March 26, On to Big Bend National Park, Texas

Overcast  and 16C when we fuelled up this mornong at $4.149/gallon, then headed south onHwy 285. Shortly entered Central Time Zone, +1 hour.
By 11:00, the skies have cleared and the temp has warmed up to 23C.

Unfortunately, when we reached Pecos, a train had collided with a truck and was blocking the crossing. We had to take a 5 mile detour before we could get back on our route.






We fuelled up at Fort Stockton at $4.049/gallon and the temp has warmed up to 30C. From there, we turned on to Hwy 385, which was a long, straight, boring road. Haven't seen another vehicle for miles.

Stopped at a rest area for a break. There were some huge flowering Yucca plants there.

By 4:00, we entered Big Bend National Park, where it is 31C. www.nps.gov/bibe






15 minutes later, we arrived at the Park Headquarters at panther Junction, where we collecter our park information and topped up the tank for the third time today - this time it was $4.527/gallon! We still had 30 miles to go to the campground.

Checked in to the campground, which is a paved parking lot with hookups.







At 6:40, a band of javelinas (hav-a-linas), which look similar to pigs, but are a totally different species, appeared beside the campground. Shortly after they wandered off, 2 coyotes appeared and were not in the least concerned about human presence.
You will have to use some imagination to see the javelinas!

March 25, Carlsbad Caverns

We arrived at Carlsbad Caverns National Park www.nps.gov/cave . Over 30 miles of passages have been explored since it's discovery in 1901 by James White. The deepest chamber is 1,037 ft below the surface.

The Natural entrance to the cave is a self-guided tour for visitors with plenty of time and in good physical health. The route descends 750 ft into the earth following  steep & narrow trails through a tall and spurious trunk passage called the Main Corridor. It ends in the lunchroom.





We took the elevator down to the lunchroom/rest area, which is 755 feet below the surface. It was from this location that we went on the 1 1/2 hour ranger-led "King's Palace" Tour.

In the King's Palace, 830 feet below the desert surface, we viewed various incredible formations such as stalactites, stalagmites, soda straws, columns and popcorn. Unfortunately, a lot of the photos were dark.

This formation is called "The Queen's Draperies", which formed when water runs down a slanted ceiling.

An interesting thing happened while we were in the Queen's Chamber, the Ranger turned off all the artificial lights, which revealed the permanent inky blackness of the natural cave environment. It was soooooo dark that we couldn't see our hands in front of our faces! It was TOTAL DARKNESS.

This eroded flowstone formation is called "The Bashful Elephant".

After a lunch break, we followed the self-guided "Big Room Tour", a 1.3 mile tour using audio devices that explained what we were looking at along the way. The "Big Room" is the largest known natural limestone chamber in the western hemisphere. Floor space is estimated at more than 600,000 square feet, an area comparable to to 14 football fields (American, of course!)

Mirror Lake - The sign (in the distance) is upside-down, so as to be read reflected in the water. It takes water 8 months to reach here from the surface.





All in all, it was an AWESOME, FASCINATING tour!

March 24, Las Cruces, NM to Carlsbad, NM

It was all of 11C when we started out, but warmed up quickly. Our route took us down through Texas before re-entering New Mexico just south of Carlsbad. We stopped at the Texas Welcome Centre at El Paso, which was very well-equipped and clean. Behind it was this huge white building, which we thought was a church. Turned out to be a prison!




From the I-10, we exited on to Hwy 375 and Franklin Mountain State Park and began a long, slow climb to the high point at 5264 ft. Then, of course, came the 8% down grade to 3930 ft.

After turning east on Hwy 62/180 towards Carlsbad, we encountered a Border Patrol Inspection Station out in the middle of nowhere! Thet are checking for drugs & illegals. We drove through miles & miles of flat, barren ranch land.

Stopped for lunch at a picnic area with a view of Guadalupe Peak, the highest elevation in Texas at 4749ft. in Guadalupe National Park. The weather has warmed up to a very pleasant 26C.

After arriving at Carlsbad RV Park, went for a walk around. Haven't seen a 5th wheel like this before! Maybe it is a modified Scamp travel trailer???

