And The Gods Smiled Down

While the wedding in Tucson was lovely, the event was spectacular. Sure, we took pictures (384 of them), but I thought I’d take a stab at a description first.

We arrived at the Tanque Verde Ranch on Saturday. It’s a dude ranch using the pejorative form of “dude.”

2 : a city dweller unfamiliar with life on the range; especially : an Easterner in the West

Brits, Scots, and Germans tried their hands at ridin’ the range, but mostly got sunburns. We would’ve signed up for the rides included in our all-inclusive room rate packages, but we didn’t pack for that. We packed for a wedding, not a horseback ride. No boots, no hats, some sunscreen, inadequate shoes. That’s not to say we couldn’t find something to do though. We hiked around the expansive ranch property, through the saguaros, past the snakes (see below), over the rocks, and to the abandoned buildings along the rim.

Did I mention the other stuff? Pools, both indoor and outdoor. Tennis courts, a pool table in the bar, and nonstop eating. Either it was a sit-down meal or a buffet or some snacks in between. You could do nothing there but eat if that was your inclination, and clearly that was the favorite pastime of many of the guests there.

But I digress.

We enjoyed a Sunday morning filled with hikes and nearly endless meals before we hit yet another trail into the Saguaro National Monument for the ceremony. Thirty of us trekked nearly fifty yards from the trailhead to a spot framed by giant cactus for the exchange of vows. No minister, just the sky and the earth and family. Very fitting for those two, and I have to say, very romantic.

The natives living on the reservation invited as many generations as possible to partake in the reception. In some cases, four. All sweet, gracious, and grateful for the lovely evening, they danced and ate and praised the happy couple. Just wonderful.

Oh, the in-laws. Many showed up, including the bride’s step-family, who also love the bride dearly. It was quite a gathering, especially for a dude ranch.

I promise to post pictures within the next couple of days. It’ll be fun.

Your best pal,

bob