evening-ish: Found myself a cheap motel not far from the hip and happenin' 4th Ave. area and the University of Arizona. I couldn't resist my curiosity and looked up my high school physics teacher in the phone book, and bingo, there he was. I called and left a message on his machine, and then went out to explore some more.

I drove up to Sentinel Peak, which I had read about on virtualtourist.com, to get a panoramic view of Tucson. It was sinking in how cacti are pretty much universal in Tucson. As long as I was on the western side of Tucson, I also decided to check out Gates Pass Road where a cyclist was killed several months ago during a race. Despite my impression that Tucson proper could be more bike-friendly, Tucson is a cycling mecca with plenty of places for hobbyists, amateurs and pros to ride or train. I looked to see if the memorial was still there, but I didn't see it.

Gates Pass Road turned out to be a serious climb for cyclists, and in my car I found myself going up it, and then down the other side. The sun was going down by then and I found myself amidst a "forest" of saguaro cactus! Cactuses are the most incredible things, they fascinated me at first sight, but then to be surrounded by them while the sun set was truly awe-inspiring. They have such personality and elegance and grace. Even trees and plants bend and sway in the wind, but saguaro cactus are living beings that are as inanimate as stone. They're like monks. Maybe that's the attraction.

I don't know if that was Saguaro Nat'l Park West, it may have been. It was beautiful and peaceful, and I pulled off into a parking area, and the silence was profound, save for the occasional car passing by. The sunset wasn't spectacular as it was slightly hazy, but I stayed and chilled with the warm, relaxed desert vibe until it was almost dark. If I stayed longer, I'm sure the star-gazing would have been spectacular as well. Tucson is also cited as a fave city for star-gazing. Why I don't live here, I don't know.

When I got back to the motel, the phone indicated I had a message, but I couldn't figure out how it worked. Figuring it was my physics teacher, I tried calling again, but again left a message, this time specifying the number and room number. Then I went on foot to 4th Avenue. It certainly wasn't a bustling nightspot, but I liked the mellow college feel. Mellow? Isn't the University of Arizona one of the top party schools?!!