A Little More of Tucson: Tucson Nights

One of my few complaints about Tucson is that it seems to go to bed early, complicating the wanderings of a business traveler busy doing, well, business by day.  A young person I met explained this phenomenon as associated with the service-oriented nature of the town -- many people are working multiple jobs and perhaps the employees of tourist-focused attractions are headed off to jobs in restaurants.  And Tucson does have the restaurants to boast about.  These two activities, however, made my evenings because of their availability.

First, I discovered that Tucson Botanical Gardens was open late til 8 PM on Thursdays and Fridays. Smaller than some botanical gardens, Tucson's is full of surprises and fun to wander nonetheless.  My favorite was the locally-themed Barrio Garden, truly making one feel at home. 

As always, it's spectacularly relaxing to visit gardens when the day ends and the gentle lights come on.  The staff?  Sincerely friendly.  The gift shop?  Fun to browse.

Then, I ventured out to Tumamoc Hill for a popular hike (actually as suggested by that friendly staff at the gardens).  Yes, it is steep, and yes, parking, while free, is limited.  In fact, parking was a bit anxiety-provoking near sunset, but I found a great place near some bike racks across from the hospital. As many a TripAdvisor reviewer has warned, do not park at the hospital.  Get past that, and you have a hike that is a paved, gorgeous, challenging ( = uphill) walk that is well-populated by locals, fitness enthusiasts, and tourists.  Did I go all the way to the top?  No, but just because I ran out of time.  It was still joyous exercise.  Gorgeous cacti, gorgeous city view.

While learning more about the Sonoran Desert, I heard some people there have historically found cacti a beautiful way to remember the dead, noting that the saguaro actually resemble people.  Hiking this hill as the day ends, I get it.

Things to Know

• For other area botanical gardens that are much larger, try Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, AZ -- it's not that far between Phoenix and Tucson if you have access to a car.
• I was travelling without workout clothes and shoes -- and staying at the Westin La Paloma, I took advantage of the Westin workout gear lending program. And by the way, this hotel is gorgeous -- and quite inexpensive in the off season.  If you stay, check out the sunrise from the end of the I (like iguana) building.  

See, I told you so.

For Further Exploration

• Tumamoc Hill is actually a laboratory for the University of Arizona, just like Biosphere 2.  A little reading about both sites, and you'll be prompted to think about how science and culture intersect.

Unexpected and Incredible: Mission San Xavier del Bac

It's always a delight to find something beautiful.  Mission San Xavier del Bac is beyond words.  Tucson is home to this gorgeous mission -- the longest continuously operating Spanish mission in the United States.

The plasterwork, the paintings, the statues -- they are all simply something to behold.  There is active art conservation, and I'm pretty sure the same conservators featured in the mission's video orientation are also featured in the 2019 Visit Tucson travel guide.

Take time to simply walk around -- I found small statues and almost missed a wonderful array of bas relief Stations of the Cross.

You will also want to visit the museum, a labor of love from the volunteers. It orients the visitor to some elements of Catholicism as needed.  And, just to make me very happy, it honors purple as the liturgical color of Advent.

We live in a time of lost geography -- GPS sometimes actually keeps us from knowing what we are near, what is on the way.  Google may be able to tell us exactly where we are on the planet, but we often have trouble contextualizing that.  San Xavier is absolutely a place I would have missed if not for asking a local for advice on other places that might be "interesting."  With that vague inquiry, something incredible emerged.

Things to Know

• This is a working church.  That's part of what makes it special.  Plan ahead if you are trying to attend/avoid service times.  
• There is plenty of onsite parking in a rutted lot.  Drive carefully.
• Two good places to start your visit: 1) Admiring the sanctuary and 2) Watching the overview video inside the museum.
• There's a gift shop with reasonable prices and a good selection of local and religious items.  There's also a small marketplace nearby (across the parking lot) with a few local artisans.

For Further Exploration

• The intersection of peoples and their religions is always fascinating.  Here's a starting point for the intersection of this native people group and the Catholic faith.
• I found out about this site while visiting Casa Grande.  One of the mission's first priests helped give Casa Grande its modern name.

Casa Grande: Big House, Little Blog

I saw the brown National Park Service sign driving from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport to Tucson.  So, I found a few extra moments.  Wandering off the beaten path by 12 car minutes, I found Casa Grande Ruins National Monument.  It's a hidden gem.

