RV Restriping and Exploring Mesa, Arizona

 We arrived at RV Stripes & Graphics in Apache Junction, Arizona on Monday. Steve, the owner, quickly got us parked in the back of the shop where we would be for the next 5 nights.  We had water and 30 amp hookups.

While they began the process, we used the days to explore some of the nearby areas.

Tuesday was probably going to be the noisiest day with all the graphics being removed.  We decided to take a drive up to the mountains with our pugs.

We headed north to Payson, then took Forest Road 64 through the mountains and back down to Roosevelt Lake.  The road was mostly like the picture below making for very slow going.

There were some nice views, but we were glad when we finally returned to paved roads.

 On Tuesday, we went to Organ Stop Pizza in Mesa for dinner.  We didn't go for the pizza, but to be entertained by the "Mighty Wurlitzer" which they say is the largest Wurlitzer pipe organ in the world. It has a really interesting history if you would like to read more about it.

When you first walk in, you see these large windows with different pipes and instruments.

 Then the magic begins!  You hear music and the organ begins to come out of the stage floor with the organist playing.

 She played music from Phantom of the Opera, Mama Mia, Star Wars, Disney favorites, and more.  Music is usually played for about 45 minutes and then the organ goes back under the stage and the organist takes a 15 minute break.  We stayed for 3 of the performances that were all different.  The pizza and ice cream weren't bad either.

Here is a you tube video I found of the organist playing if you would like to see it in action.  If you are ever in this area, it is certainly worth a stop to see a performance and have some pizza.

Thursday, we took a ride on the "Desert Belle" on the Saguaro Lake located about thirty minutes from us.  It was a 90 minute narrated tour and was a nice way to spend the afternoon.

The boat took us through a canyon and around to the other side of the lake and back.  We did see a bald eagle which was very cool, but too fast for us to get a good picture.

As we went through the canyon, we saw the Four Peaks Mountain and were told this is the mountain that is depicted on the Arizona license plate.

This is Elephant Rock.  If you look closely, you can see the ear in the center of the picture with the trunk to the right of that.  We saw it, can you?

 A closer view of the Four Peaks, it was windy that day, so the dust created a haze.

 Saguaro cactus growing along the water's edge.  We learned that the Saguaro only grows in the Sonoran Desert.

Last, some pictures of the restriping process.  We were very pleased with RV Stripes & Graphics.  Steve went out of his way to be sure we were comfortable, everyone was very professional, and we were pleased with the final product.

RV door before

RV door after

Driveer's side of rv before

Same side after graphics were removed.

Same side completed.

It was a long process, but we are so happy with the end result.

Saturday, we head to Cottonwood so we can explore the Sedona area.

A Visit To Biosphere 2

Just 20 miles from our campsite is Biosphere 2.  It's almost Earth Day so we thought visiting it would be a proper way to celebrate.

We arrived about 11.  Usually, there are guided tours through the facility, but today you could wander around on your own and spend as much time in places as you wanted.  There were docents around each section to answer questions and give more information.

From 1991 to 1993, eight scientists were sealed in the Biosphere.  It was called Biosphere 2, Earth being Biosphere 1.   We were extremely interested in the whole concept of people existing on the inside and not consuming anything from the outside.  

This was the living area.  The curved staircase leads to the "disco" room.

As we walked inside the biomes, the first we saw was the ocean complete with a coral reef.  It is 25 feet in the deepest section.

Next, was the rainforest.  Animals also lived here with the biospherians.

After we toured the biomes, we headed over to the South Lung.  You had to walk through a wind tunnel to get to the other side.

Inside the lung, the docent explained that they were built on each side of the Biosphere.  Because the air in Biosphere 2 expanded and contracted,  something had to be developed to keep the Biosphere from possibly imploding.  The lung was developed.  It's a kind of bellows that actually expands and contracts from the air inside the Biosphere 2.

We walked out back into the outdoors.  I was only in there 2 hours, I don't think I could have handled it for two years!

When we got back, I did some research on the internet about the people who lived in Biosphere 2. It was really quite interesting.  Here's a link if you want to read more about  Jane Poynter's experience in Biosphere 2.

Monday, we head to Mesa, Arizona to have our fifth wheel graphics replaced.  We bought our rig new, but it had sat on the dealer's lot baking in the hot Texas sun for two years.  The graphics were not in good shape and have gotten worse. We're looking forward to getting a newer looking rig.

Arizona Sonora Desert Museum and More Saguaros

Today, we drove to the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum.  So many people had told us to go, we thought we would check it out.  According to their site, they are a world-renowned zoo, natural history museum and botanical garden, all in one place

A cool front had come in keeping the temperatures a comfortable 70s all day.

