A day in Tucson: The Loop along the Julian Wash (1.5 miles o/w)

I did something today that I don't normally do on a school day: I took the day off to run more errands in Tucson. I took Gretchen with me so that we could do a short hike or walk somewhere. 

The day began with the usual walk around the 'hood with Gretchen and in the end with Sweetie. I usually just walk Sweetie around the block, due to her arthritis, and today she seemed fine with the shorter section. Gretchen gets the bigger loop by herself. 

I didn't leave for the Old Pueblo until after 10:30am. I wanted to make sure I missed the morning rush on I-10 east of Tucson. The forecast called for isolated thunderstorms after 3pm, with a high of 94F. 

I dropped off a big bag of aluminum cans on my way, then stopped at the new Raising Cane's restaurant off Ajo Road. I was selected as one of the Yelp Elites to review a combo pack. Cane's is an all-chicken fingers restaurant that started in Baton Rouge. I had only eaten at one once, and that was late at night through the drive-thru in Amarillo. That chicken fingers sandwich was unremarkable, but this meal was good. This time I got a complimentary "combo pack" with fries, a side of tasty coleslaw and a Diet Coke. I should have ordered iced tea, as their tea seems to be popular. 

It was already hot when I got to Tucson. I stopped once to walk Gretchen along the interstate frontage road for a pee break. After Cane's I stopped at the Harbottle brewpub to chill inside with a cold beer. It was too hot to walk Gretchen; she needed to chill with me. But an hour later the sunny, partly cloudy sky turned more cloudy and the temperature dropped from 94F to 77F. That was near ideal for a quick walk along the Loop. 

 

The closest trailhead parking from Harbottle brewing on Ajo Road was on the next cross street, South Palo Verde Road. I parked behind a run-down hotel (homeless shelter?) and walked west, to link up at Country Club Road where back in early January I had walked with Gretchen west to Park Avenue. This way I closed off that part of the Julian Wash section of the Loop. 

 

The Julian Wash section along today's section was mostly along an industrial section of town, along RV repair businesses and run-down hotels. It wasn't very scenic except for the distant mountains north of town. I didn't see too many homeless encampments on this section. I turned around at Country Club Road and walked east, this time making it to the Los Ninos park outside an elementary school. Dark clouds were forming above the mountains; it looked like it would rain. 

 

Today's walk was a mere 3.34 miles, but it's still enough to subtract from the rest of The Loop that I still need to walk along the Pantano and Julian Washes. 

It was 4:30pm when I drove back home, stopping briefly at Steve's place to drop off a four-pack of Harbottle IPA. Steve was not feeling well and asked me to walk Trace for him. I gladly did so, leaving Gretchen in the truck so that she wouldn't harass Trace. She was a bit aggressive the last time the two dogs were together.  

I walked Trace around the entire perimeter of the ample RV park. He walks so well on leash!  His only flaw was wanting to chase after a squirrel.  Thus ended my day in Tucson. It's going to be the last day I take off for a while.