We spent the last several days in Tucson, Arizona, including Thanksgiving. Other Half needed a driving break and I needed a Cracker Barrel break. We stayed at the Lazydays KOA on the southeast side of Tucson. The area of town was somewhat beat up, but the campground was top notch.
We have never seen a campground with a gigantic solar cover. Check this out. It allows filtered light through to keep the citrus trees healthy and provides sun protection all while collecting solar energy. This place was perfect to regroup, do laundry and get into tourist mode.
We sat out Black Friday, and spent Small Shop Saturday wandering around Tucson’s Historic 4th Avenue shopping district. Shopping has taken on a different meaning since we live in 350 square feet versus 3500. The only thing we bought was lunch.
I appreciate creativity and there was no shortage on 4th Avenue.
As Baby Boomers, Other Half and I remember comedian Jay Leno poking fun at a Human Terrarium located in the desert of Arizona. Turns out the human terrarium, Biosphere 2, is 30 miles north of Tucson. We had to go.
This place is incredible. It is a 3 acre terrarium located in the Sonoran Desert. It looks kind of like a giant plastic Habitrail. It’s a network of interconnected domed chambers, a tower and a monstrous greenhouse pyramid.
It took $30 million large to build and was funded by a billionaire Texas environmentalist named Ed Bass. In 1991, eight individuals, four men and four women, all scientist, passed through the airlocks for a two year stint as human Guinea pigs.
The original mission was to see whether humans might someday be able to create self-sustaining colonies in outer space, like maybe Mars. Kind of Star Trek, Star Wars like. Gotta love that.
B2, as it became known, bragged about being more airtight than the space shuttle. Not so much. Over time the atmosphere whacked out. It developed an oxygen/carbon dioxide issue, making the residents forgetful and cranky.
B2 gave comedians, like Leno, plenty of late night fodder. He famously had a simple explanation for the air quality debacle:
“Any kid’ll tell you you can’t keep eight scientist in a giant mayonnaise jar unless you poke holes in the top of that thing.”
Today B2 is owned and operated by the University of Arizona. It is a research center full of experiments designed to answer big questions about human adaptation and environmental changes. Serious science stuff.
We spent over 4 hours at B2 and went on two tours, a history tour and the general tour. I loved every minute of both. Other Half reached his max about midway through the second tour.
B2 is a testament to forward thinking, stellar engineering and flat out craziness. What could be better? If you find yourself anywhere near Biosphere 2, don’t miss it. And in case you’re wondering, Biosphere 1 is planet earth.