Category: To Occupy my Time

This museum in Tuscon was a great find. It’s chock full of doll houses, shadow boxes and other miniatures that transport you to different times. (Hence the “time-machine” in the title)  I was delighted to wander through.

This man who built this house was killed in a carriage accident.  Supposedly, the devil riding the bicycle (you can see the enlargement of the figurine in the information to the left of the house) was placed there to commemorate the craftsman’s untimely death.  The horseless carriage (lower right corner) was also put there for the same reasons.

An example of the “time machine” quality:
An 18th century German Kitchen

And a late 19th century German Kitchen.

The details on the houses were amazing.

I bought a calendar in the gift shop and it came with a tiny mini-calendar which causes most who see it to break out into various versions of “oh my goodness it’s so cute!!!” Myself included.

Upon discovering that Biosphere 2 was in the same general area of Arizona where my dad lives, my interest was reawakened.  Biosphere 2, for those of you not similarly aware, was an experiment in the early 1990s where eight people sealed themselves in a habitat for two years to see if they could live in a closed system.  This means they “grew” their oxygen and food and recycled their wastes.  I found the project fascinating, though by the time it was over, it had fallen out of favor with the scientific community.  In preparation for my visit, I read the book Dreaming the Biosphere by Rebecca Reider which provided a great context for the project.

My first in-person view of Biosphere 2.

The geodesic dome was a big part of construction.  I believe this used to be the animal habitat.  The library is in the tower and the living quarters (human habitat) are in the second story of this building.

The door to the outside world.  This was sealed shut for two years during the initial mission.

Lemon tree in the orchard.

More of the orchard.  The pathways were installed after the first two missions so tourists could experience the Biosphere from inside.

First look at the ocean.

A view of the rain forest habitat.

After the missions were over, Columbia University took over the operation of Biosphere 2.  Their scientists did many experiments, but to better control their variables, they installed plastic curtains to separate the habitats.  The original Biospherians could look from the rain forest, over the ocean and all the way to the desert habitat.

How the rain forest is so lush.

Another view of the ocean habitat and I believe those are mangroves.

Peeking at the ocean habitat from the Savannah.  The “rocks” were all sculpted from concrete, which became the source of an unforeseen problem during the first mission.

Columbia University, after building ten million dollars worth of student dorms, abandoned Biosphere 2.  Today the University of Arizona runs it.  They say it’s “where science lives” and we saw a lot of experiments, all of which, our tour guide informed us, can be read about on the web site.

More Savannah.

Some of the Arizona sun shining on the Biosphere.  The first mission experienced a below-average amount of sun due to El Nino.  This caused problems with the crops.

A frankincense tree.

More science.  This had to do with bugs and pools of water, I believe.

Peeking out through the windows, you can see the power station for Biosphere 2.

More science.

Looking back at what was the agricultural habitat during the missions and is now the Landscape Evolution Observatory.

Entering the desert habitat.

Overlooking the desert habitat.  This is a coastal desert, like those found in Baja, California.

After touring our way through the habitats, we climbed down stairs to the innards of Biosphere 2.  Here, giant blowers whooshed air around us as we all giggled.  Our tour guide remarked that every group she has delights in air moving over them.

What keeps the ocean habitat running.

After spending time in the habitats, all this machinery seemed strange.

My favorite part was visiting the west lung. Biosphere 2 has two “lungs” which served as places for the air to move to so the structure didn’t either explode or implode as the air expanded in the heat and contracted at night.

Now, because Biosphere 2 isn’t sealed, the lungs aren’t a vital part of the structure. But they are sill fascinating.  Black rubber is attached to a heavy metal disk.  The disk would sink and push the air back into the Biosphere at night when things cooled off.  During the day it would rise as expanding air rushed into the lung.

Geodesic domes protect both lungs, as seen through this window.

Exiting the Biosphere.  More rushing air.

Looking at the desert habitat.

A front view of the former agricultural habitats.

Walking by the power station.

One of the fish in the ocean habitat.

The ocean was murky.  I read that cleaning the algae out of the system was a tedious job during the missions and  I think that the University of Arizona may have given up on that tedious job.

