Marfa, El Paso, Tombstone
Flying the Edge of America
Sunday, September 14, 2008: Marfa and Alpine, Texas
The only nice building in Marfa - out of place yet intriguing.
Leaving Big Bend's pristine deserts and rugged mountains, we gradually transitioned to cattle lands, eventually arriving in Marfa, Texas. The cabin owner at Big Bend had suggested we visit Marfa, but the reason remained elusive. Marfa, a small country town with an overhyped artist community, didn’t seem to offer much—there wasn’t even a good restaurant.
Monday, September 15, 2008: El Paso, Texas
More nasty weather—when will it end?
From Marfa, we returned to Alpine for the short flight to El Paso. Covering four stops in Texas on this trip highlights just how vast the state is. The weather didn’t make it easy: low clouds, rain, and high terrain persisted despite forecasts for a clear day. Julia, surprisingly, managed the flight without valium, even though the conditions were challenging—a significant milestone for her. Thankfully, the landing in El Paso was clear and uneventful.
The expansive West Texas countryside.
El Paso turned out to be a bustling city, albeit not particularly scenic with its endless freeways and strip malls. However, its downtown offered a surprising cultural contrast, featuring a performing arts center, science museum, and art museum. Despite its industrial feel, El Paso revealed pockets of artistic and intellectual vibrancy.
El Paso Flight Video
Tuesday, September 16, 2008: Tombstone, Arizona
Clear blue skies—finally!
Departing from Horizon Airport in El Paso, we encountered rare clear skies, a welcome relief from the persistent weather challenges of recent flights. Crossing into Arizona, the views of the lush desert landscape, revived by recent rains, were breathtaking. A few scattered clouds reminded us that the weather can never be entirely forgotten.
Evidence of extraterrestrial visitors?
As we flew over Arizona, we spotted what appeared to be a UFO—a white, semicircular object hovering in the distance near Roswell. Although we captured a few photos, they didn’t turn out well. A call to air traffic control revealed it was likely a weather balloon, but Julia and I enjoyed speculating about its true nature.
Landing at Tombstone Airport, we were reminded of how remote some places can be. With only a landing strip, a few Nissen huts, and no staff in sight, it felt like stepping back in time. Navigating timezone quirks added to the sense of temporal dislocation, almost as if we were traveling in a TARDIS from Doctor Who.
Welcome to Tombstone Airport—silent but atmospheric.
Tombstone’s historic district was everything we hoped for, transporting us to the Old West. Wandering its preserved streets, we visited Boothill Cemetery, where some from the infamous O.K. Corral shootout are buried, and enjoyed a beer at the Crystal Palace Saloon. A staged reenactment of the shootout added theatrics, but simply walking the streets made it easy to imagine life in the 1800s.
Tombstone Flight Video
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
A buxom hostess at the Crystal Palace Saloon.
Tombstone’s history isn’t the only thing alive here. On our way back to the motel, we glimpsed through the saloon window to see a playful photoshoot in progress. Some things, it seems, never change in Tombstone.
This morning, we took a tour of the "Good Enough Mine," where the discovery of silver led to Tombstone’s boom. The guide’s lively storytelling brought the mine’s history to life, though the precarious conditions underground made me grateful for modern safety standards. Despite the risks, the tour was well worth it.
With favorable weather ahead, we’re optimistic about tomorrow’s flight to Yuma, Arizona.
Tombstone Video
Trip stats
Obama: 23
McCain: 6
Undecided: 8
Miles Hiked: 174
Miles Flown: 9,000
Flights Flown: 39
Hours Flown: 66.03
States Visited: 28
Towns Visited: 50