Third Day: University of Arizona and Sabino Canyon

The third day in Tucson started off much like yesterday with everyone up and ready to go by nine, but after spending some time touring the U of AZ campus with Dr. Arion we split up and went our separate ways. While on campus we saw the student union building (easily twice the size of Straz, Clausen and Lentz combined!), the Steward building where they control the telescopes on Mt Lemmon, Mt Bigelow, and several others, and the National Optical Astronomy Observatory building that controls Kitt Peak and the observatory in Chile. Dr. Arion had to head up the mountain and check in to the telescope we will be working at, so we had almost the entire day to ourselves. After he left, we all visited the Arizona State Museum and learned about the people native to the southwestern US and saw some beautiful pieces from their astounding pottery collection.

At this point we decided to split up into three groups; one group remaining at the AZ campus to continue looking around, one group doing a little shopping and/or going back to the hotel, and one group (albeit only of two people) who decided to be adventurous and hike Sabino Canyon. Sabino Canyon was one of my favorite spots from my first trip to Tucson last January, and since it wasn't on our schedule yet I suggested it as a perfect way to spend a few hours while Dr. Arion was gone. I was really looking forward to the hike again and was very glad that Don decided to come with me, but I was also a little sad that everyone else missed out on the phenomenal scenery and wildlife found there. I saw a roadrunner for the second time in my life, this time up close and personal with it only a meter or two away (see pictures below), and a couple who passed us hiking down the canyon said that a mountain lion came out into the open and crossed the road not more than a minute after we passed. The locals would probably think me crazy since they are an area nuisance, but my favorite creature sighting of the day was a large group of Gambel's Quail wandering about near the gift shop.

After a long and tiring day we retired back to the hotel and here I sit writing this blog. I suppose I still have pictures to sort and upload (I really will get around to putting them on Flickr one of these days, I promise!), but for now I'm just going to relax and watch a new episode of Castle (and yes, I do still miss Firefly).

Jenny