The views of the desert and plants were amazing!

There were walkways through the museum leading through more plants and animals.

We caught this sparrow on an Ocotillo.  They are in bloom everywhere.

Next, we spied this bobcat in his cave hideout.  The settings for the animals seemed much more natural than some of the zoos we have been to.

The desert plants are beginning to bloom everywhere!

One of the docents at the museum gave a short talk on the Saguros.  The holes are usually made by the Gila Woodpecker.  Because the plant is 90% water, it immediately begins to make a "scab" around the hole.  You can't see it on the outside, but it is a woodlike covering on the inside.  A symbiotic relationship exists between the cactus and woodpecker.  The cactus provides a home and the woodpecker eats insects that may harm it.

There was a large javelina family setting as well.

But, our favorites were the prairie dogs. We could have watched them for hours.

One eating an apple.

Sounding the alarm.

A cute baby prairie dog.

We continued to the other side where we saw this view of a mesa in the background.  The Arizona Sonora Desert Museum certainly lived up to its reputation.

Next, we headed to the West Side of the Saguaro National Park.  We stopped at the Visitor Center to view the movie about the park.

We stopped for a picnic lunch and took our picture in front of the Saguaros.

There was a loop drive we took around for more views.

More blooming cactus

Even the Saguaros are beginning to bloom.

We enjoyed both sides of the park, but thought this side had more awesome views.

It was another wonderful day of nature and beautiful sights!

We're In Arizona!

We left Hueco Tanks State Park on Monday.  Our plan was to drive to Deming, New Mexico and stay at the Escapees Park there.  We left later because the office would be closed between 12 and 2, so we wanted to arrive after 2.  We knew there were wind warnings in effect, but we weren't quite prepared for the blowing dust.

Once we got on I-10, the wind was strong, but we were o.k. driving.  We got to Deming and were preparing to exit when we saw police cars blocking the exits.  We found another route around to the park going through town and ended up on the other side of a police blockade.  Jim went to ask the police how long this blockade would last.  They told him there was a situation and did not know how long it would take.  We went to Plan B.  I found a Passport America park, called them to see if they had room for us. They did, so that's where we headed.  We never did find out why there was a blockade there.  We got set up and the wind really began to howl.  Checking the weather report, we saw there would be wind on Wednesday as well, but the strongest would be after 11.

We got up early this morning and pulled out of the part at 8 so we could make our 170 mile drive before the wind picked up.  

We wanted to get to the Saguaro SKP park in Benson, Arizona before noon.  We made it by 10:45 because we forgot we picked up another hour in Arizona (they don't do Daylight Savings Time).

This is one of the nicest Escapees parks we have been to.  The sites are terraced and the mountains can be seen out our back window.

We got set up, ate lunch, and decided to make a trip to Tombstone.  This is a place we have heard about all our lives, both of us growing up watching westerns.

Our first stop was the  Boothill Graveyard.

Admission is free here, but we made a $3 donation and got a site map with where people were located and what had happened to them.  

These are the graves of the 3 men who were killed at the O.K. Corral, Billy Clanton, Tom and Frank McClaury.

We spent about an hour looking and reading the tombstones.  Some were humorous.

We left Boothill and went into Tombstone.  It's called the town that wouldn't die because there were two fires that virtually destroyed the town, but both times the people rebuilt and brought the town back.

We went to the Tombstone Courthouse.  It was built in 1882 and is now part of the Arizona State Parks system.  We purchased a Visit Tucson Fun Book for $18.  It has a lot of Buy One Get One Free Admissions to places in and around Tucson, we used it here and at the O.K. Corral.

The courthouse is now a museum about the history of Tombstone.  We thought one of the most interesting things we saw was a set of forensic drawings of what happened at the O.K. Corral.  We spent about an hour and a half there.

Next, was a stroll down the streets of Tombstone.

With the wooden walks, you just felt like you were back in time.

Next, we went to the O.K. Corral.  It's more of a museum.  There are signs stating to not use pictures publicly so the sign is the only picture I'm sharing.  It was really interesting and it was just neat to stand in the place you have heard so much about.

There was also a "Historama" that was part of this tour.  We went to a little theater and watched a 25 minute program that was part movie and part diorama about the history of Tombstone.  

The last place we went was the Tombstone Epitaph, the local newspaper.  There was an interesting exhibit of the printing presses and plates they used.

We're excited about being in Arizona.  There are a lot of places we want to see!