Iced coffee is probably appropriate this morning, but I brew a pot and drink a few hot cups while I plan out the day. Camping at Saguaro National Park in this heat is out of the question...so I'll just be staying here at the Days Inn. As I sit here , it dawns on me that my camping options for the rest of the trip are going to be limited...to say the least. I'll probably try a day or two at the KOA in Carlsbad, New Mexico. I can rig up my Kelty tarp for shade during the day and keep my fingers crossed that the vent fan in the camper is enough at night. Guadalupe National Park has a campground up in the mountains, and that might be cool enough to camp for a few days. Big Bend National Park is going to be scorching hot, so I might do a hotel in Alpine, explore the park by day, then hotel it again for a few days in Del Rio. My cousin, Amy Thee, is trying to set up a mini "Thee Family Reunion", and that could take place in Alpine or Del Rio. San Antonio is definitely a Days Inn stay. I've got campground reservations in Austin...we'll see how that works out. Once I get to Dallas, I;m camping at a KOA, but Gretchen and Roger will be there so I can sleep in their air-conditioned motor home.
Anyway, at 11:00AM, I set out for a day of lunch and Park exploration. Mariscos Chihuahua gets high marks for seafood, so I head there first. It's a nice little place packed with locals. I get 13 plump oysters on the half-shell for $9.00...a far cry from the $2.00-$2.50 per oyster that I paid in Washington and Oregon. I also order nine juicy shrimp, stuffed with Mexican cheese, wrapped in bacon, and deep-fried...excellent washed down with a few Modelo Especial beers.
After lunch, I set out for Saguaro National Park with a stop at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. It's a good plan but, since most of the Museum is outside (a 1 1/2 mile hike) and the temperature is now 106 degrees, I skip that ordeal. Instead, I tour Saguaro National Park in the comfort of my air-conditioned vehicle. I take the Bajada Loop drive...through miles of cacti and other desert flora. While I do get out of the Explorer to take photographs, most of the drive is spent inside...in the comfort of air-conditioning. It's a beautiful drive but, after a few miles, things are looking pretty much the same.
Swinging out of the Park, I stop for a large bottle of cranberry juice (this heat is making me VERY thirsty), ice for the food cooler and cash at Bank of America. Gretchen and Roger call...they want to go down to San Leon after the game to eat the great seafood at Gilhoolie's restaurant, so that's now the plan. I am looking forward so much to seeing them...other than my friend, Tom, in Reno, I haven't seen a familiar face in 58 days.
Back at the hotel, I drink a few beers (still thirsty) and nap for two hours in my cool room. Around 7:00PM, I set out for dinner. Back in May, I saw an episode of "Man vs. Food that was filmed in Tucson. They were in search of the best "Sonoran Hot Dog"...a juicy hot dog in a soft chewy bun with pinto beans, bacon, mayo, mustard, onions, salsa and tomatoes. The "dogs" at a place called El Guero Canelo won the competition, so that's where I'm headed for dinner. I order two dogs and a Mexican Coke (made with cane sugar...not the high-fructose corn syrup they use here in the Sates). The dogs are excellent...a great combination of flavors and textures. And El Guero Canelo is a cool little place with outside dining in a big tent-like structure...on this night, it's packed. At under $6.00, this might be my cheapest dinner of the trip...and well worth it.
Back at the hotel, I have a few more beers (still thirsty). My plan was to head out again to 4th Avenue for a night of bar-hopping, but I get engrossed in watching an episode of "Glee" on TV. Never watched Glee before, but I liked it. Before I know it, it's after 9:00PM, and I'm happy to just "hang" in my room. A little more beer, a
little more TV...off to sleep.
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