March 22, Tombstone

It was chilly this morning t 6:15! Clear and 2.8C outside and 8.5C inside! Didn't turn the heater on last night. We walked across the road to Denny's for breakfast before heading south for Tombstone, "The Town Too Tough to Die" www.tombstomeweb.com
First thing we did was to watch the "Tombstone's Historama", the true story of Tombstone. It was a dramatic multimedia presentation of Tombstone's colourful past. The day is warming up nicely.

The Tombstone Courthouse, built in 1882 in the shape of a Roman Cross is a 2 story Victorian structure that once housed the offices of the Sherrif, Recorder, Treasurer, Jail & Courtrooms of Cochise County. (The gallows were out back) Today it is a museum.

We took a horse-drawn narrated tour on a 152 year old stage coach, the Butterfield Stage.

The Bird Cage Theatre was actually a house of ill repute. Inside, the guide pointed out some of the 120 bullet holes in the building.

Along the way, we stopped at the Tombstome Reptile Exhibit, which displayed snakes, Gila Monsters, lizards and Tarantulas.YUK!






The aforementioned Courthouse is actually a State Park - The smallest State Park in the country!

March 20, Titan Missile Museum & Old Tucson Studios

It was a chilly, but sunny morning. 2.6C .

The Titan Missile Museum showcases the dramatic vestiges of the cold war between the U.S and the former Soviet Union. www.titanmissilemuseum.org There were 54 Titan II missile complexes across the U.S. until 1987 - 18 around Tucson, 18 around Kansas City and 18 around Arkansas. This one, Complex 571-7 is the only remaining site (the rest were de-activated and filled in)

We explored the mammoth underground structure on a guided tour, which included the launch control centre and a simulated launch.

The view of the massive 103 foot tall Titan II missile in its launch duct

The silo closure door, which is constructed of 760 tons of concrete & steel. During launch count-down, it would open in 17 - 20 seconds! The door is now permanently blocked halfway open.

Next, we were off to Old Tucson Studios, which has hosted over 300 film & TV productions since 1939, including classics sich as "Rio Bravo", The Outlaw Josey Wales" and "Tombstone". John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, Elizabeth Taylor & Kurt Russell are just a few of the legends who have walked these fabled streets. The weather has warmed up nicely.




This is the prop cannon used in "The Alamo", starring John Wayne - 1960.







We witnessed the performance of "The Secret of Santa Maria", a comical gunfight.
Lastly, we went on a guided walking tour of some of the "Hotspots" with a very entertaining and knowledgeble guide.
I have some old movies to watch that were filmed here - McClintock, Rio Bravo & The 3 Amigos.

March 19, Pima Air & Space Museum

Today started out very grey and cloudy with showers and hail off & on.

After a hailstorm accompanied by high winds, we set off for Pima Air & Space Museum. www.pimaair.org

Among the displays was the Starr Bumble Bee, credited in the Guinness Book of World Records as the smallest aircraft ever flown, January 1984. The plane is 9' 4" long, 4' 1" high, with a wingspan of 6' 6". It's maximum speed was 180 mph and could fly 20 miles.

Marcel even tried flying a plane! Couldn't get off the ground, however.







In contrast, the Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird "spy plane" has a wingspan of 55' 7", is 107' 5" long and 16' 6" high. It's maximum speed was 2,193 mph (Mach 3+) with a range of 3,200 miles.




After touring planes in 3 hangars, we boarded a bus for the AMARG Tour (Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group), otherwise known as the 'Aircraft Boneyard'

There are acres of planes & parts - some planes will fly again, others are used for parts.

Next, we visited the Space Gallery, which houses a full-scale mock-up of the Apollo capsule. Apollos were flown by NASA from 1967 through 1972 when the project was cancelled. This mockup was utilized by Tom Hanks in the movie "Apollo 13".

The Gallery was a fascinating display of space & aviation history.

March 18, Biosphere 2

At 7:00 this morning it was cloudy, 15C (60F) then it started raining - HARD! First rain we have seen. By 7:15, the temp dropped to 10C (50.7F)
At 8:30, it briefly stopped raining, then started again anf the temp was 6.4C (44.7F). We decided to head out to the Biosphere 2, www.B2science.org which is to the north, in the mountains.

