First week in Tucson, AZ

We are working at the Santa Clara United Methodist Church in Tucson, AZ

Our team from the left in front are Jodi, Midge, Avis, Cindy, Barb and Steve and in the rear from the left are Stel, Bub, Gary, Jack and Denny.

Our priority for this project is to clean up, repair and replace numerous items in  the Education Building and the playground so that the building can be leased out for a preschool group to raise funds to support the church but we have other projects around the church grounds as well.

Cindy, Denny, Gary and Barb begin assessing what resources are available in trustee's shop.

Stel and Avis discuss alternatives for replacement of damaged tile base in the bathrooms.

Midge begins cleaning and painting classroom cabinets.

Bub works on repairing leaking sink faucets.

Jack prepares to clean and flush out Coolers on the roof of the Education Bldg.

Cindy is committing Breaking and Entering of the utility room because we can't find the key.

Now that the utility room is open, Jack checks for power issues with one of the heat pumps.

Gary and Denny are excavating to remove this old (and rotted) see saw.

Cindy fires up her chain saw and sets out to remove these thorn trees from the playground

and Avis assists by gently pulling away branches.  These thorns are about 2 inches long.

Cindy displays her glee with her lumberjack efforts.

Gary and Denny move cement bumpers 

to keep neighborhood cars from hitting the playground fence.

We need to get rid of this old tire so Jack attempts to excavate it

and Cindy tries to empty the inside.

Denny and Gary work of repairing basketball playground fence

and install gates.

Cindy removes weeds and grass along fence

and Stel helps with weedwacking along buildings.

Meanwhile indoors Stel and Denny removing cabinet doors

and Barb begins sanding the doors

and applies polyeurothane to the doors.

Jodi helps with sanding the doors.

Bub is attempting to unclog this sink

and Steve attempts repairs to this children's "throne"

and more drain repairs for Bub.

Steve working on repairs to church kitchen faucets.

Midge and Avis painting this classroom wall.

Stel & Avis remove deterriorated vinyl base from classroom

and Steve repairs wall in prep for new vinyl base.

Avis touching up paint on newlly added conduit in entrance to Education Bldg.

Jack and Cindy begin repairs to porch roof on Education bldg.

and add new supports as they go.

Gary, Jack and Denny installing this sign to the front of the church.

Stel & Cindy gathering cut grass and debris from playground to haul to the dumpster.

Bub applies Kilz to stains on ceiling tiles.

Gary and Denny repairing sanctuary chairs.

On our final afternoon of the week, Pastor Augustin and wife Maria visit to inspect the work so far.  We'll be back at it next week.

Visit to Big Bend National Park

When we left  Canyon Lake, TX we headed west on US 90 through Bracketville and Del Rio and then on westward.

As we travelled west we encountered more and more of the Hill Country

and came upon the historic site of Judge Roy Bean, the "Law west of the Pecos"

This is the original building from which Judge Bean handed out his brand of western justice.

On down the road we turned south on Rt 385 for what seemed like days until

we finally came upon Big Bend Nat.Park.

Then we travelled on for what seemed a couple more days

and passed through this beautiful tunnel toward Rio Grande Village.

We dry camped (no hookups) in the village with the Rio Grande River between our campsite and the mountains in Mexico.

We were visited regulary by some local residents like this Javelina

and this coyote.

The "Nature Trail" leads up to the hillside and

allows you to overlook the river into Mexico on the other side.  

On one or our daytrips we travelled west in the park

about 40 or

50 miles

and into the Chisos Mountains

and the Chisos Basin

with one gorgeous view after another.

Local flora of the lowland

with increasing numbers of trees as we climed the mountain.

Then worked our way back down.

On another day, we traveled further west on the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive toward  Castolon.

with increasing variety of views.

When we stopped at this spot, we could see the gap between US and Mexico in the center of the photo, 14 miles ahead.

and the gap here is but 4-5 miles away

and here is the gap.  The Rio Grande flows through here with Mexico on the left and US on the right.

and more beautiful views on the way back to camp.

and as we leave the park behind the next day.  Now it's on to Arizona.