this is how we roll

Day 19 part 2: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and Saguaro National Park

Travel was beginning to catch up with us, and we were pretty wiped out by the end of the Biosphere 2 tour, but before we moved on toward New Mexico we really wanted to see Saguaro National Park and the Sonora Desert Museum that the park ranger had recommended.

Saguaros as far as you can see!

Prairie Dog!

Cactus hugger?

So. Much. Love.

We saw lots of solar panels in use throughout AZ

Great little Mexican restaurant near Tuscon.

Not vegan, but lots of great vegan options and variety

Day 19 part 1: Biosphere 2

We stopped by the Catalina State Park visitor center/ranger station before leaving that morning. We bought a couple of books: one about Sonora desert wildlife and another about saguaros. Also bought a souvenir for Pablo in honor of how much he loves running around in these wide open spaces. We talked with the park ranger about all we had seen on the trail and at our RV site, and about unschooling. Turns out the abundance of insects we were seeing is actually pretty rare there with the exception of the rainy season, which was just ending when we were there. He also recommended a trip to

Bark Ranger

On our way to Tuscon the previous day, we had noticed signs for tours of Biosphere 2. Remember that? From the 90's? So, on day 19 we took another unexpected side trip that turned out to be a fascinating place to see research in action and learn about ecology, various biomes, water cycles, carbon & climate studies, conservation, history, and, well, Biosphere 1!

Lots to read and look at and do while waiting for our tour to start

Rainforest inside what used to be the sealed Biosphere 2

Biosphere 2 Ocean

Biospehere 2 desert

Our tour guide, and potentially Maya's next hairstyle

Engineering area under Biosphere 2

I can't remember if the wind was from a machine or if this was

where we were changing rooms with varying air pressure.

Maybe Matt or one of the kids will come along and remember...

Learning how the "lung" worked to accomodate air pressure changes

within the sealed building as temperatures rose and fell

The kitchen used by the researches who lived in Biosphere 2

Resting for a bit in what had been the dining room

A variety of current research areas outside

Day 18: Catalina Mountain Foothills near Tuscon, AZ

I had no idea how much I would love the desert. All the different deserts, actually. So beautiful. We diverted from original plans and ventured further south into Arizona because Maya wanted to see Saguaro cacti in the only part of the US where they naturally grow -- the Sonora Desert in the Tuscon area. Hello, Southwest!!!