By 9:30, at 3500 ft. the rain turned to snow and the temp has dropped to 2C.

 

Lots of snow at 3800ft and still coming down!

Those poor pansies!

Biosphere2 is one of the largest greenhouses in the world, and one of the most remarkable structures ever built. It houses living organisms from five natural biomes comprising more than 1,000 species of plants & animals , research areas and the former human habitat.                            The tour took us through an air-lock door into the wilderness areas of Biosphere 2. The facility covers 3.14 acres, is 91 feet at it's highest point, has 6,500 windows and 7,200 cubic feet of sealed glass - fascinating place! It was the first time our guide has seen snow- considering it was 85F yesterday - just our luck!

Following the tour, we decided to go to the Davis-Mantha Air Force Base to see the Aircraft Boneyard. Well, we found the AFB, but there was no access to the boneyard, only through the Pima Air & Space Museum, which is closed on weekends - sucks to be us!

Next choice was the International Wildlife Museum. There is no snow at this lower elevation, and the weather has warmed up to be quite comfortable.

The displays were awesome of animals from around the world in their own habitat.

This was a giant deer, which grew to 7 feet at the shoulders.

  

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March 17, Downtown Tucson on St. Patrick's Day

Packed up and moved to another park this morning, only 30 KM away. It is sunny and 24C (75.2F)
After lunch, we drove in to Tucson to the Visitor's Centre. Decided to take the walking tour on the Precidio Trail, which followed a turquoise line on the streets.

This was a beautiful mural on a wall.

We came across a St Patricks Day Celebration in  the town square. There was green everywhere, and an Irish band playing! It was quite the party!






Further along the trail, we entered the Precidio, which was a Spanish Fortress built in the 1700's. We discovered a fascinating reconstruction of the adobe-walled fort of the Spanish & Mexican eras.

We were just in time to witness the firing of the cannon







Orders were given (including "cover your ears"), then KA-BOOM!

Next on the trail, we visited Locomotive 1673, which was built in 1900 and logged over 1,000,000 miles for the Southern Pacific Company, primarily in southern Arizona.






On the way back to the car, we encountered a bike race, which has closed some streets. What is it with us & bike races (remember Colorado)???

Anyway, we made it back to the park, without a problem.

March 16, Tucson

Left yet another park, heading for new adventures. Moving back south to Tucson. Weather is terrific, but the forcast doesn't sound too promising. There is a major winter storm moving in and we may get some rain!

At noon, we arrived at Lazy Days RV Campground, which is a great park! Large sites with excellent Wi-fi!

After getting settled, we walked around the park & went over to Camping World. Then toured the Sales centre & went in & out of many Class A's and 5th wheels. It is mind-boggling how far technology has come with RV's.

It was a very warm day, reaching 32C (90F) and we turned the AC on in the trailer for the first time.

March 14, Casa Grande Ruins

Ken & Lynda went to Scottsdale this morning.

We went to Casa Grande Ruins National Monument. It was 20C (68F) www.nps.gov/cagr 

We arrived at the ruins, which were built around 1350. Watched an introductory movie, then went on a Ranger-led tour which was fascinating. The Casa Grande is the tallest & most most massive Hohokam building known, standing 35 feet tall and containing nearly 3,000 tons of caliche (cuh-LEE-chee), a concrete like mix of sand, clay & calcium carbonate (limestone). Caliche mud was piled in successive courses to form walls four feet thick at the base, tapering towards the top. Hundreds of juniper, fir & pine trees were carried or floated 60 miles down the Gila River to the village. Anchored in the walls, the timbers formed the ceiling or floor supports.
Despite centuries of weathering and of neglect,
 today the great house stands as the most prominent example of Hohokem technologu & social organization.

There are remnants of several pit-houses on the site.













From there, we went to find Emile (Denny's brother) and Fran at Rover's Roost Campground. Had a nice visit, then headed back to Casita Verde. Another hot day! 32C (90F)