Sccccccccrrrrrrreeeeeaaaaammmm!

Feb 2/2019  Weather 74, sunny low 52.  They say rain is coming for Superbowl Sunday.   We are out cruising around our end of Tucson today and we keep driving by the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base which the sound can just about throw you off the Harley if you time it when one of the Warthog's is taking off!  Seriously.   Plus if you stay at the Voyager RV Resort on Kolb Road be prepared to hear these guys most of the day; they do seem to stop at night - yeah!!!   These fighter planes are nasty.   There are two interesting things about the DMAF base;  the first being that the huge scccccrrrreeeettttccchhhing fighter jets we hear coming and going every day is a training squadron and the second is that this base is also the largest boneyard in the world of military airplanes(another posting for that).  Today we can let you know about the A-10 "Warthog".    

The Warthog A-10

People would say the A-10 was a plane designed around a gun—its 30 mm GAU-8 Avenger rotary cannon, to be specific.  When the last of more than 700 A-10s was built in 1984, the aircrews and maintainers who worked on this lumbering plane thought it was so ugly they called it the "Warthog." Today, after decades of wear and tear and blood and toil, that nickname carries with it a nickname of affection and respect, five squadrons and over 300 personnel employing 83 A-10C aircraft. 

the Gatling gun

The A-10's cockpit and portions of its flight control system are protected by 1,200 pounds of titanium aircraft armor, called the "bathtub." The bathtub can withstand direct hits from armor-piercing projectiles up 23 mm.  But the design logic dictating its configuration goes well beyond that mean machine gun in its nose. The A-10's large, unswept high-aspect ratio wing and large ailerons give it excellent low-speed, low-altitude maneuverability. The wing also allows short takeoffs and landings. That's handy, because this plane frequently needs to operate from primitive forward airfields near the front lines the Warthog isn't fast—not by a longshot. Pilots say it has three practical throttle settings: full-throttle, 50 percent, and off.   It's  reputation-maker is the gun. The seven-barrel GAU-8 Avenger measures nine feet long and fires 30mm armor-piercing shells housed in six-foot-diameter drum. The Gatling gun hoses shells at a rate of 3900 rounds per minute.

GAU-8

It represents about 16 percent of the aircraft's weight.  When the gun is removed for maintenance, the Warthogs tail must be supported to keep the nose from tipping up!

A-10 Warthog - see the seven barral gun in the nose

South Tucson

Jan 19 - Feb 16/2019   The weather is like spring weather to us.  High 60's or low 70's.  Sunny.  No rain and no humidity in the desert.  We think it is cooler than last year.

Total Lunar Eclipse - Blood Moon- Couple days after we pulled in

We are enjoying it actually and are happy to stay in Tucson for another month.  We found the Voyager RV Resort has super long pull thrus and all amenities we need, even if we don't leave the park for a few days.  Heated pools, golf, store, restaurant, library, hairdresser (oh good we need haircuts badly), massage, spa, activities, even a hotel for guests. 

nice heated lap pool at the Voyager

There are a few interesting events in the Tucson area we want to see.   The Gem show especially.  It is known worldwide as one of the best. Put that on the list.

Nascar Truck races going on - asphalt track

Close by we can hear speedway cars running at full throttle?  There must be a race track nearby.  Found it!!!

Pima County Fairgrounds and RV Park

We are out riding today over to Pima Fairgrounds and in this area is Tucson Speedway, Tucson Dragstrip, Tucson Shooting Range, Model Airplanes, Go Karts, and a Motorcycle Racetrack too.  Everything for the outdoor enthusiast is here is one spot.  We stopped to look at the campground and it is actually not too bad for a week or too.  Good to know for future.
Let's see what else we can find today? 

these are the small potholes, it was scary on the bike

Our backroads map is taking us out towards Colossal Cave Mountain Park.  The road up into it was a washboard, potholes everywhere.  YIKES!  Billy perserved up to the top.  The building was beautifully built into the side of the mountain.  You can take a self guided hike thru the caves; but Rosey and Billy are chickens of caves and this will not happen.  Haha.  We did see Kartchener Caves last year but that is different - it is huge and we had a guide with us.  We are such babies........

Colossal Cave Mountain Hdqtrs building - tour & cafe

It has been a home, shrine, hideout, inspiring workplace, exciting playground, and a tranquil retreat. This place is on the National Historic Register.   The 2,400-acre Park showcases the crystal-filled Colossal Cave and the historic La Posta Quemada Ranch.  Civilian Conversation Corps back in 1936 built the camp and unique stone building.  It is quite a view and worth the nasty road up to see it. 

Heading East to Texas

Feb 18\19 2018.  Weather cooler in Arizona and windy. 60s, a bit overcast and a day of high winds.  We started our trek back to Texas.  Just a short ride south to Tucson to visit fellow campers from our Wildwood park in Ontario.  Kem and Nancy are going in the opposite direction to us - they are headed west! 

 They are staying in Voyager RV Resort which is a mega resort but actually the area we are in is all motorhome and trailers so feels normal.  Mega because there are + 1500 sites, mostly park models, the camper section is about 300 sites.  Quite a good spot as our pull thru is 100 feet long.  It has everything onsite plus a restaurant and 36 room hotel ; which is really smart if you have company coming for a bit.  The activities calendar looks great - 5 different kinds of yoga!  Dance classes for beginners and even a country 2 step.  Giddyup.   3 pools.  courts for pickleball and tennis.  Looks like you could be very busy and the location would be great for riding.   We will be back.