road trip: arizona

Saguaro Cactus off I-8, Arizona

Highway 111 meets up with Interstate 8 just south of El Centro (it is in the center.. of nowhere, that is), where we hung a left and headed for the Algodones Dunes, Yuma, and Tucson, Arizona. We stopped to look at the huge white sand dunes on either side of the highway, and probably would have spent some time exploring them if it weren't for the fact we had to battle roving packs of RVs towing all terrain vehicles for a parking spot at the rest stop. After a trip to the foulest portapotties this side of Black Rock City, we decided to keep going. Probably a good choice, since the ATVs and Border Patrol agents crisscrossed the dunes like so many swarming ants.

Truck stop sign, Southern Arizona

Speeding onward past Yuma, where we reset our clocks and availed ourselves of some quality Church's chicken, a tank of gas and a bottle of aspirin, I-8 turned into I-10 and we started seeing signs for The Thing? -- which we, in the spirit of the Road Trip, couldn't not go see. In case we hesitated, there was another billboard about every quarter mile reminding us that yes, we needed to stop. Our Inner Parents screamed Noooo! Don't stop! You're making good time! Stay on the Interstate! but we laughed, pulled into the parking lot, promptly purchased a The Thing? t-shirt, a The Thing? shot glass, and paid a dollar each for admission to see The Thing?, which is out back, through a set of double doors, behind the gift shop.

A thing (not The Thing) The Thing?, Cochise, Arizona

There are a lot of things at The Thing? -- all of which are very dusty and labeled "this is a very expensive/rare/unusual example of a farm implement/automobile/deer antler chandelier/we're not sure what this is". At the end of a long trek through several well-lit sheds full of various things in various states of disrepair, you actually do get to see The Thing. I won't give it away though. It's worth the dollar, and surely someday you'll find yourself on I-10 outside of Tucson. At the very least, you can see the taxidermied armadillo holding a beer for free in the gift shop.

Roadside grove of trees Southern Arizona

We arrived in Tucson just as the sun set, and decided to stay for an extra day. This may or may not have been related to finding a cafe with free wi-fi (why hasn't this caught on in Southern California?). The next morning we dropped by the Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona and they had the nerve to be between shows. We tried to satisfy ourselves by pressing our noses against the glass and trying to see what was sitting out in the print viewing room, but it just wasn't the same. Damn you, University of Arizona! Your timing is horrible! We consoled ourselves by heading south to Green Valley, in search of the Titan Missile Museum. We wanted to see an ex-nuclear-missile-silo up close. Posted by kia at January 25, 2004 06:22 PM