Sonora Sage, Part 2

Sonora Sage and Meg ~ click to enlarge

I met Sonora Sage (instead of writing that, I'll just call her Liz)....

I met Liz at a little restaurant called Coyote Pause, which is not far from the museum.  I called her when I was near, so she'd know it's time to head over and she answered the phone with a cheerful "Meg!"

I bought us breakfast and we chatted, getting to know each other.  Liz is a friendly, chatty woman, the type people just seem to like.  Some people just give off that vibe.  People like her.  I like her.


After breakfast, I followed her the five winding miles up Kinney Road to the museum.  The scenery was absolutely awesome.  That's an overused word that I rarely use.  Saguaro cactus twenty feet high sprouted up on the side of the road as regular as telephone poles.  You could see new growth at the top of many.  In front of many plants there were smaller, maybe four-foot cactus ~ probably the offspring of the giant behind it.  Some just grew straight.  Some had a pair of branches raised high, like they were in the middle of a stickup.  Some had multiple arms, like a Vishnu in the desert.  Many had holes, from woodpeckers or other birds.  Scrub and a variety of other plants completed the landscape.  Near the road there were prcikly pear bushes.  I thought if one was walking along the road and a car came close, it would be a tough decision... get hit by the car or jump into a cactus bush.

After we parked, we walked over to Liz's office for a moment.  She had offered to introduce me to some of her co-workers (she said they were used to her t-friends) but no-one was around.  I suggested that it might be a good idea for me to use the ladies' room before our walk.  She said the one in the building was always a mess but she knew one "no-one ever used."  That was fine with me.  I don't have a problem using the ladies' room, really.  I have a problem with making other women uncomfortable.

So, of course, as I was about to walk in a woman was walking out.  I said "excuse me" and walked past her.

From the Too Much Information file: Strangely, at home I would stand.  Even though the ladies' room was empty, I sat.  Later, I went into a single toilet rest room and sat as well.

We did a lot of walking.  She knew where everything is, what to see, where to go.  Eventually, I started apologising for saying "wow" so much.  The views are spectacular, the variety of plant and wildlife is incredible.  There was a walk-in aviary and a walk-in hummingbird house.  Most people never see a hummingbird.  Here you can see a dozen or more without even trying.  It was amazing.
She introduced me to some of her co-workers, and she introduced herself to some docents who are only there on the weekend, when she usually is not.

I wish I worked in a place I'd want to invite friends to!

It was quite warm and very sunny and I have a bit of colour going too far up my arms and on a neckline not usually found on men's clothing (see the picture).  We sat and had some lemonade and more chat.

We finished up the tour, looked around the gift shop, and took some pictures of each other, and both of us together (like here).
After the tour, I offered to buy us lunch.  We agreed on the foods we don't like, and decided to visit a Chinese restaurant she had recently gone to.  After lunch, we shared a hug and went on our way.  Before I reached my hotel, Liz had shrunk and mailed me all of her photos and uploaded them all to flickr.
 
I spent an incredible day at an amazing place.  And, to use a word I use judiciously, Liz is awesome.
 
When I'm looking back and sorting the best days in my life, this one will be way up near the top.