TUCSON

After feeling a little overcautious because we stayed put in Coolidge after a snow warning on the weather forecast on what turned out to be a sunny day we went to the Biosphere 2 site just North of Tucson.




We visited the site of the famous experiment where 8 people got locked inside this giant closed system greenhouse in the hope that they could grow their own food while the greenery was producing enough oxygen to keep them alive.

In most peoples recollections the experiment was a failure as the inhabitants fell out and the oxygen production failed to keep pace with the consumption and I have to say that was my picture of the place, another glorious failure. However the excellent docent who took us round made me think other wise. They found out about lots of things and the “ BIG SCIENCE” experimental facilities they used are still in use today allowing macro research in a closed and controlled environment.

The giant diaphragms made using Hypalon, rubber dinghy material, were impressive as was the huge under floor pumping and air conditioning setup that allowed the scientists to produce whatever environment they wanted, be it mangrove forest or savannah or Sonoran desert. They even have a boojum cactus growing tall in one corner.

Coming out of the airlock caused the roof to come down.

Oh Yes it turns out that we were not overcautious about the snow. They had had lots the day before!

We visited Sabino Canyon a desert oasis in the Catalina foothills. We took the hike from the trailhead down to the river.
It was steeper than expected and required a bit of scrambling at the end due to erosion damage but worthwhile.

We spotted this unusual rock formation




Snoopy and Woodstock again.









The walk back down to the Trek was a pleasant downhill stroll but we were passed by earnest runners in IRONMAN T shirts on their way up and down the 4 mile access route. We had taken the shuttle up!

We found a noisy little RV park in the middle of Tucson for the night.



As I was connecting up the Trek to the utilities we were visited by the park cat who hopped in, checked us out, mooched a meal and then asked politely to be let out.



Wanna buy a Fat ALbert cheap mister?


Well as we left Tucson we came across this giant unwanted military aircraft parking lot. Several hundred Fat Alberts [ AKA Lockheed C-130 Hercules ] rows and rows of Warthogs plus many others. I suppose it is all part of the peace dividend.





We are off down to Tombstone and Bisbee again as we did not allow enough time last year to see everything.