Eric and I agreed to meeting halfway between Tempe and Sierra Vista. Marana, a northwestern suburb of Tucson, came up. I chose to meet at Barro's pizza, an Arizona chain pizzeria I had never heard of before, with a start in 1930s Chicago. It was a 1:40 hour drive for both of us. I took Zana.
I started the morning with a 10am walk with Gretchen to the mailbox and back. She did fine today and seemed to appreciate the private walk.
I arrived at Barro's Pizza off Arizona Pavillions in Marana at 1:47pm. Eric showed up three minutes later. Perfect timing! I parked in the shade as the rest of us went inside. Zana was content. She rides well..
We ordered a Barro's special large thick crust pizza. This had pepperoni and ham among the veggies. I pulled out the ham and gave it to Zana.
The place was quiet. The dark wood interior reminded me of any Chicago-area pizzeria. Eric and I also had one Angelo's Ale each (brewed by Four Peaks in Tempe).
The place never got busy but we didn't want to stay long. We also didn't want to drive home yet. Eric wanted to visit a nearby Barnes and Noble off Cholla Avenue. We ended up staying in the cafe for almost three hours talking about family, Elon Musk (who seems to want to take over the incoming Trump presidency) and married life. Both are interesting to talk to. I watched the harmony between Eric and Margaret thrive today. I'm so happy he found a good partner. She understands his sarcasm.
This B&N is huge! Walking inside it reminded me of the many times I took Erin and Eric to the local Borders in Monterey back in the mid 1990s for a cheap family night out, looking at books and then having juice or cocoa (or for me, cappuccino). I'm glad this bookstore is still standing.
We finally went our separate ways at sunset at 5:30pm. I wanted to take Zana on her private walk before heading home. It was too dark to drive out to Tortolita Preserve north of town, which was the original plan, a mostly flat area of trails at the base of the mountain range. Instead I opted for a quick three-mile power walk along the Rillito River Park. It was 5:55pm when I started and a comfy 68F. I kept my jacket in the Honda. We walked to Oracle Road east, a 1.5-mile section
A sign in the parking lot warned users to "secure valuables; high break-in area." There were two other cars still in the lot. A few homeless people were camped along the trail, but didn't bother me.
The Rillito River Park is part of Tucson's 54-mile circular Loop. I completed the Loop in sections over an 18-month period last year but I always enjoy walking sections of it when I'm in Tucson. While the path officially closes at sunset, there were still people walking or jogging after dark. I let Zana off leash for most of this jaunt and called her back when I saw people approaching. She did beautifully with her commands. I could tell she enjoyed her walk, too.
Stores along my drive were now starting to close. I cruised past empty, dimly-lighted parking lots. I wanted to try out one more beer bar, Tucson Hop Shop, but when I came in at 7:50pm the owner said they had already had last call and were closing at 8pm, an hour earlier than usual. It looked like a cozy place but I'll have to try it out another time.
At this point I decided to just drive home. Zana slept in the passenger seat for most of the drive. I think she appreciated the heated seat!
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