Tuesday 5th March 2019..quite a road trip!!!

Again woke up early not sure why this is happening...anyway I had a shower and did some trip planning...

Left the Motel around 6.30 am and let me tell you it was very cold..I had brought some sweat pants and a hoodie never thinking I would use them but I did!!!!

Then  took the smaller back roads to the start of this drive.....

Regarded as one of the most scenic drives in southeast Arizona, the Mount Lemmon Scenic Byway takes travelers to the upper reaches of Mount Lemmon and the Santa Catalina Range. Aside from the arresting canyon and mountain views, the nearly 60-mile round-trip byway offers visitors the biological equivalent of driving from the deserts of Mexico to the forests of Canada (the road begins in the lower Sonoran vegetative life zone and ascends to the high forests in the Canadian zone).

Recent visitors highly recommended making the drive, which many described as "spectacular" and a "must-do" when in Tucson. Along with the stunning vantage point, the ride up also provides a reprieve from the desert heat; travelers said the temperature drops as you climb higher along the byway. Take advantage of the scenic overlooks and rest areas by bringing along a picnic – another recommendation from past visitors.

The road is drivable year-round, but winter weather may cause restrictions. To reach the byway, take Tanque Verde Road east from Tucson to the Catalina Highway, which becomes Hitchcock Highway at the Forest Service boundary. From there, the highway leads to the top of Mount Lemmon. 

All I can say it was an amazing road trip...

 So many changes in a relatively few miles..from vegetation..weather.....altitude....vistas...

..enjoy the photos!!

Noticed that somewhere on this last journey I lost my rear hub cap!!!

As I drove higher the white stuff appeared!!

I think this is too much for Little Bluey!!!

Top of the mountain 9000 feet...

Truly a wonderful drive if you are ever in this neck of the woods!!

Later on in the afternoon I went to visit my friend, Linda, in her beautiful town house in a lovely gated community...

We have know each other for many years and always good to see her and catch up on her busy family life.

Then we went out to the pool...

Where I swam laps..

And then soaked in here for twenty minutes!!!

As today is Shrove Tuesday I had offered to take Linda and what family members could make it out for pancakes......why pancakes??  Read below!!!

Pancake Day, or Shrove Tuesday, is the traditional feast day before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday. Lent – the 40 days leading up to Easter – was traditionally a time of fasting and on Shrove Tuesday, Anglo-Saxon Christians went to confession and were “shriven” (absolved from their sins). A bell would be rung to call people to confession. This came to be called the “Pancake Bell” and is still rung today.

Shrove Tuesday always falls 47 days before Easter Sunday, so the date varies from year to year and falls between February 3 and March 9. In 2019 Shrove Tuesday will fall on March 5th.

Shrove Tuesday was the last opportunity to use up eggs and fats before embarking on the Lenten fast and pancakes are the perfect way of using up these ingredients.

A pancake is a thin, flat cake, made of batter and fried in a frying pan. A traditional English pancake is very thin and is served immediately. Golden syrup or lemon juice and caster sugar are the usual toppings for pancakes.

The pancake has a very long history and featured in cookery books as far back as 1439. The tradition of tossing or flipping them is almost as old: “And every man and maide doe take their turne, And tosse their Pancakes up for feare they burne.” (Pasquil’s Palin, 1619).

Only the four of us Linda..her daughter Teri and her smashing grand daughter Muri...

Seen here enjoying herself with loaded pancakes!!!

Then tonight I went to my Airbnb casita where I am staying for 4 nights...it is small but very cute and has everything I need!!

So a busy and enjoyable first day in the States!!!

Yashi Kochi!!!