TUCSCON, ARIZONA FEBRUARY 17, 2014

Lazydays KOA in Tucson.  This was one of the nicest KOAs we stayed at.

Our RV site...that is an orange tree on the left...lots of orange trees in the park

We visited the Biosphere 2 in Tucson.   For those who don't remember this there is information the sign at the left. Biosphere 2 (earth is considered Biosphere 1) was created to study ecosystem processes under controlled conditions.  This was at first a completely closed environment that generated it's own oxygen, water, plant life...everything needed for survival.  Researchers volunteered to live in this enclosed environment for a two year period.  Now it is owned by the University of Arizona and research continues but it is no longer a sealed environment.

This is me in front  of the building...not quite showing the whole complex, but most of it.

This was the sealed entry door.

Ocean laboratory where there is ongoing marine research.

The rainforest..contains over 90 different plants species..some over 60ft tall. 

Entrance to the south lung tunnel.  (see picture below)

The desert environment.

The "Lung"  (there are two...this is the south one) are variable air-volume control devices.The circular object in the top right corner (which weighs 500 tons) moves up & down to allow contraction and expansion of the air due to temperature changes  in the  atmosphere when the building was sealed.  Not the feet on the disc that limit the downward motion. For more info on Biosphere 2 log onto www.B2science.org 

BISBEE, ARIZONA FEBRUARY 16, 2014

Bisbee, Arizona  notice the "B" on the hill above the town

The Queen Mine...this is a Copper Mine that quit mining in 1975

Suited up and ready for our mine tour

This is our guide who is one of two miners that still live in Bisbee and worked until 1975..very knowledgeable 

Demonstrating how the dynamite is fused

"Joe" built this wooden roof support structure in 1925

One of the carts which were used to bring the ore out....extremely heavy!

Ok, for those who are wondering what you did when you had to use the bathroom in the mine ..here it is!  It has wheels on it and a brake.   One of the initiation rituals of a new miner was to use the bathroom when unknown to him the brake had been released!   YUCK!

Looking down into the mine.   We both really enjoyed this tour, although when it began the walls in the entrance tunnel were pretty close and I felt a few moments of claustrophobia...but it did open up as we entered the mine.

On the way back to Tombstone, we took a side trip to visit Fort Huachuca.   This fort is an Army Intelligence School.

Another interesting fact of this fort is that LaGuardia, eventually the mayor of NY, lived here with his family as a child.  Just click once on this picture to enlarge and read about him.

This fort is also famous for the place where Geronimo surrendered.

Here is a picture of LaGuardia and his family.

In the museum of the history of intelligence is one of the first done prototypes.

TOMBSTONE, ARIZONA FEBRUARY 12, 2014

Crossing the Continental Divide on the way to Tombstone, AZ

Entering Arizona!

Our campsite...notice that each site was marked with a tombstone

Trail rides were offered at our campground

Sunrise at our campsite

Main Street, Tombstone, AZ

Big Nose Kate Saloon (she was Doc Holliday's girlfriend)

Inside Big Nose Kate's...notice the movie playing on the screen

Stagecoach on Main Street

Bird Cage Theater

Looking west down Main Street

The Tombstone Epitaph newspaper office...this paper has chronicled the people, events and places of the Old West for 133 years.  This was the paper that reported the O.K. Corral gunfight of 10/26/1881.

This courthouse was built in Tombstone in 1882.   It is now a museum.

The courtroom inside the courthouse.

The gallows outside of the courthouse.

Monument to Ed Schieffelin, the founder of Tombstone.  This monument is intended to represent the type of marker a miner makes in claiming a stake.

Sign on the monument. (click on pic once to enlarge)

Re-enactment of the gunfight at O.K. Corral in 1881

Doc Holliday posing with Liz

Boothill

Broad view of  Boothill

These are a few of the tombstones on Boothill

These are the grave sites of the three "bad guys" killed at the O.K. Corral Gunfight on 10/26/1881.   Billy Clanton, Frank McLaury, and Tom Mclaury