Out Arizona Way

[ezdays]

Continuing our tour of Arizona:

Sightseeing II

Let’s talk a bit about touring the southern half of Arizona. Lots of fun stuff going on there, but remember, it’s a lot hotter in the summer than up north. As a matter of fact, these are places you can go to all year. Tucson is a good place to start. It’s but a two-hour drive down I-10 from Phoenix, not the most exciting drive unless you enjoy traveling on the Indianapolis Speedway. On the way, you’ll pass an airfield just north of Marana. You will see literally hundreds of large jets parked there, from old 727’s to jumbo 747’s, DC10’s and even 787's. You think that it’s the busiest airport in the world, but it’s rare to see a plane take off or land. And don’t even try to go closer to see more; these planes are parked there because there is no immediate use for them. Some are being retrofitted for other uses such as fighting fires or cargo. Others are being fitted as private aircraft for the rich and famous. They've moved a bunch of 737MAX's there awaiting updates because of the recent debacle. Some also say that this is where they work on those planes for the CIA, but no one talks about that.

There’s another huge airfield of retired, or resting airplanes, those that the government has no need for right now. Davis-Monthan Air Force Base is the home of AMARG, a group that is dedicated to storing aircraft that may be needed again or are dismantling those that are not. Known as the “Boneyard” there are rows and rows of planes in various stages of preservation along with things like dismantled B-52’s. It is a prime source of spare parts for aircraft still in use. The Pima Air Museum is also nearby and it’s possible to reserve a tour that includes both the museum and Boneyard. Also while you’re in Tucson, head west for a short ride and you find Old Tucson Studios. This is actually a movie set used in hundreds of western films and TV shows. Several years ago, the whole thing just about burned to the ground, but it’s back up and running with film shoots, daily entertainment and some good stuff to eat. Figure on spending the whole day there. On the south side of town is the San Xavier del Bac Mission. “The dove of the desert” was built in the late 1700’s and is said to be the finest example of mission architecture in the United States. I wouldn’t miss that.

We all know about the Town of Tombstone and the gunfight at the OK Corral. Well, it’s happening several times a day now, along with other gunfights that probably didn’t ever happen, but are fun to watch anyway. A stop at the Birdcage Theater is a must along with your choice of any of a hundred old shops just waiting to sell you something. A fun place to spend a little time so you can say you were there, but for my money, I’d head just a bit south and spend the night in the old mining town of Bisbee. There are some authentically restored hotels (some with a bit of haunting) and old buildings there that have to be worth the side trip.

Heading south from Bisbee is Douglas sitting right on the border with Old Mexico, or you can head down I-19, about an hour from Tucson and you’ll be in the twin towns of Nogales: lots of touristy-type things to buy there. Just be careful if you drive across the border, you are probably not insured, and remember, the parking meters don't take US coins. If you’re heading to California on I-8, you’ll want to stop in Yuma. Once dubbed the hottest (temp-wise) town in the country, it’s the home of the Arizona Territorial Prison. It looks a lot like what you see in some of those movies, and you’ll have an interesting time looking around.

Just one more stop to talk about and that is Kartchner Caverns State Park. This is just south of Benson, the place where you turned off I-10 to get to Tombstone and Bisbee. These caves were discovered in the mid 70’s and were kept a secret for years until they could be turned over to the state and secured. They’re open to visitors since 1999 and have things there that I can’t pronounce, never mind spell. Just let it be said, you won’t be disappointed so go and take the tour. There are plenty of other interesting places to visit while you’re here, maybe next time I’ll talk about some that are closer to the Phoenix area.