The kitchen in the human habitat.  It had all the modern conveniences.  Each of the crew had their own small apartment with a loft bed, a desk and a couch.  Also in the human habitat were laboratories for experimentation and a library for research.  The library was in the tower and had a 360 degree view.  I was most sorry we couldn’t experience it.

I’m glad I got to see Biosphere 2 in person.  The science being done now is not as interesting to me as the original intent of the structure, but I’m happy someone is paying to maintain it.

On Sunday evening, we attended a community band concert.   The band was great, and I especially enjoyed “Bolero,”  Aaron Copland’s “Lincoln Portrait” and a medley of Glen Miller songs.  Also, they played the Stars and Stripes Forever for an encore and that was just delightful.

Our next stop was the Titan Missile Museum.  I was moderately interested upon entering and completely fascinated while there.  This is a great museum.

A poster that gave insight into why we “needed” to have enough weapons to completely destroy the USSR fifty times over.

Some good artifacts.

Hint to person from the past:  I don’t know if that outfit would help very much.

Alas, not the proper orientation.  But here’s what you need to do to launch the missile.

These safes were where the instructions were kept.  Each shift changed out the locks.

I found the deactivation part quite interesting, especially the part about leaving the silos exposed.

We saw a video of the missiles being launched before heading out to the site.  The launches were test launches and all 42 hit their mark.  I’m wondering if at twelve million 1960 dollars apiece, we couldn’t have just called it good at say, ten missiles tested.

Our tour guide was Hans (on the left.)  Hans opened by telling us he did have an accent and it was a German accent.  He further informed us that he could give us a tour without an accent, but he would have to talk in German.  I greatly enjoyed Hans.

Pointing out various parts of the missile.

First look at the missile.

The hole was cut in the top as part of the treaty.  This is the only missile and silo remaining, so there needed to be a way to show it was  not operational.  When they cut the hole, they had to leave it above ground for a month so the Russian satellites could see it.

A different kind of “duck and cover.” This duck and cover was to see the missile through the glass.

Silo door information.

To the right you can see the concrete blocks that keep the cover from opening completely.  This is part of the treaty.  A cover that does not open all the way is unable to launch the missile.

Hans and the concrete blocks.

Going into the silo.

Inside the silo. Notice the thick walls, ready to withstand bombardment.

In the control room.

Everything in the silo is suspended on springs to help it survive a missile bombardment.  The control room itself is a giant birdcage with massive springs suspending it.

The file cabinet with the codes along with launching equipment.

Clock showing Greenwich Mean Time.

This clock is your local time.

Walking through the hallways.

Looking at the Silo.

“No Lone Zone” meant that at least two people had to be in this area together.  This was standard throughout the silo.

The eyewash in this station expired in March of 1984

Another great example of the springs.

Should you need to decontaminate…

Some protective gear.

To enter the silo, you had to read a code to the current crew.  Upon entering, you had to burn the code and drop the ashes into this red can.

All the missile sites around Tuscon.

The “protection through power” motto was all over the missiles.  I find the “protection through power” motto quite amusing. And convenient, for defense contractors.

The museum’s official title.

One of five radio towers.

For the first few days of spring break I took a quick trip to visit my dad and his wife Barb in Green Valley, Arizona.  We began my visit with breakfast at the Arizona Family Restaurant.  After that, it was off to see the Green Valley Arid Garden.  

I enjoyed the selection of plants and the very clear tags for each plant.

Some desert color.

A very apt name.

Good texture.

I loved these.  They looked like they had leaves,

and gave the overall appearance of feathery flight,

But they actually were quite spiky.

It was spring, so we saw some color.  I was told that once the rains come, there is more.

These dry beds are all over, ready to channel the water where it should go.

Old, dead, saguaro cactus.

From the back, you can see that it is quite rickety.

On closer inspection, wires are holding the entire structure together.

This big cactus doesn’t look spiky, but I managed to prick my finger on it and it was a bloody experience.

Easter was upon us.

Watch out for Javelinas.