Gymkhana - a definite contrast to the high level dressage show

26 Nov, 2017; Tucson AZ

I spend the morning watching kids at Gymkhana

Gymkhana is a much more relaxed schooling show.  I had expected a fun day filled with Western riders but this was a hunter/jumper schooling show (jumps didn't exceed about 12").  Lots of equitation classes, including a few western pleasure.

Shows at this level are family affairs.

The Dad and grandpa hung out in their easy chairs while the kids got ready for their classes

Coaching took place ringside - no one had the high tech microphone/ear bud systems of the previous weekend dressage show!

Very cute paint horse!

My favorite rider/horse combo was this little girl in pink and her very fuzzy pony!!

Overall, I've enjoyed staying at the fairgrounds and would recommend it

The campground area is wide open - I get great views of the sunsets every night.   The campground is far enough away from the venues fields, arenas and exhibition halls that if you get tired of the hub bub, the campground is quiet - but everything is still just a short walk away.  

Unfortunately, there is a remote-controlled flying field nearby and almost every morning I woke up to the buzzing of someone flying a small plane or drone.  In addition, on the weekends, the noise from a nearby raceway made it almost too noisy to sleep (my mp3 earbuds and a good audio-book helped a lot).

Even though the campground was nearly empty, I managed to attract a 'clinger'.  I have no idea why this guy chose to park right next to me with over 200 empty spots nearby - but he did and I had to look at his sewer hose every time I left my trailer.  AND - I couldn't sit in the shade of my trailer without tripping over his hoses.  It's a sign of how lazy I am that I stayed in my spot rather than asking management if I could move to a different spot (a couple hours worth of work to unhook from services, hook up the trailer, un-chalk, wind up the stabilizers, etc and then do it all over in the new spot).

What could he been thinking of!!

Colossal Caves!

25 Nov, 2017; Colossal Caves, Tucson AZ

Colossal Caves - a pretty rare type of cave

Colossal Caves are dry/dormant caves - so they aren't growing anymore.  They are also known as 'labyrnth' caves because of the maze like layout.  Unlike the lava tubes that I've explored in Oregon, it would be quite easy to become lost in these caves.  Passage-ways disappear into the dark in all directions (including pits and holes in the ceiling.

In addition to the tour guides flashlight, the caves are lighted to show off the various formations.  Nicer than the Oregon caves where one is requested to bring 3 flashlights to light your own way.

I wasn't in the mood to visit Kartchner Caverns - a more well-know cave system about an hour SE of Tucson - so I was glad to see Colossal Caverns and visit them.  

They are a constant 70F with 45-50% humidity - much warmer than the caves of the PNW!

I asked about their bats - I know that the epidemic of white-nosed fungus has drastically impacted bat populations across the country.  But, here, no one asked us about our recent exposure to caves or whether we were wearing the same boots (forbidden elsewhere with a year of being in another cave system).  

Some of the passageways were barely wide enough for my shoulders, and some of the ceilings would be difficult for anyone taller than me (5'6")

watch your head here!

I was told that because the bats here are migratory and the cave environment doesn't promote the growth of molds/fungus, that there bats are doing well.  I was glad to hear that - not that I love bats, but I hate to hear of bad things happening to a critical part of the eco-system (enlightened self-interest).

Some of the floor is just a thin crust - exposing deep holes below - follow your guide closely!

I took a 'level 1' tour - meaning that anyone who can walk, can do it.  They give a bunch of different tours - including one that lasts most of the day and requires participants to pass a series of physical climbing tasks to prove that they can accomplish the terrain within the cave.  One test is free-climbing a 30 foot vertical hole - yikes!!