This is a part of the trip that was never supposed to happen. The original plan was to leave the camper in Tucson and return to Pheonix to stay with a friend and then have just a day or two to regroup in Tucson and then on to White Sands. As I had already spent time with my friend on an earlier detour, I figured I’d pass the time in Tucson. My first surprise came when I arrived and realized that I was staying at a 55 and older community. And then it was the realization that I would battle the summer heat in Arizonia in a camper sitting on a sea of asphalt. Time to improvise, adapt and make the most of it.
My first day trip was to the Pima Air & Space Museum which has around 400 historic aircraft across 80 acres. It was a lot of fun to explore and also create some videos for my nephew who is super into military aircraft. The day was interesting however it didn’t provide an escape from the heat.
Next to the RV Park was miles and miles of airplanes making up the Air Force Boneyard, the largest of its kind in the world. The low humidity, low rainfall and other factors make it a perfect location to retire plane and use for parts or future reuse. There are an estimated 4,000 aircraft at rest there.
An overcast day made it cool enough to drive down to Tombstone, AZ to explore the OK Corral. Walking around Tombstone is like going back in time. Much of the town is full of saloons, shopping and museums trying to provide a taste of what life might have been like in the Wild West. I toured the OK Corral where the legendary gunfight between Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday and the McLaurys and Clantons; complete with a full reenactment. Was motivated to stop into many of the saloons for something cold to drink.
It was now time to visit another National Park, but stopped first at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum which was next door. I was so impressed with this outdoor museum. Extremely educational and it gets you up close and personal with coyotes, cacti and all the things you find in the desert. I was even lucky enough to arrive as they were feeding the snakes.
Saguaro National Park is divided into two areas located to the west (Tucson Mountain District) and east (Rincon Mountain District) of Tucson. I didn’t do a lot of research on which to visit so I headed west based on the added bonus of the desert museum. Enjoyed driving the loop around the park and taking the Valley View hike to walk amongst the cacti. There were also several petroglyphs to find in the rocks.
My learning of the history of the land continued with a trip to the San Xavier Del Bac Mission. Founded by Spanish Franciscans in 1692, the current structure was built in 1797. It is the oldest intact European structure in Arizona. Located on native lands of the Tohono O’odham Nation, the land has a rich history of passing from Spain to Mexico and eventually the US.
It was not until my last full day that I finally discovered where the cooler weather was. I drove up into the mountains on the long and winding roads and by a happy coincidence happened to end up at the Mt Lemmon Oktoberfest event. I enjoyed the higher elevation, Polka music and German beer. Stopped at many of the overlooks and short hikes on the drive back down into town.
My unexpected stay in Tucson ended up being a great week of exploring and seeing sights I would not have had the chance to see. I also got used to living the retired life in the retirement community I was staying in. There would be fish fry dinners at the clubhouse and all kinds of events. The neighbors welcomed me despite my age as I would blend in with the visiting grandkids and kids. As I was talking with my neighbors, they thought it was odd that I was from Texas and in Arizona but didn’t have a sticker from New Mexico on the map of states visited on my camper door. When asked how I got to Arizona without passing through New Mexico yet, my reply was that I took a very long way around. I guess it was finally time to depart and get that New Mexico sticker.
