THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2017:
Today I drove 361 miles traveling from Las Cruces, New Mexico to Tombstone, Arizona.
The highlight of my day was my visit to Chiricahua National Monument.
The monument was established to protect its extensive hoodoos and balancing rocks.
Located approximately 36 miles southeast of Willcox, Arizona, the monument preserves the
remains of an immense volcanic eruption that shook the region about 27 million years ago.
The thick white-hot ash spewed forth from the nearby Turkey Creek Caldera, cooled and hardened
into rhyolitic tuff, laying down almost two thousand feet of dark volcanic ash and pumice,
highly siliceous in nature, which eventually eroded into the natural features seen at the monument.
It was a long round-about drive to Tombstone, Arizona after I left the monument.
I finally made it to Tombstone late Thursday afternoon.
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Hello Folks, I left my hotel in Las Cruces this morning at 9:00. I drove 210 miles to the Chiricahua National Monument.  The park is in a very remote part of eastern Arizona.  It wasn't a very big park but it was very scenic.  The numerous rock pinnacles are the result of the erosion of compacted volcanic ash from the eruption of an ancient volcano just south of the park.  As usual there wasn't a cloud in the sky.  Below is the Organ Pipe Formation.  After the park I drove to Tombstone where I am spending the night. It was supposed to be an 80 mile drive from the park. But due to the road over to Tombstone being under construction, I had to drive all the way down Douglas on the Mexican border and then back up. That added at least another 50 miles to the trip. I got to Tombstone after 4:00 which is when the town virtually shuts down. I had to go to Circle K and buy a sandwich out of their cooler for dinner. Below is a picture of deserted Tombstone.  I'm staying at the Grand Hotel here in Tombstone.  That's it for today. Tim |
FRIDAY, APRIL 21, 2017:
Today I drove 148 miles traveling from Tombstone, Arizona to Tucson, Arizona.
My first stop on Friday was is historic Bisbee, Arizona.
Nestled among the Mule Mountains, Bisbee is the picturesque county seat of historic Cochise County.
The community was founded in 1880, and quickly became a thriving urban center, driven by a booming
mining industry that thrived on the area's rich reserves of copper and precious metals.
Today, Bisbee's extraordinarily well-preserved early-twentieth century downtown draws visitors from
around the world, who appreciate its historic architecture and it's welcoming, creative spirit.
The historic downtown is bright, lively with artists, and well preserved.
The streets are narrow and wind up the hillside.
The highlight of my day was my visit to the Coronado National Memorial.
The Coronado National Memorial commemorates the first organized expedition into the Southwest
by conquistador Francisco Vasquez de Coronado. The memorial is located in a natural setting
on the international border on the southeast flank of the Huachuca Mountains south of
Sierra Vista, Arizona. The memorial confirms the ties that bind the United States and Mexico.
It was about a 100 mile drive to Tucson after leaving the memorial.
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Hello Folks, I woke up this morning and looked out my window and below is what I saw.  He didn't stay long but it was nice for him to drop by and say hello. I had breakfast at the hotel and then left around 9:00. I took another quick look at historic Tombstone. It was dead and deserted just as it was last night. Below in the Tombstone Courthouse.  My next stop was is historic Bisbee which is 22 miles south of Tombstone.  There is also an ugly old copper mine in Bisbee.  About 30 miles west of Bisbee and just a few miles north of the Mexican border is the Coronado National Memorial.  Here I drove the narrow, unpaved mountain road to Montezuma Pass. You can see the road in the picture below.  There was a nice view from up there.  Most everything you see in the picture below, that's not in the foreground, is in Mexico.  Below is looking back at the mountain as I was leaving the park.  From there it was an approximate 100 mile drive to Tucson. I will pretty much be spending the rest of the trip here. I have three nights here in Tucson and then the final night in Phoenix Monday night before flying home Tuesday morning. Tim |
Click on the arrow above to continue with today's adventures in Tucson.
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