Fun Run to Kartchner Caverns and beyond

I’ve already got tickets for the 12:40PM tour on August 23, 2003. There were 11 spots left and going fast. If the 12:40PM tour fills up, they say they run tours every 20 minutes, so try to get the one just before or the one just after.

They say we need to be there a hour prior to the tour. So we need to be there by 11:40 AM. Our Tucson-area meeting point will be the Gas City station on exit 302 (Ft Huachuca/Sierra Vista, AZ Hwy 90) off the I-10. There is a McDonalds there as well as a couple of motels. I’ll get more info on the motels later and post it. I’m planning on staying Friday evening. However, I’m sure some of the PHX area people will drive down that AM. Plan on 2 hours from PHX to get to exit 302.

We’ll leave Gas City (exit 302) around 10:30AM to head down to the park to be there in time for the tour.

After the tour, we’ll be heading on south bound to Fort Huachuca and head thru the fort (we’ll get temporary passes to go thu but it requires having proof of insurance, a driver’s license, and registration, which I hope everyone will have anyhow). Motoring thru the Fort is scenic and the road out the west gate is packed full of twisties perfect for the Mini’s. Don’t go too fast or you’ll miss some beautiful scenery. We’ll head down thru Elgin over to Sonoita. There’s a restaurant there called “The Steak Out” that’s supposed to be great! We’ll head out from there down Hwy 82 thru Patagonia. Patagonia has a great Mexican food place called Santos. So down by the fort we’ll make a group decision on which one to eat at. After Patagonia, we’ll head down to the Mexico border to Nogales. Up the I-19 to Arivaca Rd to Arivaca. Another twisty Mini-type of road. Lots of Happy Motoring miles there! There’s a quaint coffee shop we can stop at in Arivaca. Then we can go back to the I-19 up to Tucson and then back home.

Definitely plan for an all day event. The last one we did down to Tombstone and Bisbee was 15 hours for me. Left home just before 6AM to get to Tucson at a decent time then arrived back at 9PM. Then again I live on the far North side of PHX. So this time, lesson learned, I plan to head down to Tucson the night before and stay in a motel. However, that doesn’t mean all the other PHX area MINI folks will have to. I suggest you can meet at Denny’s at I-10 and Chandler Blvd (NE corner) and leave there around 8AM. Just be sure to be at exit 302 by 10:30AM Saturday so we can make it to the Kartchner Caverns State Park in time for their mandatory 1 hour prior to tour time arrival.

Kartchner Caverns State Park Web Site

Call 520-586-CAVE for reservations (VISA and Master-Charge)

Throne Room Tour (1 hour 15 minutes)
$18.95 (14yrs+) – new pricing!! See info below…
$9.95 (7-13yrs)

Price now includes the park entrance fee. If you make reservations, but cannot make it that day, they do have a policy where you can change your date/time by calling in. Call them for more details. They will send you a confirmation in the mail. You need to keep confirmation letter you receive in the mail. You’ll need it to get into the park and then again for the tour itself.

This is an Arizona Mini Owners club sponsored event. I’m the one coordinating it for them. However, you do not need to be a member of the club to participate.

Any questions? Feel free to post them here.
Happy Motoring!
Dominic

I grabbed two of the 12.40's and looking forward to motoring with you guys again. :grin:

Oh, I forgot to mention. Participating with us on the fun-run doesn't mean you have to purchase a ticket for the cave tour. If, for whatever reason, you don't want to go spelunking, you can always hang out somewhere around the park then go with us on the "beyond" part. The beyond is going to be lots of happy motoring miles! :grin:

That's good to know as I have already been thru the Caverns. I still want to motor with MINI enthusiasts. If you haven't been on the tour of the Caverns it is sure worth it. The guides are pretty knowledgeable about the site and the one we had last year even knew about MINIS! Barney and I will find stuff to do while everyone is checking out the sights of the Caverns.

Pat

>> Barney and I will find stuff to do while everyone is checking out the sights of the Caverns.

I've got two emails from people who want to come on the fun-run, who won't be doing any spelunking. Considering it was just yesterday I made this trip known, that means there's probably be more who'll just motor. :grin:

I was just running the numbers thru my head and noticed that the fun-run will take us well into the late afternoon. So plan on a late one! :grin:

I heard the 12:40 is filled up, but some have gone with the 12:20. Has anyone booked for the 1PM tour?

Yeah, what Pflash said. I look forward to the trip, but don't feel like doing the cave again. The cave is worth seeing, and probably would be worth seeing again, but I think I will pass this time.

The areas we will be driving will be great fun. I hope we have a bunch of MIni's on this run!!

Hey all. I'm hoping to make the run, but I'm not sure if my ankle can take too much climbing and hiking. To those that have been there could you tell me whether or not it's the kind of thing you could do with a bum leg? Thanks.