Casa Grande is a smallish park with a fascinating force to it.  It's a set of built ruins built by a people who lacked domesticated animals to help them.  It represents the possible peak of an era in a civilization -- and holds mystery of its use and its demise.  Be sure to watch the overview film and talk to a docent -- the helpful volunteer I met explained the preservation of the site well.

It's attracted visitors for years, some of whom literally left their mark on it with carvings -- helping you to reflect on how history is remembered, honestly.  The preservation structure over the ruins dates back to the early 1900s.  Bonus: If you also visit Mission San Xavier del Bac, you will discover a connection with the modern-day naming of Casa Grande.  This wonderful mission site was recommended to me by the same helpful volunteer I mentioned above.

I'd been reading The Secret Token by Andrew Lawler on the plane out, thinking about our cultural fascination with the history of the lost colony of Roanoke.  Stay with me here: Lawler in part argues that our connection with Roanoke relates to the complexity of the idea of assimilation.  We are both fearful and hopeful that the lost colonists simply joined nearby indigenous groups.  It turns out the Ancestral Sonoran Desert People honored at this site have in part rejected their previous name, Hohokam, because it means those who have vanished.  Their argument?  Movement, assimilation, and the like do not "end" a group -- and they are still here, both among the ruins and living in the region today.

If you are like me, you didn't know this site was here.  Now, you know better.

Things to Know

• This is a fee-free National Parks Site.  You are off the beaten path but not far from the rest of the world -- I could hear children playing at the nearby school.  Why would you not stop, right?
• There is a small gift shop and museum.
• The ruins are outside with a short loop trail around them -- I'd estimate I walked about .25 mi to take a first look at the ruins.
• Reminder:  This site is not all that far from Phoenix Sky Harbor if you are landing there.
• This trip is poppy approved!  So, for the self-described intellectually curious, this is a great place to ponder human history and its remembrance.  Come, history and social science folks.

For Further Exploration

• Mapquest tells me Montezuma Castle is just 2 hours, 16 minutes away.  These two National Parks would pair particularly nicely.
• I was pleased to see Finders Keepers by Craig Childs available in the gift shop.  I discovered this book on a previous trip and think it gives depth to the conversation around preservation in the US Southwest.

Childhood Dreams: Visiting Biosphere 2

I remember getting PBS-inspired 3-2-1 Contact magazine in the mail.  Actually "young" for the show's recommended age, I watched with both fascination and pride.  I read an article about the initial Biosphere 2 project -- 8 scientists about to be locked in to an enclosed, self-sustaining habitat in the Southwest.  Those scientists inspired me -- I wanted to be a Biospherian the same way I wanted to be an astronaut.  The attraction is magnetic.

Fast forward a few decades, and I find myself in Arizona, awaiting a tour of Biosphere 2 from an animated educational psychology graduate student.  He's working to understand how we learn scientific content from informal education.  It strikes me I should recommend Colleen Dilenschneider's blog to him.

There's an opening film that's updated to include current projects, including a massive collection of data about rainforests in drought conditions and the famed Landscape Evolution Observatory (LEO).  There's an original Biospherian "apartment" on display.  But more importantly, there's a truly immersive tour that walks the space, including content on how the project was engineered, what species can be observed on site, and a dash of history of the original Biospherians.  This. Is. A. Massive. And. Stunning. Lab. I wanted my school's biotechnology students to be there with me.

The resilience so common in the desert -- and certainly part of the way the desert becomes restorative -- is apparent in Biosphere 2.  Now fascinated with technical education, the "technosphere" of the project, or the mechanics of its "breathing," power, and other systems, tells just as amazing of a story.

On the tour in a small group, you can even see Biosphere "lungs" (more like a diaphragm) work, essentially keeping all that glass from collapsing when the air pressure changes.  There's really nothing like it.  You'll look and wonder and ask questions.

I've been introduced as a person who asks why -- a LOT.  While that reflects a Millennial desire for purpose, it also reflects the glories of 3-2-1 Contact.  I'm not alone.

Things to Know

• This trip is poppy approved!  If you self-identify as a science nerd (in the positive way) and/or like to make connections between disparate areas of study, this place is for you, the intellectually curious!  You do not need to know a lot about anything specific to engage in the tour, but you should think things like seeing one of two lunar greenhouses in existence (the other is in Antarctica) is cool.

