Tucson: First (Month's) Impressions

Tucson really is a colorful place. And I am not just talking about the 4 hues of rock that people can choose from in "landscaping" their yards, or the colorful language of my next door neighbor. It is a quirky place, and the longer I am here the more I discover those things that can either endear (or estrange) this city to its occupants.

First of all there are the roads. I can't remember if I have mentioned them before, but I have seriously wondered if someone goes out with a shovel at night and takes out chunks of asphalt, just for the heck of it. There are huge pieces of road missing! As much as I miss my motorcycle, I would be a nervous wreck trying to navigate around the holes, and even in a car I have to be constantly watching the road. (I know this is a good idea anyway, but it does make it harder to spot places you are looking for when you are playing at a real live Mario Kart.)

I do like that Tucson roads follow the grid system. I was recently informed that all of the major roads are at stoplights 1 mile apart, which makes running calculations easier. The only downside to that is that the crosswalks are few and far between, so most people don't bother with them. When I first arrived here it seemed like jaywalking was the preferred form of exercise for most Tucsonans, and I am still not convinced otherwise.

Something about Tucson that I absolutely love is the wildlife, specifically the lizards. Those of you who know me well know that I have an affinity for reptiles, and the fact that they scamper across my sidewalk as I head out to school every morning totally makes my day. I even caught 2 baby horny toad lizards the other day! They were so cute, and it is fascinating to hold such an obvious relative of dinosaurs in your hand without fearing for your life. :)

Have I told you about the "washes" of Tucson yet? This is what gets me most of all. Every mile or so Tucson has what is called a "wash" - a dry bed of dirt, sand, or cement that looks like it could be the sad remains of what once contained flowing water - and they give them names like "Rose Wash" or "Pantano Wash", like it is some kind of tourist attraction. They are bone dry until...monsoon season! Then they catch all the runoff and turn into a temporary creek or river, lasting anywhere from 2-48 hours before the earth can finally absorb all the moisture. They are purely decorative for the other 11 months of the year, but during monsoon season the Tucson "washes" serve a useful purpose.

These are just a few of the things that have made an impression on me since my transfer here. There are others, like the Sonoran cacti (the classic, movie-style cactus that actually only grows in the Sonoran dessert), the air force base full of retired war planes (which I get to drive past in my commute), and the exceptionally good Mexican food I have had since moving here. I am not sure how long I will be in the Southwest, but it has definitely made a mark. And that is not counting the sun-induced extra freckles on my nose.

P.S. I do wear sunscreen most of the time...