Thursday, February 17, 2017

As planned, our day started at 6:00 o’clock, under chilly blue skies…

Why? Because today was Kartchner Caverns day (check Kartchner Caverns State Park, under Arizona State Parks). You see, you NEED a reservation to see the caverns (online booking), you NEED to be there at least 1 hour ahead of time, and you NEED to drive for about 1.5 hours from Marana to get there! Our scheduled visit was at 9:20 am, so you do the count down…

From their discovery, in 1974, the caverns remained a secret for 14 years! Now fully fitted with proper walkways, they are for everybody to discover. The site became a State Park, with a Discovery Centre (museum) and campgrounds. To preserve the caverns for generations to come, the rules are quite strict: No food or drinks, no purses, no cameras and no touching anything during the one-hour tour. In fact, rangers/guides reserve the right to expel you if you fail to comply!

Raymond did visit the caverns while I opted for staying at the museum and the gift shop. It was an interactive learning experience I really enjoyed.

We then headed to Tombstone (via I-10 and highway 80), the town too tough to die! Started in 1877, this wild frontier community survived 2 major fires and a bunch of ruffians that made it so infamous (watch Tombstone, the movie)! The wild, wild West atmosphere has been recreated, with a Courthouse, an O.K. Coral, a Bird Cage Theatre and Stagecoaches. We had so much fun and managed to stay clear from the gunners!

We also stopped at Boothill Grave Yard, a burial plot for the town’s first pioneers and outlaws alike. The good and the bad resting together… Sweet dreams!

We ended the day with a “dress-up” picture, with guns and all,  and dinner at Big Nose Kate’s Saloon. Time to head back to Marana. You never know, too much fun could kill you….