I left Phoenix at an impossibly early hour in desperate need of an ATM and gas. I found both at a corner quick stop. The desert between Phoenix and Tucson is very different than the one between Las Vegas and Phoenix. On the way to Tucson the cacti get bigger, the ground gets barer, fewer shrubs and bushes, and more cacti varieties.
My first stop was the Saguaro National Monument. It was AMAZING. The short path I walked included signs with the names of the cacti. It was very hot, even though it was only Match 11th. The pictures on flickr just don't do this desert justice.
I then drove on into Tucson. Funny thing about maps, they just don't stay current with road building. I had to do some zen driving to find my way to town, cause I was literally not on the map and it wouldn't be the for the last time.
I had extra time, so I went to the public library and looked around and took a few pictures. I had a good meeting at University of Arizona, and really liked lunch at their outdoor Bookend Cafe.
Dinner came from Safeway and then I headed to my hotel, and drove, and drove, and drove, and drove.
The website said the hotel was in Tucson. It lied. The hotel was about 45 minutes outside of Tucson. Still, it was a great hotel the first of many best westerns to come. I was still nervous about traveling alone, so I wasn't unhappy that the hotel was so far outside of the main city and set in a beautiful, rural, area.
Saguaro National Monument photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsemenza/sets/72157604111511622/
Tucson Public Library photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsemenza/sets/72157604113314788/
University of Arizona photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsemenza/sets/72157604113438130/
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