Beaudry RV Resort - Tucson, AZ

Thursday, February 8, 2007
We packed up and drove from Deming, NM to Tucson, AZ and Beaudry RV Resort. Land and lots of it seen along the way and the grassy terrain started to change to mountains and snow at higher elevations.
We loved the park and its location, but a bit pricey. We stayed here to get some work done to the RV by Camping World located adjacent to the park. Made the service work very convenient.
Friday, February 09, 2007
Part of the lush Sonoran desert, Tucson lies in a valley surrounded by six mountains ranges; the Santa Catalinas to the north (reaching 9,100 ft. elevation), the Santa Rita and Sierrita Mountains to the south, the Rincon Mountains to the east, the Tucson Mountains to the west, and the Tortolita Mountains on the northwest. "Stats & Facts" Population: approx. 768,000 Elevation: 2,400 feet
115 miles south of Phoenix - 65 miles from US/Mexico border
Saturday, February 10, 2007
We decided to see Tombstone, called “the Town too Tough to Die.” Tombstone is located about 40 miles southeast of Tucson. I-10 East to SH 80 south. Benson exit. Founded as a silver mining boom town in 1879 by Ed Schieffelin, Tombstone is a Registered National Historic Landmark and home to historic attractions like the Crystal Palace Saloon, the World's Largest Rose Tree, the Bird Cage Theatre, Boothill Graveyard, 1882 Cochise County Courthouse, Big Nose Kate's Saloon and the O.K. Corral

We found Tombstone very interesting and fun to see that they have kept it the same as 100 years ago. You may remember the OK Corral and the last movie made of Masterson, Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp fame. Gunslingers loiter around the streets and gunfights are a daily occurrence down at Helldorado. Three blocks long and two blocks wide, the street is closed to all traffic except the stagecoach visitors can ride through town and hear first-hand the history from the driver.
Restaurants, galleries and shops housed in original buildings line the streets and offer a wide variety of art, food and trinkets.

Notice the baby carriage has two dogs..cute.


The scenery around Tombstone on the back roads back to Tucson was just as awe inspiring because of the vastness. Spent five hours before getting back to Mitzy in the RV.

The real deal.. cowboys herding cattle.

Ray's Reflections: We found Tucson, to be comfortable nestled between several mountain ranges. I rode the bike west to old Tucson on route 86 where the hills were covered with thousands of Saguaro cactus standing as sentinels throughout the area. Very nice ride with the road looking like it followed the path like a snake winding through the hills. Several days later I rode into the Catalina Mountains to the north of Tucson. This mountain was mostly barren with cactus at lower elevations but the stone monolith at the top were very interesting. Many of them looked like someone I’ve seen. And the sheer drop-offs on the roadside did not have guard rails, ouch! No place to be sightseeing, but they do have a number of pull-offs. I usually travel on the bike with my trusty Sony Digital camera hanging around my neck and tucked into my leather jacket, ready to use at any stop and some of my five pair of gloves may be used with the camera without removing them. I have several concerns when I stop for a photo-op; the ground cover, is it paved, dirt, pebbles, marble-sized rocks, or sharp granite stones that will impair my footing. Also, how level is the ground and does it pitch left or right or front or back. Can I put the kick stand down without dropping the bike. If I'm on a curve, can I softly re-enter the road? If I do stop, can I see past the road because of bushes, rock formations, trees, etc? All of these decisions must be made within a few seconds before stopping. And, of course, is someone going to run over me from the rear? I'm not complaining, just stating facts. I find it very difficult to compare riding in the Smoky Mountains to the high desert mountains. Completely different, but both are beautiful.

Monday, February 12, 2007
We drove up to Lemmon Mountain one of the Santa Catalina Mountain ranges, and after two hours of short stops to admire the beauty and take pictures, we arrived at Ski Valley. Almost 9.000 ft.
Catalina State Park, comprising 5,493 acres and including 34 archaeological sites, was established in 1983.
We were able to see the geology of this area by the cuts made for the roads years ago. And there were significant rock formations that left you wondering how they stay where they are, and when will an earth quake tumble them down from their precarious perch.

The central core of the Catalina Mountains is granite of Laramide origin, altered by metamorphism to gneiss along its western side. Catalina State Park is located near the base of the fore range anticline, which drains into Cañon de Oro to the west. The park land is situated on sedimentary Miocene (25 million-year-old) deposits of sandstone, limestone, mudstone and conglomerates.
As we started on our drive to the top, we saw a most peculiar site.

Up on the hills were what I thought were sticks standing tall all over. Then as we got closer, turned out they are the Saguaro Cactus. I love all cacti and succulents, and really enjoyed their diversity in this area. Cacti everywhere and especially as landscape for the homes along the hillside. The magnificent Saguaro Cactus, the state flower of Arizona, is composed of a tall, thick, fluted, columnar stem, 18 to 24 inches in diameter, often with several large branches (arms) curving upward in the most distinctive conformation of all Southwestern cacti. It grows very slowly -- perhaps an inch a year -- but to a great height, 15 to 50 feet.

Tuesday, February 13 We love it here with the weather so beautiful. Fresh air and no bugs – leave our windows open most of the day. Today we did get rain with a cold front, but still saw the sun and it’s around 60 degrees.

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