded Mission Dolores and the Presidio of San Francisco in 1776. Now I know where De Anza College got its name from. For readers not familiar with the San Francisco Bay Area, De Anza is in Cupertino, CA, south of San Francisco.
And wouldn’t you know it…one of Roger & Chris’s favorite restaurants is in Tupac: Elvira’s, established in 1927. Besides its gorgeous interior, the food was outstanding. Chris described it as “Sonoran fusion” Mexican food. They are known for their moles and relleno’s, so Dave and I each tried one. And desserts…you know we could not pass up desserts. The four of us shared a Molten Lava cake and a flan. Both were superb.
Our last stop for the day was a Deep Sky Winery, in Elgin, AZ. It was about 50 miles northeast of Tupac. This winery is another favorite of Chris & Roger’s. Chris and I enjoyed a wine tasting and I really liked all 5 of them. The guys each enjoyed a glass of wine. And Murphy…well, he got the run of the place and scored 3 treats from Dan, who runs the tasting room. Another great visit.
Well, that concludes our fabulous stop in Tucson, thanks to Roger & Chris.
But wait!
As we were discussing our plans to drive to Phoenix the next day, I had an idea. We do not have to leave the campground until 11 a.m. and it is only a 90-minute drive up to Phoenix. What if we met at Baja Café for one last incredibly tasty breakfast? And then I could take a picture of the Snickerdoodle pancake. Hearing no dissent amongst the group, we met for one last meal. It did not disappoint. This time Chris and I had breakfast tacos. Yummy. Roger had corned beef & eggs. Delish. And Dave, well, Dave thought he ordered French Toast only to find out the café makes their French Toast with cinnamon rolls!!!! I am not sure Dave can ever eat just plain ole French Toast ever again.
What a week it has been. Tucson has been our best stop so far on this year’s trip thanks to Chris & Roger. However, I think I am going to hide our scale for a few weeks and hopefully lose a few Tucson pounds before I step on it. But whatever I gained, it was well worth it for the fabulous food we ate.
I’ve been in Mexican food heaven Brenda, Cinnamon Roll French Toast for the win Dave, and did I really have to have a bath Murphy?
Our pleasure!!
So wonderful to host you; after all your patience and insights shared while on the boat.
Here’s to adventures!!