
Sonoran Desert landscape in Tucson, Arizona
With winter persisting well into April in Calgary, it was definitely time for a spring road trip to the U.S. southwest and its warming sun. The destination this time was all the way south to Tucson, Arizona—a trip involving plentiful hiking, eating and drinking.
But as they say, the journey is often as important as the destination. So before I delve more deeply into Tucson eats and drinks over the coming weeks, here’s a pictorial sampling of road life on the three-day route down and on the way back.

Road trip breakfast of chilaquiles at MartAnne’s Burrito Palace in Flagstaff, Arizona

Early April snowstorm in Flagstaff (elevation 7,000 feet), 2 hours north of Phoenix

Hanging out with the cool coffee crowd at Lux Central in Phoenix

Two jumpers in the Wave Cave near Apache Junction, east of Phoenix

Peeking into the kitchen at Porter’s Cafe in Superior, Arizona

Open-pit mine south of Superior, Arizona

Outside Oracle Patio Cafe in Oracle, Arizona

Chalet Village Motel in Oracle, Arizona

Aquarium fish at the Desert Museum in Tucson

Sculpture in Metal Arts Village, Tucson

Homeward bound: Lunch line at colourful Lone Star Taqueria in Salt Lake City

Tacos Antojitos Naucalpan in tiny Hamer, Idaho: There’s no place like it

Run by the incomparable Carmen

Tesla super charging station in whistlestop Lima, Montana on the I-15

Hills outside one of my favourite U.S. towns, Dillon, Montana

Hitchin Post, Melrose, Montana
Crocs! Spied them. Shudder.
LikeLike
Nice trip by the looks of it, Bill, I’m jealous. Looking forward to the “recreation years” for trips to the southwest pretty soon. Love the first picture of the desert landscape near Tucson, and of course, the food!
LikeLike
Much more Tucson food to come.
LikeLike
If you haven’t already make sure to try Tucson Tamales, killer Tamales!! Bill, Brandon, MB
> https://tucsontamale.com/
>
LikeLike
Next time. But I have been to Ruiz’s Sonoran Hot Dogs and Taqueria Pico de Gallo.
LikeLike
Flagstaff, one of my fave US college towns.
Spring of 2015, we were in Patagonia AZ for 10 days. Some good eats there (Gathering Grounds, Velvet Elvis. A friend who now lives in the Tucson area used to live in the Slocan Valley – she describes Patagonia as the New Denver of AZ. Seemed that way to us….
LikeLike
Didn’t get south of Tucson this time. But Patagonia (AZ) is on my radar.
LikeLike