After a three-month absence, an intermittent visitor has returned to the Southern Arizona desert. While commonly referred to as “rain,” this visitor is also referred to as “relief” and less flattering terms, the most common of which is, “Where in the #$%^& have you been?” The rain in my back yard was a welcome sight…
March 2019 update: This site was redesigned by the university. Robert A. Norwood is a professor in the University of Arizona College of Optical Sciences. My website design showcases his research, publishing, teaching, scholarly presentations, and patents. The home page features a collage of photos that I took of the sculpture, low water use landscaping, and…
When I was in my early twenties, I set the goal of bicycling through all 50 of the United States. I accomplished this over a 12-year period, and wrote and published two books about my experiences. My travels also took me into Canada. During a 1987 ride down the Icefields Parkway between Jasper and Banff,…
The diversity of Tucson’s cycling scene never ceases to amaze me. In addition to the wide variety of bicyclists, our two-wheelers are used for a lot more than just riding along the terra firma. Take, for example, the riders from Southern Arizona Freestyle Entertainment. They treat their bikes like aircraft… This gravity-defying demo was part…
My previous Tucson Folk Festival 2010 posts have focused on the musical performances at this event. Well, I’m here to tell you that there’s a whole lot more to the Folk Festival than music. There was a wide array of vendors, including this mobile massage therapist… If you wanted to add to your music collection,…
ArleneWow! (the exclamation point is part of her stage name) came all the way from Connecticut to play for a very appreciative 2010 Tucson Folk Festival audience … Since concert photography is turning into one of this blog’s most-used categories, I figured that now is a good time for a complete list of all the…
Last month’s Swap Meet was a great place for the buying, selling and trading of anything having to do with bikes and bicycling. It also presented a wonderful opportunity to engage in the art of bike-tography, which combines bicycling and photography. In addition to getting wide-angle shots of all the action, the Swap Meet was…
The first weekend of May is generally when summer returns and breathes its fiery breath all over Tucson and southern Arizona. Not this year. If you didn’t bring a sweater and raincoat to this year’s Tucson Folk Festival, you wouldn’t have been very happy. And that would have been a shame, because the 2010 event…
April 2015 update: This website is no longer online. Anyplace Access for Arizonans (AA4A) is a University of Arizona-based program that offers online courses in nutrition, health and bioscience. AA4A courses are directed towards students, non-degree seekers, pre-professionals and professionals in the health-related fields including occupational and physical therapy, nursing, pharmacy, dietetics and radiation therapy….
Throughout this month, Tucson’s Watershed Management Group has been celebrating the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. WMG’s Earth Month celebration included a block party, street painting, a bike tour of water harvesting sites, and several workshops. The last two Earth Month workshops were held in my neighborhood. A nearby neighbor had a culvert cistern installed,…
This past Sunday featured a trifecta of bicycling events here in Tucson. The festivities started with the twice-yearly Bicycle Swap Meet on Fourth Avenue. Both new and used bikes, accessories, and bike parts were on sale… Want some cycling-themed clothing to go with your new or used bike? Swap Meet regular P. Nosa’s ready and…
The Meet Me at Maynards weekly social/run walk just turned a year old. To celebrate, 1,261 people converged on Maynards Market and Kitchen in Downtown Tucson. They began the festivities by sampling the wares from a variety of local vendors… In front of the market was a health fair featuring Rock and Stroll sponsor Tucson…
This past Saturday, a Tucson tradition began. Nine local bands joined together for a rousing good fundraiser for our community radio station, KXCI-FM 91.3. As one would expect from a station that plays a little bit of everything, a wide variety of musical talent was on display. Headliners Calexico weighed in with a tasty blend…
This past Saturday was another one of those warm, sunny Tucson classics. Perfect for one of the first days of spring 2010. All the better for holding Solar Rock, a sun-powered concert in Himmel Park. Attendees could review and sign the Solar Energy Industries Association’s Solar Bill of Rights… Or how about some Arizona sun-baked…
This past weekend was one of those springtime Tucson classics. Sunny days, warm temperatures, and who wants to spend a moment indoors? Time to head down to 4th Avenue for the 40th annual Street Fair. If you rode your bike to the fair, the City of Tucson offered free valet parking. And, yes, I took…
Care to share your love of reading with thousands of your best friends? Well, the Tucson Festival of Books is your kind of place. Now in its second year, the festival drew bibliophiles of all ages to the University of Arizona Mall. While there were plenty of booths filled with the latest books from all…
It’s been a very rainy winter here in Tucson. More than three inches of the wet stuff has fallen on my house and yard since January. We’re supposed to get more rain this weekend. In addition to bringing forth spring flowers like the ones on this front yard primrose… …the rains have also given rise…
This past Sunday, the clouds threatened a repeat of the rain we had on Saturday. But that didn’t keep the Fords and their admirers from returning to Tucson’s Fourth Avenue. The occasion was the 2010 edition of Fords on Fourth, an all-Ford car show. Whether you’re into hot rods or classic pickups, this show offers…
Now in its third year, Tucson Carnaval celebrates spring, life, the arts, and community connections. This event featured concerts by many local bands, including Spirit Familia. Here’s Spirit Familia’s band leader, Jomo Alan, who lives a block away from me. He practices the flute while bicycling along our street… Richard Rivera adds guitar and vocals…
Five years ago, I decided to replace my house’s drafty metal casement windows. I’m pleased to report that this home improvement project has finally come to an end. Earlier today, the Open Enclose crew came and installed two new windows in the living room. But the old windows didn’t go down without a fight. The…
This past Saturday, hundreds of bicycle racers and fans converged on the University of Arizona. The draw was the all-day UA Criterium, which wound its way around the campus. This one’s from a men’s race that took place during the afternoon…