LAST DAY IN ARIZONA

(SUNDAY - NOVEMBER 4, 2018) This is my last day in the State of Arizona. My hotel here in Tucson is located just northwest of downtown Tucson and is right next door to a IHOP Restaurant. Even though the Comfort Inn offers a free breakfast I decided to have breakfast at the IHOP before beginning my last day in Arizona.

My only plan for today was to visit the Pima Air and Space Museum. The museum is located just a little south of Downtown Tucson and is adjacent o Davis Monthan Air Force Base. Something I really wanted to do was tour the "Bone Yard" at the Air Force Base. The "Bone Yard" is the slang name for the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group. It is basically where old planes are stored and the usable spare part are removed for use on other aircraft.

When I first looked many, many months ago tours of the Bone Yard were performed through the Pima Museum. While tours are still conducted by the Museum, visitors have to go through an extremely lengthy security check. The request and information must be submitted at least 10-days in advance.

Well, a few days ago when I was researching the Museum I discovered I had missed the deadline for submitting the security application. So I won't be touring the Bone Yard but I will be spending most of the day touring the Air and Space Museum.

The Pima Air and Space Museum is one of the largest Non-Government funded aircraft museums in the United States. The museum is home to roughly 300 aircrafts that are house in several hangers. Many of the larger aircrafts are stored outside on more than 80-acres.

I first arrived at the Museum and spent a couple of hours roaming around the hangers before making my way outside see the the more than 300 large aircraft's that are stored on the property. Among the outside displays are a couple of B-52 and some decommissioned commercial aircraft's.

 One of the really cool outside displays are several airplanes that were part of the Presidential Fleet, including a Douglas 118A that was used by both President's Kennedy and Johnson before and after the purchase of SAM-26000 Jet.

Columbine One

Also on display is Columbine I, the C-121 that was used by then General Dwight Eisenhower when he was Supreme Allied Commander during World War II.  This was the first of three of the three Columbine airplanes used by President Eisenhower.  Columbine III which was used while he was President is on display in the Presidential Hanger at the Museum of the Air Force at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.

By the time I finished my tour of the Pima Air and Space Museum, so before I headed back to the hotel I decided to take one more drive through Gates Pass and the cactus forest west of Tucson. This was a very scenic drive and a fitting way to end my Arizona Adventure.

Tomorrow, I am scheduled to turn in my rental car at the Enterprise Lot on N. Shore Drive and then make my way to the Tucson Amtrak Station where I will board the Eastbound Texas Eagle for my return trip to Chicago.