• The drive to Biosphere 2 is an easy 45 minutes from Tucson, about an hour more from Phoenix, and through "populated desert" (you'll pass a Walmart and similar).  You will venture off the main road on a dedicated road to reach the site itself.  The road is paved and all, but it beckons a little adventure.
• You enter through the gift shop.  I was glad I bought my souvenir patch upon arrival -- the shop was closed when I returned.
• Be prepared to walk and to spend time in varied temperatures/levels of humidity.  You will walk "down" to the Biosphere 2 site and get great views of it -- and the desert -- along the way.
• I visited in September late in their operational day.  Crowds were scant, and we had extra time with our tour guide accordingly.  If you can visit when it is not likely to be crowded, do.  You'll have more time to linger.  Our guide advised winter holidays could be quite crowded.
• TripAdvisor may tell you this is a "science museum," but it is really an active science site.  There are some exhibits, but not the kind that involve children punching buttons.  There are some specialized tours and some additional educational programming options, including overnights.  Similarly, you can contact the staff and plan a retreat or similar here.
• There's a cafe, and this would be a nice picnic spot if you are up for adventure picnic -- or asking the staff if you can sit at one of the picnic tables outside.  They are a little out-of-the-way, and I'm not sure they are intended for tourists.
• Look for possible deals on Groupon.  There are some discounts for students and the like -- but nothing like AAA.  Allot about $20 a person in admission.  I spent about 3 hours hanging around looking at exhibits and taking the typical tour.
• Yes, mobile service is a bit spotty -- plan for it.

For Further Exploration

• Wondering why the history of Biosphere 2 is important and what it says about our humanity?  Start at Lessons from Biosphere 2.  Think about the ambition of the early 90s in particular.
• Planning an Arizona road trip?  That's a great idea!  You can land a Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport from many destinations and drive around pretty easily.  For suggestions, see also Dave and Deb's Ultimate 10-Day Arizona Road Trip.  And of course, check out The Halterman Weekend's adventures in Arizona, including Phoenix, Sedona, and Montezuma Well and Castle.

Desert Refreshment: Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, AZ

K was not always a fan of botanical gardens, but of late, she's had several occasions to visit them.  Turns out that she's found new treasures in all of them and plans to be a more consistent garden explorer.  There was the special Lantern Asia exhibit at the Norfolk Botanical Garden, there were fantastical sculptures at Airlie Gardens, and now, there were beautiful cacti aplenty at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, AZ.

Simply put, if you want to see stunning desert landscapes, this is the place for you.  The cacti are beautiful, and in various seasons, there are plenty of flowers and butterflies.  Within the garden, there is a "desert living" home decorated with opulent landscaping for the arid climate.  The paths encourage wandering and the "finding" of such fun treasures.

Various areas of the garden depict different desert areas around the world, and we saw a fair amount of small wildlife, including numerous birds.

Was it hot?  Well, yes. It was Phoenix in July. Bring water and sip it constantly--there are plenty of water bottle refill stations, and garden employees were even driving about with trucks that could refill your waterbottle. The gardens are open relatively early and late if your schedule can so accommodate.

Be alert for special events.  A Bruce Munro lighted art exhibit had left recently, and while we snagged gift books picturing it in the gift shop, we missed it by some weeks.  Our understanding is that the garden is a fantastic venue for special events that include open-air concerts.  On this trip, K stayed late, hanging out near closing.  A special night walk event was planned, and we were able to enjoy parts of it, including conversations with great volunteers who were very welcoming locals who gave great dinner recommendations, just because we were in the right place at the right time.

Speaking of the right place at the right time, head to the Sonoran Desert area at sunset--specifically the seating area known as Pratt Ramada.  You won't regret it.

If you go, check Groupon and similar sites for possible ticket discounts.  The Desert is also near Scottsdale, AZ, and it would be easy to head there for dinner after a visit.  We recommend Olive and Ivy near Scottsdale Fashion Square, an upscale mall.  The mall area is open late, but many of the shops in "old" Scottsdale are regrettably closed in the summer "off season." In the garden itself, there's also a cool gift shop and an esteemed restaurant.  Park for free onsite, but reach the area by driving if at all possible (public transportation would have been much more complicated).  Plan to spend several hours.  In our 2+ hour visit, we estimate we saw around one-third of the garden.

