Trip to Tucson

[cactusjack]

Toophun and I decided today would be a great day to ride to Tucson. We left Chandler about 08:00 AM, and headed south on Hwy 87. Once we got to Florence, AZ we took the always delightful Pinal-Pioneer Parkway (Hwy 79) south to Oracle Jct. At Oracle Jct, we took Oracle Rd (Hwy 77) into Tucson. Even though temps were in the high 30's/low 40's when we left home, the day warmed up nicely. After a good lunch at a Mexican restaurant in Tucson, we rode to Mission San Xavier del Bac, a Catholic church built over 200 years ago, located about 10 miles south of Tucson on I-19, it's about 55 miles N of the border town of Nogales. The building is very ornate, with lots of carvings and paintings. The exterior walls are about 2 feet thick. Here are some photos I took of the mission:



The building sits right out in the middle of the desert and can be seen from quite a distance:


Just inside the entrance and to the left is the baptism font. The door to the baptism room is maybe 5' high.


Taken from just inside the front door, looking toward the altar:


Looking upward into the rotunda:


Some of the very ornate carvings and decorations in the chapel:


The front facade of the mission also has very ornate stone carvings:


If you are interested in seeing more pictures (48 in all), click this link: http://s951.photobucket.com/albums/a..._1/18/?start=0

One more thing I thought was interesting - I-19 runs from Tucson to the Mexican border. The mileage signs are all in meters/kilometers, not in miles.

[skeeter]

Very cool, thanks for the post.

[glwilson]

That was cool CJ.

My wife and I have been there twice... the church was under rennovation the first time and limited us from seeing some things.

Hard to believe it was built in the middle of no where in the 1600's. Those people had to be pretty tough; and I am not sure where they got some of the lumber they would have needed.

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by glwilson

That was cool CJ.

My wife and I have been there twice... the church was under rennovation the first time and limited us from seeing some things.

Hard to believe it was built in the middle of no where in the 1600's. Those people had to be pretty tough; and I am not sure where they got some of the lumber they would have needed.

The lumber used was mesquite, which is about the only indigenous hardwood in the desert.

When the church was built, there was nothing around it for miles and miles, now it's 1 KM west of I-10. It was really an impressive sight to see. It's interesting in that the ornamentation and designs on the interior show both Spanish and Mexican influences of that period.

Here's a picture Toophun took of yours truly inside the chapel (I'm amazed the church didn't fall down when I stepped inside):

[Cajunrider]

Very nice pictures.....The architecture in most of the old Catholic churches is always spectacular. In today's dollars, I wonder what it would cost to build one just like this?

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by Cajunrider

Very nice pictures.....The architecture in most of the old Catholic churches is always spectacular. In today's dollars, I wonder what it would cost to build one just like this?

I read online that they used a loan of 7,000 pesos to build the church. This was in Mexico back then, it was before the Gadsden Purchase.

[Cajunrider]

If you pass through my area, be sure to visit the church in my sig pic. Admission is free and it just may fall down if you enter.

[billz410]

Originally Posted by Cajunrider

If you pass through my area, be sure to visit the church in my sig pic. Admission is free and it just may fall down if you enter.

HAHAHA. Now THAT is truly funny! We have several old dilapitated ones like that on the prairies of ND where I grew up...

[skeeter]

It would take a good quake to make it shake.

All ya need is a collar CJ. Blend right in.

God sees you every day.

[MarkG]

Looks like you guys had a good time. I only did a short run down through Maricopa, Casa Grande, and back. Definitely a nice day for riding, there were quite a few bikes on the road over the weekend.

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by markg

Looks like you guys had a good time. I only did a short run down through Maricopa, Casa Grande, and back. Definitely a nice day for riding, there were quite a few bikes on the road over the weekend.

Did you stop and eat at the casino in Maricopa?

[MarkG]

No not this time. It was so nice out that I just kept on riding.

[glwilson]

Originally Posted by cactusjack

The lumber used was mesquite, which is about the only indigenous hardwood in the desert.

When the church was built, there was nothing around it for miles and miles, now it's 1 KM west of I-10. It was really an impressive sight to see. It's interesting in that the ornamentation and designs on the interior show both Spanish and Mexican influences of that period.

Here's a picture Toophun took of yours truly inside the chapel (I'm amazed the church didn't fall down when I stepped inside):

Interesting... I didn't think of that; however I couldn't imagine you could find mesquite big enough to make "long-boards" for struts or trusses (and such) for such a big building.

Of course... I have no idea how big mesquite gets. If it doesn't, I would like to know what how the "skeleton-frame" of that building was put together.

Another thing that kind-of creeped me out when I first saw it was the mannequin of the woman that was in the glass case. (Sorry; but I don't remember who this was supposed to represent; so no offense to anyone.) Anyway... once I realized it wasn't a dead person... I was okay.

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by glwilson

Interesting... I didn't think of that; however I couldn't imagine you could find mesquite big enough to make "long-boards" for struts or trusses (and such) for such a big building.

Of course... I have no idea how big mesquite gets. If it doesn't, I would like to know what how the "skeleton-frame" of that building was put together.

Another thing that kind-of creeped me out when I first saw it was the mannequin of the woman that was in the glass case. (Sorry; but I don't remember who this was supposed to represent; so no offense to anyone.) Anyway... once I realized it wasn't a dead person... I was okay.

It is a statue of Saint Xavier. Kind of creeped me out, too. I thought it was a mummy or something.

[blowndodge]

You'll have to take me on that ride this spring if I can get away Scott. Maybe I'll talk Dave D into going with me! Those are the type of ride he and I enjoy taking. We're like dogs with our heads out da winda! Just happy to go along seeing da sites!!! Good pics too!!