June 2: SW Road Trip Day 24: Bisbee

We awake to another glorious day in Bisbee, AZ. Being at 5,500 ft. above sea level means there is less heat than in Phoenix or Tubac. We are grateful! The aroma of sizzling bacon greets us as we leave our room to enjoy the Bisbee Grand Hotel’s breakfast. After filling our plates, we take our places on the balcony above the entrance.

We share the space with a fellow from Madison, WI and another from Tucson. The latter is with his wife for a week-end getaway from the heat at home, but she is still in their room.

The gentleman from Wisconsin is on a quest to circumnavigate the continental United States. He wants to drive as close as possible to Mexico, Canada, The Gulf, The Atlantic and the Pacific without needing a passport or getting his car wet. He is currently on the second phase: Austin to San Diego, then up the coast to Washington’s northwestern-most spot, Neah Bay. Earlier in the year he completed the Brownsville, TX to Key West to north-eastern-most Maine section (what he called the first phase). We discuss his challenges and he notes the wash-out of Highway 1 in Big Sur. It sounds like he knows just what he needs to do and he is having a great time doing it. Our road trip sounds small in comparison, but both of our breakfast companions are enthusiastic when we describe what we have experienced so far. With the food and the company, it is a most enjoyable meal.

After breakfast, we decide to check out the Tour of the Queen Copper Mine. We walk there, then learn that no open-toed shoes are allowed. Fortunately, we are characteristically early, so have plenty of time for a quick walk back to the hotel for a change of shoes.

Back at the Mine Tour, the first order of business is donning the safety gear, which includes a light for every person.

Ready to Descend into the Copper Mine

On the Tram and Into the Mine

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It’s Off to Work We Go

The mine tour is really interesting. We climb aboard a narrow-gauge railway car (straddling) and the 2 dozen of us are pulled by an electric engine into the mine. We stop at a couple of open spaces where our guide explains various tools and their uses. It was quite an interesting hour. Mining was not an easy job.

Prepping a Wall for Blasting

We successfully exit the mine!

While walking around yesterday, we learned that there are dozens of stairways in the city of Bisbee. In fact, they have an event on the third weekend of every October called the Bisbee 1000, The Great Stair Climb. There is a very clear map, embossed and available for free, showing the route and the 9 stairways that are part of the course. We decide to walk the northwesternmost part of the course (226 stairs in 2 stairways).

One of Nine Stairways

During this walk, we pass by the Red Shoes Hair Salon, and Amy is feeling in need of a haircut, so she signs up for an appointment at 5:00, later today. We finish walking the loop and are back at the High Desert Café. Conveniently, it is time for lunch (and some serious re-hydration as the temperature is back up in the high 80’s). Amy has the Hummus Plate and I have the Sausage Strata. There are tempting baked goods, but we decide to hold out for ice cream later in the day.

We decide to hit the Bisbee 1000 Course for one more loop, the finish (225 stairs in 2 stairways). This loop ends the course at the Courthouse. Very enjoyable, but we are pretty tired, even though we have only done half of the course. We head back to the hotel to rest in our room. Our rest takes us the rest of the afternoon and the next thing we need to do is get Amy to the Salon. She is much more comfortable in the heat after the appointment.

We head back to the Hotel and decide to enjoy the Saloon while we decide what to do about dinner. The Kitchen next to the Saloon offers sandwiches as well as BBQ and some other entrees, so after a Margarita, we decide that here is a fine place to sup. Amy has the BBQ Sampler Plate and I have the BBQ Chicken Sandwich, both with side salads. A satisfying meal! We go upstairs before the music starts and call it a night.