Red Rocks: Stunning Sedona

K was told not to miss Sedona while in Arizona--and that turned out to be exceptionally good advice! After a long day of conference sessions in Phoenix, K and some colleagues were determined to find the McDonald's with the turquoise M...and of course, enjoy views of the Red Rocks.  We stopped at Bell Rock--no, we didn't climb it, but it was still a great stop.  If we had more time, we may have done the hike or found a local canyon, too, in a nearby state park...but driving and hiking distances would have required more time.  Nonetheless, sunset visits to the area are spectacular--even with some clouds.

Views were so breathtaking that this is how we behaved, everywhere...

We also learned that wrong turns into neighborhoods bring solid views, too, including this awesome one of the Chapel of the Holy Cross.

We ate a leisurely dinner in one of the Gatlinburg-like small roadside mini shopping areas--substantially more upscale than Gatlinburg, but with similar parking challenges and quirky architecture.  We found lots of quirky outdoor sculptures and grand views.  Shops close down early, but the boutiques in several places we walked made for delightful window shopping. We particularly enjoyed wandering through Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village, even if everything was closed for the evening.  In case the last shopping area you visited didn't resemble some opulent version of a Spanish mission...

If you go, the drive from Phoenix to Sedona is a treat for East Coasters--you take in some views of changing desert topography.  In the summer, you also experience a substantial temperature drop...we went from 106 degrees F to the 70s.  We know summer is not high tourist season in Sedona, but in K's humble opinion, it's still not a bad time to travel there.  You will find good overall travel rates--if some closed attractions and early closings on others.  Just take plenty of water.  When driving in the desert, keep your tank full--we found that our car's "miles remaining" decreased rather oddly and rapidly, probably due to the driving conditions, and this made for a little adventure in an area where service stations are few and far between and most apparently close at 8 PM.  Our night was a bit cloudy, but stargazing in the area is described as generally spectacular--even on a cloudy night from a car, a sense of grandness is apparent.  There are even stargazing tours--but they are best taken outside of July/August monsoon season.  And there really is a McDonald's with a turquoise M...

Castle for Kim: Montezuma Castle (and Well)

Since fourth or fifth grade social studies, I (K) had always wanted to see some cliff dwellings.  When I realized I'd find myself in Phoenix, Arizona, in July 2016, I was inspired to go find some.  So, after my plane landed mid-day on a Sunday, I found Montezuma Castle, a, 800-year-old well preserved set of dwellings in a naturally-occurring opening on a cliff face.

A small National Park Service site, Montezuma Castle is easily accessible and a wonderful glimpse into the ancient past in the desert.  The castle is not one family's dwelling--it's housing for more like 30-50 people. Misnamed as an Aztec site at one point (hence the Montezuma), this Sinagua native site helps the visitor understand desert survival. There's a short sidewalk-style trail that is relatively flat that will give you a view of the castle and some pretty desert landscape.  No, you can't enter the castle--it's too challenging to preserve--but the view from the ground is grand.  There's also a wonderful diorama to view to give you a sense of the "inside"--and I have been trained by hubby J to appreciate these delightful touches that help interpret such sites. And there's a gift shop (with an educator discount)!

Run up the road a few more miles and you'll find the less busy but quite splendid Montezuma Well, an interesting "lake" made by a spring that's home to unique species of leeches and other such nifty-ness.  Take a short "hike" (also on a sidewalk, but with some stairs with decent steepness) .25 mile up to the top of the lake (and looping back around to the parking lot).  Venture off the beaten path (but still on a marked trail) down to the lake edge if you wish--this was also pretty terrain. For diver shots from 2006, the last research dive into the well, click here.  There's no gift shop at the well, so be sure to pack water.  It's the desert--if it is summer, basically walk around sipping water.

If you go, the drive from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is north about 90 minutes and will afford you some excellent desert scenery.  You could easily visit the small town of Jerome or the Red Rocks of Sedona in the same little road trip--admission here also gets you in to Tuzigoot National Monument for the week, too, and it is easily accessible from the same drive.  For some thought-provoking reading on archaeology, historic preservation, and plunder, check out Craig Childs's Finders Keepers.  If you are interested in other things K was inspired to see thanks to elementary school social studies, check out our blog on Town Creek Indian Burial Mound in North Carolina.