Golfing at Rancho del Lago... Our Home Course

This golf course has an amazing amount of birds and wildlife... and as we golfed today, we focused on capturing some of the natural beauty of this challenging course.

This is what Shirley looks like after making a par on the second hole at Rancho Del Lago Golf Club.

I thought we had to use up this TEN PLAY card or it would be worthless... but didn't realize it had already expired until I'm doing the blog and saw the date! Oooops! Too late now. Already used it!

It's only a couple of minutes to the golf course from where we live in Del Webb Rancho Del Lago. Looking back at the clubhouse from the first fairway 150 yard post.

I have never seen a more abundant ocotillo than this one near the second tee box.

Aren't the blossoms amazing?

Being snowbirds, we have always gone back to Canada end of March... but this year we had to come back to clean out our home which just sold.

To see the desert flowers in April is truly a special experience for us. And the golf course is loaded with photo opportunities.

The third hole has water which I'm sure is magnetic! It gives me a chance to see the frogs when I retrieve my ball.

These Brittlebush flowers are at the end of their blooming season.... but I sure do love them. They are so cheerful.

There are a few places on the course where the cactus gets a little abuse. Note Rincon Peak in the background.

You can see where players are storing their golf balls... and will likely never get around to retrieving them. It it like a golf ball vending machine. You see the balls... you maybe need another ball... but it's just too hard to climb up to get one.

I'm sure this poor prickly pear cactus feels like it is living in a war zone.

It is always nice to see the shy quail along the golf course... but tough to get a photo of them.

We saw several of these little ground squirrels.

And we couldn't count how many bunnies we saw.

The first time I ever played here I saw a family of javelinas... but they tend not to show up here very often. This sculpture of a javelina is from the Desert Museum. We did see a family of them the other evening near Walgreens as we went on a walk while waiting for a prescription.

I don't know how this road runner knows we just picked up a sandwich at the clubhouse after nine holes... but these guys are smart... and if you ever leave the golf cart for a minute they will soon be eating your lunch.




There is not a lot of water on the course, but Shirley did better than me on this unlucky 13th hole. With a mulligan I was able to par it.

To right in the background is Mica Mountain... a peak I'll always remember having hiked over that mountain a couple of weeks ago... 8666 feet elevation.

From the green on 14 I saw new solar panels going on the roof of a nearby house.

I have no idea what kind of flower this is... but had to catch a photo of it.

We both had a delightful day on the course... and we both had a few pars... and some chances for birdies.  It was a perfect day for golf.

As we were playing out on the last hole I caught this turtle basking in the sun. Doesn't this water look like Gatorade?

A selfie seemed like the best way to remember the day on 18.

"I find that as I am getting older the only way that I can break 90 is to take about 17 mulligans."

The Backroad to Tucson

There are two or three routes to get from our Del Webb community to Tucson, and without a doubt we always prefer to take the backroad... the Old Spanish Trail.  Two reasons.  Great scenery... and no school zones to have to slow you down.

The best other route goes thru Vail to Houghton Road and thru THREE school zones... and there are no Saguaros to enjoy.  The third route is to take I-10 into Tucson... this is quickest if you want to go to the old downtown part of Tucson or the west and north parts of the city.

                                                                               photo by Shirley Goerlitz

The entrance to Saguaro National Park is right off Old Spanish Trail...

                                                                                                         photo by Shirley Goerlitz

And there are lots of these giant Saguaros close to the road.

                                                                                                          photo by Shirley Goerlitz

Shirley soon learned to go across the road to avoid catching cars with her camera.

                                                                                               photo by Shirley Goerlitz

There is one corner of the Old Spanish Trail that affords a great views of the Saguaro forest.

photo by Shirley Goerlitz

These majestic cactus grace the ridge and welcome us whenever we whiz past.

photo by Shirley Goerlitz

It is kind of like a drive thru Saguaro National Park without having to pay any park admission.

photo by Shirley Goerlitz

There are also some interesting buildings and events that happen along the Spanish Trail... like at this barnyard where every Saturday there is a Farmers Market... and the place is packed.

photo by Shirley Goerlitz

This only billboard on the road looks antiqued... and features some of the events and places in this Rincon Valley.

photo by Shirley Goerlitz

Like this Rocking K Ranch where you can do trail rides and other horse and roping events.

photo by Shirley Goerlitz

They also have the Rincon Valley Cowboy Church here.

photo by Shirley Goerlitz

The sun was setting as we were on our way home from the Tucson Home Show at the Convention Centre.  I love the long shadows at the end of the day.

photo by Shirley Goerlitz

This was the first cactus flower of the season we have seen.  If we hadn't stopped to take the long shadow photos we would have missed this beauty.

This sign is close to the turn off where we leave the Spanish Trail and go right onto Camino Loma Alta.  We have yet to visit the Colossal Cave... just waiting for some visitors to take there.

There are only three stop signs from our Del Webb community to Houghton Road when going to town on the Old Spanish Trail... and coming back there are none from Houghton Road to home.

This cyclist has just turned off Spanish Trail onto Loma Alto.

There is an endless bike lane all the way from our community into Tucson.  Next year I hope to have a bike and make an occasional trip to Tucson on my bicycle.

On Loma Alta is the fire station...

And right beside it is the water reservoir.

There are lots of signs warning of cattle... open range... etc.

And we cross four cattle guards on this route to town.  But I have yet to see our first cow or critter on any road here.

However I did see a few bees enjoying these flowers.

And I caught a little rabbit trying to hide behind this prickly pear cactus.  See the sunshine in his ears?

I was intrigued by this sign on Camino Loma Alta.... I think it tells us this is a scenic route to view Saguaro cactus... but when I looked around the only Saguaro, which is behind this sign... it is pretty dead with all its arms drooping down.

photo by Shirley Goerlitz

Coming down Rancho del Lago last evening before turning into our Del Webb community the sun had set and the palm trees were silhouetted against the mountains in the distance.  I had to stop so Shirley could get one last photo.  Some photos you just need to keep the memories forever.

Fun and Games in Tucson

We were looking at real estate one afternoon.  While Paul was getting into the lock box I took this with my iPhone.... I especially liked the way the light and shadows interacted in this geometric pattern.  Cool eh?  

A family of seven javelinas came thru the Del Lago golf course at Vail... hard to get a closeup with an iPhone.  But it was really great to get as close I could.  Shirley said I was lucky...  they could have charged me... but I told her they let me take their picture for no charge.

Lorne, Dave and Ted golfed with me at Del Lago in Vail... very nice golf course.  And a brand new community here south east of Tucson.

Shirley took a few photos of me and Reilly playing pickle ball with Lorne and Lena.  I have played almost every morning for 2 hours or so.  Good exercise.

Tradition here is at the end of every game we touch our paddle handles with each other and say, "good game."

One of my most favourite golf courses is the Arizona National.   We were teamed with this couple for the round who are also wintering in Tucson.  You can click on the link to see last years flowers and birds on this great golf course.

These orange flowers... aloe saponaria are on several of the tee boxes.

This was the first cactus blossom this spring.

Last year when I play at Arizona National it was a month later... mid to end of April... and the cactus flowers were in abundance.

My good friend Lorne offered to take pictures of me several times... but when it is so bright outside one cannot see that your finger is over part of the lens.  I still love this shot!  There are lots of great valley views from Arizona National.  

On this Par Three hole we have to shoot over several cactus...

But not everyone gets their ball past this big Saguaro.

aloe saponaria