A trip to the Tucson Gem Show and the mountains

One of the many Gem show venues

Mondays take on a whole new meaning when you are retired. Actually Mondays, and every other week day, are just like a Saturday. Bottom line, I don’t mind Mondays anymore.

On this Monday my day started early with a long workout at the fitness center and Joan went to her Aquacise class. After we got cleaned up we headed this afternoon to the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show.

Actually, it sounds like one show, but it is really 43 separate venues spread around the City of Tucson and this afternoon we spent three hours attending three of the venues.

Each show has various gems, fossils and minerals to sell many to bulk buyers and wholesalers, but there is plenty for the retail customer to buy, if you are so inclined. We picked up a couple things for some family and friends, but we spent less than $10.

Crystal and gem skulls (note the price tags)

We went to one show where a number of dealers were sending rare fossil remains and petrified wood made into beautiful furniture.

There was one huge polished slice of petrified wood that would make an unbelievable dining room table that had a $130,000 price tag on it. Another with an $80,000 price tag had a “Sold” sign on it.

Lots of dealers were on hand and we saw a number of folks buying large lots of polished stones and gems.

Some of the fossil remains were large, including several complete dinosaur skeletons. One of the things we read is that many of these fossils are better than what you will see in a museum because museums are unable to pay the high prices commercial fossil dealers ask for the skeletons.

Another Gem venue (we got a free tote bag here)

At one of the shows we had to register and as a result of that registration we were give two free tote bags, so that was kind of cool.

Buyers come from all over the world (and sellers come from all over the world too) and the town is crawling with 50,000 extra visitors for the next two weeks.

Once back at the park we decided to go to the park restaurant and try the Monday Pizza special, which turned out to be quite good. We even have a couple pieces leftover for a future meal.

We spent the rest of the night in the trailer.

Tuesday, February 05, 2013



Tuesday's trailhead

Today I was up with the chickens for my challenge hike day. Today the trip was up and down the Garwood/Carrillo Loop Trail in the Saguara National Park (East).

We had a large group going today so we split into two groups for the trip as the park doesn’t like hiking groups with more than 15 people.

Of the three challenging hikes this was the easiest so far. The length was 5.6-miles but the overall elevation was only 600-feet so that was relatively easy compared to the 1,600-foot elevation last week on Wasson Peak.

The two hiking groups met up at “Three Tanks” a spot on the trail where there was once water for cattle, but the tanks are now dry. It is hard to imagine how they hauled the concrete and steel up to the high ground where the tanks were assembled.



Lunch in the outback (Three Tanks - one visible)

During the hike we were overtaken by a good old boy riding a mule (named “Peaches” by the way). The rider told us that Peaches had hauled out many an injured hiker in her time. She was a sturdy old girl and quickly passed us and continued on down the trail.

We had lunch at “Three Tanks” and then headed back down the trail to where we started. I like loop trails because you pretty much see different scenery throughout the hike. In this case we only overlapped about a half mile of the same trail.

I met a couple new people, Ann from Wisconsin, and a couple others and am enjoying the new acquaintances we meet on the trail.

Another view of our lunch stop

After the hike I took the car to a car wash to get it cleaned and then topped off the gas tank for the trip to California tomorrow. 

I put away the table and chairs under the trailer and locked them up because we will be away from the park for nearly two weeks.

Joan made use of her time today by making a nice meatball dish for tonight’s potluck in the RV park dining room. (They were a hit, by the way).

Once back at the trailer we finished our packing and prepared to hit the hay a little early so we could get up and out early tomorrow for what promises to be an 8-hour ride to Los Angeles.

See you from La-La Land.