BACKROADS

SEEING THE SOUTHWEST OVER A THREE DAY WEEKEND in any location is improbable. The region is filled with historical remnants extending from three coinciding wars, the 1846 Mexican-American War, the 1861 Civil War, and the 1846 Mexican-Indian War. Lucky enough to get the brief visit on a layover en route from Dallas to Detroit by way of Alaska, my stay in the Tucson, Arizona area found me in receipt of a tour through Tumacacori, Arizona, its neighboring communities or the artist colony at Tubac, Arizona and what later became Carmen, Arizona... a now thriving residential area that blossomed from a mobile home and modular home community featuring horse trails and ATVs.

SAN XAVIER MISSION, tucked within the borders of the Tohono Oodam Property spares testimony of believers who travel there to leave well wishes for loved ones tucked into the surrounding wall crevices as a practice holding for well over 100 years. Locals sell their wares and souvenirs nearby.

RIO RICO is a developing small town with desert flora that appeals to those loving the desert lifestyle. As with the little town of Carmen, the slow crawl population growth says it promises a life of laid-back comfort for soaking up the sun and watching desert fauna. Not far from the larger inland lake development at Lake Patagonia State Park.

LAKE PATAGONIA offers everything from fishing to dirty lake swimming for those that enjoy that type activity, and abundant wildlife to include Peccary, roadrunners, coyotes, eagles, hawks, and a variety of owls and cactus birds.

Alternate sites include a beautifully displayed selection of mining finds from local digs. Time permitting, no one should leave without seeing these and finding the latest Georgia O'Keefe art display... I managed to meet the artist herself on my two-day layover. She was busily painting the cow skull and light angles with not a lot of time for chit-chat. Lovely woman. Reenactments on a scheduled basis during summer months for tourists exist to demonstrate life during the Mexican Indian Wars.

MINERAL MINING MUSEUM

MEMOIRS OF AN ARTIST - GEORGIA OKEEFE

RE-ENACTMENT SKITS

A two-day time limit on the heels of a sudden notice drop in to a relative's home was not enough time to see much of either of the tourist sites mentioned. The host had other, more personal plans. My stop into the area was at the correction of an error made in airline ticketing. Travel plans out of WACO to Dallas-Fort Worth was scheduled to take me to Fairbanks, Alaska before heading back cross country to Detroit, Michigan where I was intended to return after military training. When you travel here be certain to provide time to adjust to the sun.

Next tour, should I meet the group that friended me after making back to the Detroit Metro Airport would be the UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE to follow up on the inopportune day I could not be left outside agonizing on the steps. The Universal House of Justice is a nine-member supreme ruling body. It was envisioned by the founder as an institution that could legislate on issues of humanity not already addressed, by holding international conferences, and developing educational systems to enhance literacy, to equalize the role of women, address abuse and rights of children and youth, enhance family life, expand opportunities for social and economic development, and communal fellowship. The Universal House of Justice has also played a role in responding to systemic religious persecution, an issue typically avoided by other international entities. Although a foremost concern for equal rights and standards for men and women as a major principle in the establishment of the organization, membership on the Universal House of Justice is male-only; the rules of agenda indicate that the reason for this will become clear in the future. This has got to be a place to see.