Tuscon Saguaro National Park

Saturday, Feb 4.   I started out the day with another great swim at the base fitness club.  This has become my regular morning routine to swim a mile to mile and a half each morning in this great facility.  It's like being at home. 

After breakfast, we decided to see Saguaro (pronounced "sah-WAH-row") National Park.  It is only about 8 miles away from the base, so it's a nice ride, with a rapid transition from urban to wilderness.

We had seen many Saguaro on our trip to the Sabino Canyon, but nothing like the size and number that are in the park.  These are magnificent cacti that really are amazing to see.  The northern edge of the Sonaran Desert (where we are) is home to this most recognizable cactus in the world.  These cacit can go up to three years with no water, grow 50 feet tall and live over 150 years. 
In the park there are over 50 different types of cacti.  Although we couldn't identify many, we were impressed by the tremendous variety that we did see.

A "very" careful inspection of the cactus skin

Pretty to look at, but don't touch.

The needles on the cactus are just like a metal needle.

And when you get to near a cactus, it will stay with you (painfully)

Some new neighbors have moved in (which happens regularly).  This couple is retired Navy.  While they were hooking up yesterday, we made the usual greetings and comments.  Gary and Doris Roycraft have been full-timing in their 40 motorhome for 10 years and have traveled extensively all over the world.

We had them over for drinks tonight and started sharing adventures.  Eventually, the conversation got around to our adventure last September when we drove to Durango with our bedroom slide partially out.   Unbelievably, they had actually been on the same road (the million dollar highway) going in the opposite direction on the same day and had seen us.  They said they couldn't miss us because of the slide being out.  They thought then "There, but for fate, I go".  All RV'ers worry about a slide being stuck out.

It certainly made for interesting and entertaining conversation.

Tuscon Biosphere II

Friday, Feb 3 we didn't really have a destination in mind.  We started one place and then decided to go to the Biosphere II which we had heard about.

In the early 1990's, a group of scientists had isolated themselves in the totally self contained environment for 2 years, along with water, plants, etc.  They had to grow their own food, recycle all water and live without any outside resources. 

The facilities are still used for experiments on the impacts on plants of climate change.  It was an interesting day. 

Tuscon "The Boneyard"

Thursday, Feb 2 we decided today that we like this area so much that we have extended our stay here until Feb 15 (at least).  It's a beautiful area with perfect temperatures - 60's and 70's in the day and 40's at night and dry.  And so much to do.

Today we have finally gotten around to going on a tour of the "Boneyard", (Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center) which is right across the street from the RV park.

There are over 4,200 aircraft stored on 2,600 acres of the base.

This location was selected because of the low humidity and the clay-like soil which negates the need to build expensive taxiways and pads for the aircraft. They are able to be towed around and stored on the natural soil.

The aircraft are covered in a vinyl coating to protect the systems and interior.

Some of the aircraft are stored in near-flyable conditions, others are used for parts, some are stored awaiting disposal or recycled materials, and some are sold, primarily to foreign countries.

Something is different about one of these airplanes

 .

C-130's



Bad looking KC-135's

F-16's

C-5

B-1

T-38, the same plane I flew in pilot training

From our campsite, we can see many of the stored aircraft, and we can drive along the perimeter road and see hundreds of them.

It is interesting to reflect on the history and missions of these aircraft.  They have flown thousands of hours to all parts of the world, supporting war and peace for decades.  Some have been very successful in accomplishing their designed missions (i.e. B-52 nuclear delivery platform) and were transformed for a mission that their designers had not thought of (i.e. B-52 delivering conventional weapons).   The B-52, along with a very few other aircraft have outlived their design limits and been rebuilt to continue.  The first B-52 flew in 1952, and the last one was built in 1962, and they are still flying and are likely to fly for decades to come. 

Other aircraft (B-1 and many others) have had very short lifespans and have come and gone quickly.

But they all end up here.




 

Tuscon Sonora Desert Museum

Wednesday, Feb 1 we decided to take one of the tours sponsored by the campground.  They sponsor these types of tours regularly, along with many other activities.  This tour was to the Sonara Desert Museum. 

It was an interesting day.  The place has caves, a zoo, a desert garden, and a museum all combined.  It made for a very interesting day. 

Clara was fascinated by the hummingbird aviary.  She could have easily spent all day watching them.

And they have nice benches.

Tuscon - Tubac Az

On Tuesday, Jan 31 we took the RV in to Carl's RV service to see what's going to have to be done about the bedroom slide.  It's been sticking and we've got to get it fixed.  They say they can fix it and we're looking for the parts across the country, but if we can't get the parts, they can make the part needed (a roller) and fix it, so we have an excuse to stay here longer.

