Towards the end of April, catching up with a friend in Bisbee kept me busy with quite a bit of chatting, eating out, and a tour of the Copper Queen Mine. Many will know the streets of Bisbee can be steep and narrow but I lucked out and camped in front of my friends house at very little slant.
After the second day visiting Tumacácori National Historic Park I continued east towards Bisbee with a Walmart night in Sierra Vista along the way. The next day, not far down the road, I saw a brown sign for Coronado National Memorial and the visitor center was only five paved miles off SR92. So why not, I had a little time. Unfortunately, not really enough time to explore scenic roads or trails.
This site commemorates the Coronado expedition and cultural conflict and exchange between indigenous peoples and Spaniards during the 1500s. I perused the visitor center displays and was overwhelmed by the weight of the chain-mail soldiers had to wear.
Picked up my Junior Ranger book, but no badge because I wasn’t there long enough. However I did buy a hat pin and sticker.
Once I got to Bisbee and parked on a few leveling boards we went to lunch at the Bisbee Breakfast Club and walked around one of the many historic districts admiring the classic cars, trucks, and even a converted Greyhound bus.
Saturday morning we went to a local Farmers’ Market with lots of good produce and hand-crafted products to look at. In the afternoon we took a tour of the Copper Queen Mine in Bisbee.
We road a mine car on tracks 1500 feet into the mountain and got off it a couple times for short walks and talks. Tough place to take photos and only took the phone.
Our guide was a retired miner, very informative, and lots of stories. Tour was a little over an hour.
Then to the gift shop where I got another hatpin and sticker.
We had dinner downtown at Bisbee Table after finally finding parking and a 45-minute wait for seating that was entirely worth it just to eat the truffle fries. The walk around town while waiting proved entertaining as it was Alice in Bisbeeland night and many people were dressed up for the occasion. If I’d known, would have worn my madhatter hat.
Sunday we stayed home and talked away the day then enjoyed dinner at the neighbors. Bisbee has a great vibe and seems full of interesting people.
Mural can be covered for the easily offended
Back to work after the weekend and I finished a video driving historic US80 between Tacna and Yuma, Arizona, also known as the Mother of Arizona Highways. Plus I posted the blog post about my hot Easter weekend in the Sonoran Desert. Yes, I am far behind from real time.
Said a sad goodbye Wednesday morning and bought a few groceries before heading east and northeast across Springs Valley towards the Chiricahua Mountains and my next destination.
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Still planning summer road trip northward. Who lives in southwestern Utah, southern or western Nevada, or northeastern California? Tentative route: Utah SR18 N, SR56 W; Nevada SR319 W, SR93 S, SR375 W, US6 W; California US395 N. Short side trips considered.
“who lives in southwestern Utah” made me smile or smirk. You could better ask, “Who DOESN’T live in southwestern Utah?” (grin) (I am joking about the population explosion there.)
Anyway, those old mining towns like Bisbee are nice aren’t they? There aren’t that many of them, perhaps because some were built of wood and burned down?
LOL! I kind of get the appeal of living in southwestern Utah but don’t “know” many that do. There’s been a fair share of fires in Bisbee.
I really enjoyed Bisbee when Mary and I visited many years ago. Got lots of exercise on all the steps! Looks like Sierra is having a standoff. Enjoy your travels Gaelyn and stay safe.
Happy belated birthday! Bisbee is interesting but I missed all the steps. Probably due to lack of parking. Glad you are healed for walking but WOW, what happened to the forest. Be well!
Been a long time since we were in Bisbee, but I am pretty sure we ate at the Breakfast Club. We didn’t tour the mine as I am not a fan of dark underground places, even got the willies in the amazing Carlsbad Caverns. I don’t remember all the cars, but I do very well remember the amazingly creative art and fun people. I have a gorgeous copper plate I bought at a gallery in Bisbee that sits in a place of honor in my living room.
Good town, good people, and lots of good food choices. Guess you don’t visit your local Oregon Caves. I collected copper stuff long ago. Look forward to seeing that plate.
We love Bisbee and were just there about 4 weeks ago. Didn’t tour the mine but did tour the brewery ;).
I’ll definitely revisit Bisbee. We might have been there at the same time.
Enjoyed Bisbee some time ago when waling its steep side streets was doable. The murals and the the old town district are indeed quite the draw.
I enjoyed Bisbee without all the climbs. Maybe because of lack of parking. Loved the vibe and will return.
That was an adventure. Way too many people for my taste, but you go, girl!
Way more people than I normally enjoy, but fun once in a while and especially if I’m with a friend.
All interesting places for us as of course we have never been there. Thanks for the virtual tour much appreciated. Enjoy. Hugs Diane and Nigel.
You’d like all the old cars.
Not a fan of Coronado but I am if those classic vehicles.
It’s all historic.
Bisbee looks like a fun town to visit. I love all the vintage cars there.
I would love the mine tour. My maternal grandfather was a “powder man” in mines all over the northwest, mainly in Butte.
Keep on geotrucking!
Bisbee has a wonderful vibe even though it’s a tourist town. The mine tour was great.
Bisbee was the first community we visited in five years of US travels where we said yup, we could live here! The locals invited us to an after-party after their first Friday event, super fun, and the then new gelato place had us sampling all their new flavors. Everything we ate and saw was amazing…such a great community. Only bummer was the slowest wifi we ever encountered at a library!
I would agree about the vibe in Bisbee but couldn’t afford to buy there.