If I get to go this time, I promise to get some pictures posted. I still am having trouble with the pictures from last time. Oh, well, at least people posted plenty of great pics....most of mine looked the same anyhow.

Thanks,

Jason

hi Jason, actually there isn't much walking (I think it's about a total of 1/3 mile) and it's fairly slow. Nothing too steep and its pretty much all paved. No climbing or anything like that. They put you in this little golf cart train and truck you out to the cave entrance. Everyone walks for a short distance, then the guide stops and talks for a long time. So you get plenty of time to rest up.

thanks Jennymini. I appreciate it. I'm getting pretty used to hoping around so it sounds like a gamble I can take. I've heard the caverns are a "can't miss" so I should probably show up.

Thanks again for the feedback.


Jason

Jason, Did you get tix yet? What time did you get?

Dominic

and again I'm going to miss another one...... :cry:

Jason, hope you can make it. The caverns are really worth it. And the rest of the fun run should be really run too :smile:

We would still like to see you post the pictures of the last run.

Dom,
Sounds like a nice trip, wish I could make it. Here's a DPS warning I got from a friend when I drove down to S.V. for my last auto-x.

"Beware I-10 DPS, especially District 8 DPS at MP 268, 275, District 9 DPS likes to swoop the eastbound on ramp at 297 and sit in the median at MP 299. They gnereally tolerate plus 5 and always ticket plus 15.

Benson PD likes to hang about 1 mile south of the Gas City on Hwy 90, and their is sometimes enforcement around Kartchner Caverns State Park...

After that it's pretty quiet until you get into a nationally recognized speed trap where it goes from 65 to 45 in about 3 inches as you hit the northern edge of Huachuca City."

Also watch out at the construction zone the north side of Tucson.

>>Dom,
>>Sounds like a nice trip, wish I could make it. Here's a DPS warning I got from a friend when I drove down to S.V. for my last auto-x.

Thanks for the heads up. I'll make notes of these and plan accordingly.

BTW, I love your EB MINI! Saw it British car night at the Mesa Pav's after the last fun run. Nice to have met you!

Until then, happy motoring! :grin:

Dominic

>> I’ll get more info on the motels later and post it. I’m planning on staying Friday evening.

Found a Motel6 (go to motel6.com and enter Benson, AZ for the location) at exit 302. Also found a Holiday Inn Express (http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/ex/home) at the exit as well.

Anyone know of any others?


>>However, I’m sure some of the PHX area people will drive down that AM. Plan on 2 hours from PHX to get to exit 302.

OK correction here, exit 302 is going to be about a 2.5 hour drive (about 142 miles) from Chandler Blvd exit 160 of the I-10 in the PHX area, so please plan accordingly.

See you there!
Dominic

>>Poor haf... :smile: I'm probably going to pass on this one (for reals this time). Hubby has always wanted to go down and see the caverns, but the idea of going on another fun run does not appeal to him. So I'm going to hold off on going without him on this one. Let's see, the marriage or the MINI...decisions, decisions. :smile:

No worries mate! :smile:

Haf, I'm thinking about a quick excursion around South Mountain park or something similar. There's some other people who have some great ideas. We'll just need to get those scheduled in sometime. (Do I hear Jazz in my future...:lol:)

Dominic

I love the fun runs, and agree the shorters ones are better for me, just because I drive the classic Mini, that is why I appreciate it when the runs come down south (or is it up south) LOL.

I hope that more Tucson people will get involved with the fun runs. It is a great time for us to Motor and get to know each other, while seeing some great sites along the way.

Come on, Tucson people I know you are out there, are you just not reading the posts?? If there are people in Tucson going and you want to meet someplace and run together to the Caverns let me know and we will set up a meeting place.

Anyway, I look forward to seeing everybody on Saturday.

Barney

>>Jason, Did you get tix yet? What time did you get?
>>
>>Dominic


Dominic,

Sorry in so long getting back. Unfortunately, I didn't get tickets. I don't think I'm going to be able to make it...my leg won't be able to handle the hours of driving and walking around. I'm really not happy about skipping out, but you all have the greatest time and motor safely.

Please, keep me posted on future runs....long and short.

Best,

J.

Jason! I'm sorry to hear that. Be sure to check out the Yahoo Group AZVMCC from time to time as many more PHX area events will be happening.

Hey All !!! I got a spare right seat in my MINI and a spare ticket to the 12:40 I'd sell at face. If any one interested give me an Email. Would love for someone who needs a ride and a ticket to share driving.

I'm in. Well halfway in anyway. I need a 2nd ticket for the 12:20 tour if anyone's got one. :smile: I may be interested in your ticket William as I might be able to find someone to switch it with.