When my friend Scott called to say he was taking me up on my offer to escape winter's wrath of cold and rain in Nashville and visit me in sunny Arizona, I immediately thought of several places I knew he would enjoy visiting.  The Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson was near the top of my list since Scott has a huge interest in all things aviation (as most pilots do!).  Since we were in California Saturday through Monday then spent Tuesday and Wednesday on day rides in the Phoenix area, I planned for us to make a run down to Tucson on his last full day before heading back to Tennessee.  The route I planned would also afford us two more National Park (NP) Passport Stamps to add to our collections. Those who follow my travels are well aware of my affinity (er, addiction) for NP Passport Stamps.  The stamping disease is apparently contagious as Scott has found himself riding (and sometimes detouring hundreds of miles) to obtain a blot of ink in a little book.  For those who are questioning what in the world a NP Passport Stamp is or what this craziness is all about, perhaps you might want to check out my Stamp page at this link HERE.  Scott's stamping page can be found: HERE. After leaving Phoenix early morning in clear weather but chilly enough for both of us to be wearing heated jackets, we arrived the site of the first of our two stamping locations today, the Casa Grande National Monument: I can't recall the number of times Scott and I have stopped at a Waffle House while riding in the South.  It seemed only fitting we eat breakfast at one today:    A stamp, a waffle, then onward to south Tucson and the Pima Air & Space Musuem.... ...as well as a tour of the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base “AMARG” (Aerospace Maintenance And Regeneration Group, which was formerly known as “AMARC”, or Aerospace Maintenance And Regeneration Command): I'll just call this the “wheelie shot” of AMARG (photographer unknown – maybe it's a military secret):    Most people refer to AMARG simply as the “Boneyard” since it's the final resting place for military planes and where they are disassembled for parts.  For more info on the site click: HERE   Since AMARG is part of an active military base (Davis-Monthan), only guided tours by bus are offered to civilians.  Those wishing to tour AMARG must first register at Pima (and show photo ID) then load a tour bus that is led by a PIMA staff member.  I must say that all the staff at Pima seemed extremely knowledgeable.  All staff members were volunteers who each had personal ties to the military and it was obvious their passion for aviation extended beyond their service requirements.  Our particular bus guide (“Chuck”) not only served as a pilot in the Air Force, but also retired after 30 years of piloting for Delta: Aside from having to take photos through the window of a moving bus, I found the tour of AMARG to be fascinating.  Scott and I returned to Pima and enjoyed a leisurely self-guided tour of the Pima Air and Space Museum's various hangers and grounds and did so in low 80 degree temperatures.  It is worth reiterating that it is the beginning of February!   ***NOTE: Due to the size and number of photos taken while at the Boneyard and at the Pima Air and Space Museum, photos are listed at the bottom of this page.  Click any photo to enlarge the size.   After leaving Pima we headed over to nearby Saguaro National Park, which is home to another NP Passport Stamp.  Ok, so it's also home to a LOT of Saguaro cacti! Scott was able to bag his 6th stamp of the trip at Saguaro NP and while doing so we ran into mounted (and armed) Park Rangers, one being on what we were told was “a well trained donkey”.  Scott and I seized the opportunity to have our photo taken with an official Federal jackass    I was hoping to take a longer route back to Phoenix but since Scott and I had dinner plans to meet Kobi, Russ, and Ron, we opted to superslab it back on I-10.  As we were approaching Phoenix metro, and on Scott's final night being West, we were treated to a stunning sunset:   Last supper with the entire gang: (Scott, Kobi, Ron, and Russ) Here is a map of our route today.... ... and here is the final GPS.  We covered 289 miles today and 1,855 miles during Scott's six days visiting:    I have absolutely no doubt Scott will return back to Nashville with countless memories and stories to share!  I had a blast as well and am looking forward to riding again with Scott this spring when I head to TN.  Scott has his own website as well and this past week's journey, in his own words and photos, can be found: HERE. AGirl  Photos from Pima Air & Space Museum: Photos from the AMARG “Boneyard”: If you wish to receive direct emails when future reports are posted click This Link AGirl Copyright © 2006-2012, All Rights Reserved.