The ladies in the office mentioned a great place for arts in crafts, a small town about 34 miles South, Tubac, Az.  It turned out to be quite the place, with lots (and I do mean lots) of shops. But before walking around the town, we visited a highly recommended restaurant, where they are famous for their dessert, a fried burrito filled with fruit.  I'm afraid we may have to go back again.  It was fantastic.

And, I'm afraid Clara is going to want to go to an upcoming crafts fair in town.  We'll see.

The best dessert I've ever had, a fried burrito filled with apple.

Metal sculptured flowers

One of the streets.  There were many.

Tuscon Pima Air and Space Museum

Sunday, Jan 29 was catch-up day, laundry, some shopping, relaxing and swimming at the Base Fitness Club.

It's still hard to believe that we are sitting here within a short distance of moth balled B-52's.

Monday, Jan 30 we went to the Pima Air and Space Museum for a great day of looking at airplanes and tours of the place.  I think Clara actually enjoyed it.

We only covered about half the museum today, so I think this is going to call for a return trip (at least by me).

This is the third largest air museum in the country, following the Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC and the Air Force Museum in Dayton, Oh. (both of which we have visited).

The smallest bi wing airplane ever built and flown

Dreaming of another lifetime

All kinds of airplanes

A lot of propellers.  It's actually a two engine airplane.

The "pregnant guppy"

As we were taking a tour of a B-36, an elderly gentleman joined the tour and he had flown as the Navigator in this very airplane in WWII.  The docent who was leading the tour pretty much turned the talking over to him for a while as he told stories of his days flying.

Tuscon Sabino Canyon

Saturday, January 28, after getting our assigned site, we headed out to pick up Kent and Betty to go to the Sabino Canyon Recreation area. 



Once again, we find ourselves amazed at what we find.  This canyon in the Catalina Mountains just North of Tucson is a spectacularly beautiful mountain desert.  Not at all what I expected.

These cacti can do some damage.

We took a tram about 5 miles up in the canyon, and then hiked on a beautiful 1 1/2 mile trail on the side of the mountain.  It was probably one of the more beautiful hikes I've taken.  The scenery certainly exceeded expectations.



Saguaro Cactus have a relatively long life span. They take up to 75 years to develop a side arm. The arms themselves are grown to increase the plant's reproductive capacity . The growth rate of saguaros is strongly dependent on precipitation; saguaros in drier western Arizona grow only half as fast as those in and around Tuscon. Some specimens may live for more than 150 years;  the largest known saguaro is the Champion Saguaro. It grows in Maricopa County, Az and is 45 feet tall with a girth 10 ft. These cacti can grow anywhere from 15 to 50 feet. They grow slowly from seed, and not at all from cuttings. Whenever it rains, saguaros soak up the rainwater. The cactus will visibly expand, holding in the rainwater. It conserves the water and slowly consumes it.

  

A rose among the thorns

The trails we traveled

After our hike, we came back to the base and moved the motorhome out of overflow parking.  Our site is only a couple hundred feed from the "boneyard" where retired aircraft are stored.  Interestingly, the closest airplanes are B-52's like I once flew.

Saturday evening we went out with Kent and Betty to a great steak restaurant.  They fly back to cold, beautiful Estes Park tomorrow.  We've really enjoyed getting with them and are going to miss the companionship.

Tucson - San Xavier Mission

Friday Jan 27, having made contact with Kent and Betty on Thursday evening, we picked them up and went to the San Xavier Mission South of Town. 

MISSION SAN XAVIER DEL BAC was founded in 1692 by a Jesuit missionary, Father Eusebio Francisco Kino. It was then that he became the first non-Indian to visit the village of Wa:k, or “Bac,” as he wrote it, and it was he who bestowed the patronage of San Francisco Xavier on this large village of O’odham or, as he called the natives, “Sobaipuris.”

The mission is a constant state of restoration to preserve it.  It was a beautiful structure and the artwork and statues are incedible.

From there, at Kent's suggestion, we visited 4th Avenue in downtown Tucson.  This was a trip back to the hippie culture of the 1960's in San Francisco (and maybe today for all I know).  It seemed that the "dress of the day" for the kids there is black.  Some interesting shops, but we had a sense that we were in a drug culture.

We had a great lunch at a Mexican Restaurant, came out to the RV for drinks, the supper at Five Guys.  The hamburgers are as good here as they are in NC.