The first Road Trip for Nan's Z06 was to Monterey, California to watch the Corvettes race in May, 2024:
The second Road Trip was to go to Pahrump, Nevada to attend the Ron Fellows Performance Driving School in also in May, 2024:
Road Trip 3 was in late September 2024 to the Grand Canyon -- our first road trip in the new Z06 with our Corvette Club (North Coast Corvette Club)!
Our fourth Road Trip was to Arizona in September 2025 -- our second road trip in the "new" Z06 with North Coast Corvette Club.
I need to begin by thanking Carm Finocchiaro, our Corvette Club President, and the generous person who so completely plans these amazing road trips. Carm's meticulous planning for these trips includes hour-by-hour planning of routes, rest stops, meals, lodging, and, especially, the activities. We had been on two prior trips planned by Carm -- The Black Hills Corvette Classic in Spearfish, South Dakota, and a trip to the Grand Canyon.
Day 1 - Monday, September 22, 2025
We left early on a Monday morning (my birthday, and the day after Nan's birthday) from San Diego for the week long trip with a group of seven Corvettes, each equipped with a cheerful couple inside. The first leg of the trip involved driving east on Interstate 8, through the Cuyamaca Mountains. We were frequently close to the Mexican border, and we could see the Border Wall. Our first stop was the "Old Plank Road" -- the historic 1915 road in California's Imperial Dunes that provided a crossing over shifting dunes between Yuma, Arizona and San Diego, California in the early days of the automobile.
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Doug Johnson drove his Z06 up onto one of the remaining "planks" for our photo op! From left to right are: Nan, Royann, Yvonne, Jean, Rick, Jan, Kay, Don, Walter, Scott, Doug and Susan. Carm is not in the photo. |
We then drove about 20 miles to Yuma, Arizona for a visit to the Yuma Territorial Prison State Park. What a depressing place for prisoners who were imprisoned here from 1876 to 1909. But it was very interesting reading the history, seeing the many exhibits (including the cells), and experiencing the heat of this place.
And, in keeping with the theme, we enjoyed lunch at the Prison Hill Brewing Company.
Day 2 - Tuesday, September 23, 2025
Our second day was mostly driving across the southern reaches of the State of Arizona -- about 310 miles from Yuma to Sierra Vista, where we would spend the next four days taking local trips.
However, Carm had arranged for us to visit a car club at the Robson Ranch -- a beautiful senior community in Eloy, Arizona. After a nice lunch at their clubhouse, we participated in an impromptu "Car Show" with the residents of the community.
From Eloy we drove to Sierra Vista and settled into our hotel rooms for the night.
Day 3 - Wednesday, September 24, 2025
Our first stop this day was at the town of Bisbee, Arizona, a copper, gold, and silver mining town. Carm arranged for our group to have a tour of the Queen Mine -- a once-active copper mine, but still accessible even many miles into the mountain.
After visiting the mine, we all went window shopping in the town of Bisbee -- it looked to be similar to what it must must have been in its heyday -- a lovely western town.
From Bisbee we drove to Tombstone, "the town too tough to die", for more sightseeing and lunch.
Founded in 1879, and once a prosperous mining town of 14,000 people, today Tombstone is home to fewer than 1,400 people, where tourism and wild-west history survive. Our first stop was at the famous Bird Cage Theater.
We joined our Corvette club friends at Big Nose Kate's Saloon for lunch. I had to experience the Sarsaparilla.
Walter and Jean got into the spirit of the day complete with outfits and rifle!
As usual, we went window shopping at all the stores on Allen Street. Someone noticed Nan's special Corvette shoes complete with her license plate monogrammed on the side.
We closed out the day's adventures by watching a gunfight at an outside theater.
Day 4 - Thursday, September 25, 2025
Today's first adventure was a visit to Kartchner Caverns State Park in Benson, Arizona, our second underground tour of the trip.
Driving up to the site affords no hint at the massive caves that lie below the surface of the rolling hills. Our group had a guided tour through a series of marvelous caverns, each wondrously carved through the limestone.
The story behind the caverns is interesting. Two cavers discovered them in 1974 when Gary Tenen and Randy Tufts found a narrow crack at the bottom of a sinkhole and followed the source of warm moist air toward what ended up being about 2 1/2 miles of pristine cave passages. I recommend that you read more about their quest for preservation of the natural beauty that they found.
Time for some wine tasting! We next drove a short distance to Callaghan Vineyards. As we arrived, so did some serious weather.
Los Milics Vineyards gave our group the perfect seating location for our lunch and a bit more wine tasting.
Day 5 - Friday, September 26, 2025
Today's itinerary included a morning visit to Biosphere 2 -- home of the World's largest Earth Science Experiment.
Some of us were familiar with its history, but the presentation gave us a full understanding of the aspirational goals for the initial experiment, and the research programs that are continuing today under the leadership of the University of Arizona.
At mid-day we drove to the Tucson area for lunch at the Fork and Fire Smokehouse in Arizona's Oro Valley.
Nan and I parted ways with our Corvette Club group for a special side-trip. We drove to Green Valley to visit with long-time friends, David and Pat Shawaker. David and Pat have been part of our lives for almost 50 years. David recruited me to leave the University of Maryland and to come work at the University of Southern California back in 1976. David was the best man at our wedding, a fitting role for the important part he has played in our lives.
After visiting them in their beautiful home, we went to dinner in their community, enjoying fabulous valley views during dinner.
That night we drove all the way back to Yuma to spend the night.
Day 6 - Saturday, September 27, 2025
Day 6 was a repeat of Day 1, except we were heading West this time. The drive home started out a bit sketchy when the Arizona skies opened up drenching our Corvettes. It rained so hard that it was nearly impossible to see the car in front of you. But the downpour was brief and there were no incidents.
We arrived back in Carlsbad by 12:37. As soon as the car was unpacked, I washed the Z06 as thoroughly as I could, spraying off the mud and debris from the trip.
We had traveled almost 1,350 miles, averaging a speed of about 54 MPH, achieving a fuel economy average of more than 20 MPG (of course, the other Corvettes had much better fuel economy -- but we didn't buy the Z06 to save gas!).
Thank you, Carm and Yvonne, and Corvette Club members for a memorable trip.
And thanks, David and Pat, for a memorable visit!
Cary and Nan
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