SW USA 2024: The Canadian Coddiwomplers*

 *Coddiwomple: “to travel in a purposeful manner towards a vague destination."

PART 5 TUCSON: A Visit with Amie, Mitch and Ash

 

While in Tucson, Jerry and Elizabeth booked two experiences with the Sonoran Glass School.        

 

Our first experience was the two of us in a workshop making fused glass art.  We made small platters.  It was fun and something we had not done before.  We didn’t see the final product until we picked them up. It’s very interesting to see how the different pieces of glass changed in the firing.  With more experience, this could be used in the design.  Being beginners though, we just used the “let’s see what happens” method.

Elizabeth's Platter

Jerry's Platter

The second experience was booked including our visitors from Guelph: Amie, Ash and Mitch (AMA).

This was on the morning of their last day in Tucson. They each made a tumbler.  We each made an ornament.  We are transporting all the pieces back with us.

Amie's Tumbler

Ash's Tumbler

Mitch's Tumbler

Elizabeth's Ornament

Jerry's Ornament

Bubble wrapped until we get home. 

I realize now it would have been better to take one picture of all of the creations; but, they are bubble wrapped and stored away now, you'll just have to scroll through all the pics.

We’d picked up our visitors from the airport and they spent five days at the KOA in their own “cabin.” It was so great to visit with them for a short while.  We BBQ’d dinners, went swimming and enjoyed the weather, walking and relaxing.

The KOA Cabin

Jerry and Elizabeth had attempted twice to have a meal at El Charro but the wait for a table was too long for us.  El Charro is the oldest continuously family-owned Mexican restaurant in the USA.  It is also where the Chimichanga was invented.  Did we tell you that story before?  Just in case, here it is again.  On a busy day, the founder of the restaurant, Monika, was in the kitchen with her children making burritos. She accidently dropped one into the deep fryer.  She didn’t want to swear in front of her kids so she exclaimed, “chimichanga” instead.  One of her employees thought they should see what the fried burrito tasted like and voilà, the Chimichanga was born.

 

With five of us, we were able to make a reservation (no line-ups) for lunch on a Wednesday.  

So glad we did because the food was out of this world.

After the glass blowing workshop, we headed back to Sonoran Delights because Mitch wanted to try the Sonoran Hot Dog, Amie and Ash were not as enthusiastic and opted for nachos.  As we were driving to AMY’s Donuts, we briefly saw a javelina run out from an underpass and across the embankment!  Wow.  We were introduced to AMY’s Donuts by Melissa and Jason Hanley of “Home-A-Roam” You tube fame.  They brought dessert to dinner.

Ash snapped this pic of a javelina from the backseat as we drove by.

Having tried new foods and glass blowing, we took AMA to pick-up the car they rented, said good-bye and they headed off to Sedona, the Grand Canyon and finally to Las Vegas. 

A roadrunner at our campsite.

A roadrunner at the KOA cabin.

Between glass blowing, eating in and out, campfires, javelina and roadrunner sightings, the time flew and so did they.  It was great to have them.

Take good care all

Love from,

Jerry, Elizabeth, Misty, FJ (Flat Jesus), the Guys, Miss Adventure Too and Clifford the Big Red Truck