My parents had just died the 6 days apart from lung lung cancer). I had been their caregiver for 5 months. (Sorry! 'Tis a dark tale.

At my their wake, I asked a few friends who traveled solo for a good place was to decompress - I needed nature and lots of swimming. I had to quit my job and had all the estate stuff in front of me. I stayed at La Paloma for 6 days (2012) and fell in love with the good people downtown, with hiking the Foothills.

Visited 2 more times and made the move from Chicago to Phoenix in 2014. Not a fan. Rental options were slim in Tucsin at the time.

I bought a little house with a pool and moved to Tucson in 2017 and feel like I'm home.

I love what I remember from 2012 and other visits. I was severely antisocial for a couple of years and have serious back problems - so I have zero friends here (the 2 ai knew moved away), then Covid.

I came to cycle and hike and have done neither, but this place gives me a feeling of promise and warmth in the people, and awe of nature.

I'll always be a Chicagoan (I miss the architecture!), but I'm staying put.