Day 1: Saturday February 22, 2014
Classic Car Show at Oro Valley Marketplace
About 200 cars on display in a paved area of a shopping mall. Very clean with live music and food. Parking was very easy. It was a well conducted show with many interesting and colorful cars. There were a lot of people viewing the cars so patience was needed to get good photos.
Franklin Auto Museum
This museum was not too far away from the car show and was in a secluded, desert neighborhood. It highlighted the Franklin automobile which was produced between 1902 and 1933. It was an elegant, well designed auto with an air cooled engine. The company went bankrupt in the midst of the Great Depression. The museum was the work of a man who loved and restored Franklins and left the museum as his legacy. There were about 25 well restored and preserved autos and displays located in 3 garages at the site. A guide was present to give the history and answer questions. This is a little known but must see stop for anyone who is interested in magnificent automobiles.
Hotel Tucson City Center
We stayed here for 3 nights. It is conveniently located to many of the sights in the area, many within walking distance. It was a large resort and convention hotel with a pool, large lawn, and many orange trees. There was a terrific free hot breakfast buffet and free happy hour in the evening. The facilities and furnishings were a bit dated and more maintenance could be done. But the price ($70 per nite for large room with fridge, microwave, stovetop, large desk, wifi), surroundings, and location made it a great choice.
Dog Show
Although not on our agenda, there was a dog show going on at the hotel on Saturday and Sunday. It was headquartered right below our room so we had a good view from our balcony. The dogs and owners were well behaved so there was not a problem with having it that close. All in all it was a pleasant experience to watch some of the proceedings. There were also a number of Great Danes in the show which was very impressive to me.
Day 2: Sunday, February 23, 2014
Downtown Tucson: Presidio Area
The Presidio Area is just a 10 minute walk from the hotel. Sunday morning is a great time to see the area because there were few people and cars. Interesting sites include the Art Museum, parks, old courthouse, Presidio museum, and numerous colorful homes and mansions.
Old Tucson
This is an old western movie lot sprawling over many acres in the desert area west of the city. There are many western themed buildings created here that were used in various movies and TV shows. They serve as a great backdrop to the many shows that are put on for the visitors. You can do a lot of wandering around and imagine yourself stepping back into the wild west.
Day 3: Monday, February 24, 2014
Touring more of Tucson City
There were other interesting areas in the city that we stopped at. One of these was Rattlesnake Bridge. A pedestrian bridge over Broadway that had the head and tail of a rattlesnake at the two ends. Also when you get to the tail end there is a rattle sound from a loudspeaker -- kind of jolts you.
And by the Amtrack station, there is an historical locomotive. Also, statues of Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday at the site of a shootout there.
Trail Dust Town
Tried to visit the Museum of the Horse Soldier, but it was closed on Monday. It was adjacent to Trail Dust Town, an assortment of western themed buildings that were a part of restaurants, bars, and entertainment. It's mostly an evening destination so most of the places were closed during the day. This was a good opportunity to do some photography of the buildings and other items.
Just a short stop here at the West side of campus along the Main Gate Square. Went to the Creative Photography building where they had an exhibit from Charles Harbutt. Chipotle Grille is here so that was our dinner.
Day 4: Tuesday, February 25, 2014
One Last Walk
Decided to do one last walk from the hotel to the Presidio and surrounding barrio. This did have interesting buildings and it was nice to revisit some of them and also to see some others we may have missed.
Saint Anthony's Greek Orthodox Monastery
About an hour north of Tucson, just before the town of Florence, is this Greek monastery. It seems like a strange, off the path location for this place. What you see when you enter is a pleasant surprise. The buildings and landscape are superb and you'd never expect it located in the middle of the desert. The grounds and structures are much larger that I had imagined. There is also an impressive white chapel located on a hill about a half mile away. There are dress rules to enter the grounds (the ladies must wear long dresses and head scarves). There is no admission charge but donations are accepted and they also sell items in their bookstore. You have to see it to believe it.
Florence, Arizona
This is a small historic town with some interesting buildings. The Mount Athos restaurant has superb gyros. Nearby is the Happy Adobe, which sells colorful patio and decor items. Very interesting to walk around the yard. The town would be a great place to spend a little time and look around.
Casa Grande Nationa Park
The park has a large earthen structure built by the Indians around 1300 BC and has historical significance. The structure has a large metal roof over it to protect it from erosion. There is also a museum at the park.
End of the Journey
This was a very interesting and photogenic trip of the Tucson area. I've been here several times and I've just scratched the surface of places to see. I'll have to return another time and take in some more. I'd highly recommend a visit here to everyone. It may not be as good during the summer months as the temperature can be very hot. After all, this is desert country.
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