Padawan’s Journey 4

[WillyB]

Very cool!

[brroberts]

Short hike today in Kofa NWR. Palm Canyon. Then a nap. Windy and a little rainy tomorrow, so we’ll wash clothes. A few pics of the canyon and BLM land camping if they will upload.

[brroberts]

Just hanging out at LTVA outside Quartzite. We will head to Tuscon / Gilbert Ray on Sunday.

[Mike Lewis]

On Sunday I am reluctantly leaving Tucson after a good two-week stay. You're just in time for the nice weather; it has been cold with occasional rain and snow (!) during my visit. Be sure to check out the art museums in town.

The only downside (for astronomy nerds, that is) is that the region's famous observatories still have public tours cancelled due to COVID restrictions. Well, I'll just have to come back then.

[brroberts]

Yes, I’ve never made Kitt Peak, and still can’t. Starizona is there, and I am thinking about adding Hyperstar for public sessions with EAA, so I’ll talk to them while I’m there.

[HABBERDABBER]

The Biosphere 2 in Oro Valley is a very interesting place to see. And in nearby Green Valley is a decommissioned, underground missile launch facility straight out of 1960's Dr. Strangelove. Both places have fascinating backstories.

[brroberts]

The plan for Tucson includes the Titan museum, but not Bioshere. Too much hiking to do.

[brroberts]

A little bit from snow on the mountains and Saguaro West. Camped at Gilbert Ray.

[brroberts]

Been going hard. Lots of catching up to do. Visited Lunt Solar about an Ha telescope. Went to Starizona and looked at Hyperstar for my C14 and got an ASI Air Plus. Ordered an Astro Tech 80mm triplet from Mike at Astronomics while on sale. He’ll hold to ship until we are home. Bought new hiking boots. So Tucson was expensive. The second stop after Saguaro West was the Titan missile museum. Pics attached. Our tour guide worked there as a 19 year old in the Air Force.

[brroberts]

Next up Saguaro East.

[brroberts]

Sonoran Desert Museum and views from our Gilbert Ray campsite.

[WillyB]

No photos of the new hiking boots?

[Mike Lewis]

If you're still in Tucson check out the Stellar Vision telescope shop. He has lots of stuff.

[brroberts]

Missed Stellar Vision. I’ll check it out on the web; I’ve never heard of it. I’ll try to update some more of the trip while I have WiFi tonight. Winds 55-75 tonight and tomorrow in Guadalupe NP, so we left early and are in Ft Stockton tonight and the hill country tomorrow. I’ll dig through some pictures.

[brroberts]

I’ll start with some general pictures of the Guadalupe Mountains NP with ElCapitan and the range of the old reef.

Well the campground internet doesn’t seem up to getting me images. We’ll have to keep waiting.

[oldwave]

Originally Posted by brroberts

Been going hard. Lots of catching up to do. Visited Lunt Solar about an Ha telescope. Went to Starizona and looked at Hyperstar for my C14 and got an ASI Air Plus. Ordered an Astro Tech 80mm triplet from Mike at Astronomics while on sale. He’ll hold to ship until we are home. Bought new hiking boots. So Tucson was expensive. The second stop after Saguaro West was the Titan missile museum. Pics attached. Our tour guide worked there as a 19 year old in the Air Force.

Very similar to the Minute Man Missile NHS near the Badlands National Park in SD.

[brroberts]

Yes the Titan and Minuteman are different systems, but similar.

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by oldwave

Very similar to the Minute Man Missile NHS near the Badlands National Park in SD.

We visited that with the Scouts as well as the museum at the base. A couple days later we were at the Home of the Seventh Calvary updating Belle Fouche I think it was. They had some nice artifacts there too. The boys were most fascinated by the military motorcycle with sidecar and the rifling in the barrels of the old cannons
Iowa Dave

[brroberts]

I’ll have bad WiFi later this week at my folk’s house, so I’ll try to catch up the last two main stops on this trip. It’s been nice here in the hill country of Texas.