You
cannot visit the true west and not take a horseback ride, so a 7AM sunrise
found us at the Desert High Country Stables in Tucson eagerly awaiting our
first ever trail ride with the boys. We could not have dreamt a better start as
the sun rose and turned the desert sky from red to orange. There was just the
four of us on this ride; that in itself was rather nice so with “A Horse With
No Name” playing in my mind we headed out to explore the desert flora and fauna
on horseback. It was a perfect start to another picture perfect desert day.
Because we had to return to the stables
before the heat became a danger to the horses and us, we had a full day ahead
of us and chose to spend it at the Old Tucson Movie Studios just west of the
city. I had always been a big movie fan and particularly interested in film
techniques and behind-the-scenes information so this was going to be a big deal
for me. Old Tucson Studios was originally built in 1938 as a replica of 1860s
Tucson for the filming of the movie “Arizona.” In 1960 the Studios were opened
to the public and they grew as various production companies left something from
their set on site as each film was completed.
As the day wore on it got hotter and
hotter and by the time the first stunt show ended in the early afternoon it was
a real scorcher. Many people were uncomfortable but it hit Adam very hard and
he alarmingly collapsed from heat exhaustion necessitating us to rush him to
the infirmary. Staffed by medics in cavalry uniforms, Matt introduced himself
to Adam as he took his blood pressure. After a drink of Mountain Dew, a cold
compress on the back of his neck and a bit of rest Adam recovered and we were
on our way.
Gavin was
a little jealous of all the attention given Adam but I think it was mainly the
fact that Adam got a sweet drink and he didn’t. Being a little nervous we spent
a bit of time just relaxing in the shade and enjoying the people walking by and
the various activities that unfolded around us. Old Tucson Movie Studios had a
cornucopia of authentic Western dirt roads, boardwalks, rain barrels and
saloons with swinging doors so this little break gave Adam a chance to
stabilize.
It was
more than an enjoyable visit, it was a chance to get a feel for the culture of
the Old West in an authentic (looking) setting.
for more information go to www.thatroadtripbook.com
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