Everyone knows the name Tombstone. Whether it be from movies, the famous battle at the OK Corral, or scenes from the Old West with gunfights in the street. On our drive to Bisbee, we decided to stop in Tombstone. How would we describe it? Tacky. Just a place set up to separate you from your money. Worthy of a stop? No, not really.
Our actual destination for the day was the funky arts community of Bisbee. The town is quite the dichotomy. On one end of town is the massive Queen copper mine, descending so far deep into the ground as if in a search for the undiscoverable. In town, there is a funky collection of art, some small shops, a world-class French patisserie, and a collection of fascinating locals.
As we walked along the main road, past the Bisbee Bicycle Brothel, which remains closed due to Covid-19, we were approached by an older gentleman. His name is Ken Wallace, and he is the owner of what turns out to be half bicycle shop/half bicycle museum. He regaled us story after story about seemingly everyone who lived in Bisbee. He also told us about the amazing bicycle history in this mountain town, including the famous La Vuelta de Bisbee. Ken was a world-class name dropper, and he seemed to know every pro rider who ever raced in Bisbee.
Perhaps our favorite site in Bisbee was a hidden alleyway, that was home to hundreds of pieces of art.
Next stop: Coronado National Memorial. This park sits adjacent to the US/Mexico border, and commemorates the first organized expedition into the southwest, led by the conquistador Francisco Vasquez de Coronado in 1540. We wanted to do a bit of exploring, so we hiked up a mountain to visit the enormous Coronado Cave. We later drove up the dirt road to access Montezuma Pass, to enjoy the amazing views. In the distance, we could see the mountains and valleys in Mexico, as well as the harsh, unnatural, man-made scar that is the controversial border wall.
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