While staying at Ft. Huachuca, we headed over to nearby Bisbee. It's a former copper mining town with dwellings terraced amongst the hillsides and of course, lots of little shops. The day we were there, it was filled with lots of motorcycles for a chopper show. Loud pipes combined with echoes made for a rather noisy day.
Thankfully we had reserved places for the Queen Mine Tour. The former copper mine closed in 1975 and the city, in the interest of history and tourism, started tours in 1976. Our tour guide was a retired miner. Here's an interesting tidbit. They used douglas fir and pine timbers to shore up the roof. They're softer woods that make groaning noises when stressed. So when the wood started groaning and popping and the cockroaches and rats started running, there was a problem.
There are active mines in the Tucson area today. Asarco has a discovery center and a mine tour. We had hoped to take a tour but they were sold out when we were there. We'll try again another time.
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| Bisbee |
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| Alleyway art |
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| Bisbee 1000 steps challenge |
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| Our guide |
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| Copper and other minerals |
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| Stay oriented |
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| Rail bike |
Where Are We Going Next?
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