12 February

I was able to sleep in a little longer today as my aim was to do the Storage and Regenerative Facility at Davis Monthan AFB. SO I dragged myself out of sleep and went to check my email, only to find the server was working and I needed to get a car to get access. On my way out, the bad news was they didn’t have any cards.
I arrived at the Pima Museum in time to make sure I was on the first bus of the day out to tour. We loaded up (after queuing, of course) and I ended up sitting with an ex-USAF pilot. He had flown many of the types we were going to see, so we swapped tales on the way out. It took over an hour of slow cruising to go through some of the planes (many we only saw in the distance) and the only thing I could fault was that the bus only went one way (if it cruised slowly back out on its original path, everyone on either side of the bus would be able to see everything). I learned a lot about the facility, but I won’t bore everyone with it all at the moment (plus, it would take ages to type and I’m nearly falling asleep already). When we returned to the museum, I went through the Space Center and learned quite a lot there – including that if countries had co-operated, we would have been in space long before.
Time marched on and so did I. I had seen the signs to Colossal Cave so decided that a change of visit was in order. I drove out there and went over the cave with the guide and ten others. That was a small group compared to tour groups in Australia, where about twenty is the minimum I’ve toured caves with. It is a dry cave, so its appearance was very different to those I had already seen. Unlike the caves near Katherine (NT), it is a cool and dry cave, so it was pleasant inside. On the drive back I photographed some traffic signs (Arizona drivers need to be reminded what the unbroken line is for).
Back at the motel there were still no cards to get Internet access, so I went to another Motel6 and got some. Then I went to a Mall (hard to find as it was only single story, unlike most of ours) and got a road map of the USA as I need to be able to orient how and where I am travelling, as the SatNav does not really let me create a mind map of where I am and where I am going. It will be posted back when I leave the US.
Back at the motel after getting some tea on the way back I found the card DIDN’T give me access. That created problems which the technical staff of the Internet provider couldn’t solve. I had to book for tomorrow night by phone and then couldn’t post my blog or the photos or check emails. I hope all will be well at Carlsbad tomorrow evening (about 420 miles of travel and I hope to begin early).
My only real gripe at the moment is the tank in the Pontiac is too small given its economy and I can only get about four hundred miles before I need to refuel. This is about the same range as my Barina and only two thirds of the Commodore. I will see if I can cram more into the tank when I refuel in Tucson before I leave in the morning.
Now I am trying to get an early night and leave early in the morning.