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Published: April 6th 2016
While we have had a great time here in Tucson visiting with Mark and Diane we have not been just sitting around. After taking a few days to get mid-course maintenance on the diesel (which has been running great, knock on wood), washing the Texas bugs off the truck and motorcycle and getting acclimated to another time change we have started to explore. The second night I left one of the storage tubs out and the javelina that roam the dry wash through the area scattered our stuff around looking for a little bid of left over BBQ. What a mess. The coyotes sing most nights as they run through the housing development and foothills looking for a stray cat or dog to munch on. True high desert living. Finally we loaded up the iron horse and headed out through the hills for Tombstone and Bisbee. What a great ride we had to Tombstone. Everything from 80 mph flats to 25 mph curves through the desert hills with light winds. After making it into Tombstone for lunch at Big Nose Kates Saloon (Doc Holiday's main squeeze) and walking the boardwalk to get the kinks out we ventured down the main drag
to the OK Corral for a reenactment of the famous shootout. What a great show they put on as they related the history of the town, the real background of the feud that led to the final showdown and the after story of the lives of the Earp's and the Clanton's. The local museum is filled with dozens of actual photos of the town, the people, and the Indians that surrounded the area. It was not as glamorous as the movies make it out to be, it was a rough and raunchy place to live during the peak of the silver and copper mining era. Afterwards we treated ourselves to a motel night in Sierra Vista with a king size bed and a full size shower. Enough said. The next morning all washed and refreshed we mounted back up for the short but interesting ride to Bisbee. Who knew it was on the other side of the mountains with a 6,000 foot summit, 20 mph switchbacks, quick climbs, quicker decents and a tunnel. It was worth it as we achieved our main goal which was to take the Queen Copper Mine tour, one of the few that actually allow you
down into a mine riding on the rails that were used to bring the ore carts out just a few decades ago. It was tight going in as the walls seem to keep getting closer and closer but once we were in the mine we departed the little train and walked through the tunnels as our guide, a former Queen mine worker, explained every step of the operation. Just being in the mine, 1500 feet into the mountain, was in its self thrilling but to get to walk around, examine the tools, hear the stories and touch the walls made it a very special tour. The bike ride back was uneventful if you don't count the dozen or so Boarder Patrol trucks racing around the roads and desert playing catch and release with undocumented democrats. For our next trip we decided to take the truck as it would allow us to explore the many miles of 4X4 dirt roads in the Saguaro National Park. We took full advantage of being able to get off the blacktop and visited some of the more remote canyons and hills away from the steady stream of cars. It is a beautiful area if you
like that kind of high desert and saguaro forest with rocky scenery. The local desert is just about to come into full bloom and we were fortunate to find many cacti that had already flowered. It was a warm day, low 90's, so we didn't do too much hiking but it was enough exercise for us just to wander at the stops, take pictures and enjoy the solitude and quiet. Our picnic lunch high in a remote canyon is one we will not soon forget. We made it back to our "site" just in time for another superb Mark Tanner BBQ and a cold beer. We certainly have some gracious hosts. I think we could get use to Tucson, at least for the winter.
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Doc
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High Desert
WOW, really seeing lots of great sites and events. Putting some on my list of things to do. Except for the Javelinas...... Very nice pictures, Keep enjoying the trip.