TAKING THE OFF-RAMP

Western Music Shindig

In November 6 through 9, 2003, give a big howdy to the Tucson Cowboy Music Roundup, to be presented at the Inn Suites Resort and Hotel at 475 N. Granada Ave. This year's lineup includes educational programs for schools in the community followed by a barbecue and dance. Open jam sessions will end the evening. On November 6 through 8, live music will waft from three stages during the day, and night concerts will top off the fun. On November 8, the Western fashion show and luncheon will entertain visitors, and the championship chili cook-off will heat things up a bit. November 9 brings a special cowboy church and gospel concert. Information: (520) 743-9328 or homeranchhands.org.

Snaking Through Town

If you're tooling along a bike path approaching Broadway Boulevard just east of downtown Tucson, and you suddenly hear a warning rattle, don't be alarmed. You may have just tripped a sensor in the "tail" of Diamondback Bridge, the creation of artist Simon Donovan. Part of a long-range project to connect several of Tucson's bike and walking paths, the 280-foot metal snake bridge stretching across Broadway represents the city's growing collection of public art. The project took five years to complete, but Donovan didn't mind. "It was great that it took that long," he says, mainly because he had time to solve problems unique to the project. What kind of cage material for the enclosure would provide airflow yet reflect its colors when viewed from below? (Answer: Painted industrial floor grating.) How can I make giant stencils to paint the snake's diamondback pattern? (Answer: 10-by-20-foot sheets of koi pond liner.) What material would work for the rattler's ribs? (Answer: Plastic-covered foam padding.) Since its opening last May, pedestrians and art lovers have been pleased with their new "pet."

A Town They Called Their Own

In 1901, the residents of Chloride worked to raise funds to acquire title to the lands occupied as the townsite. The cost? $600.

Tracking Time

A trip to the Arizona Street Railway Museum, home of the historic Phoenix Trolley, is not only a step back in time but also a peek into the future. Lawmakers and voters are considering a rebirth of the Phoenix trolley system, which may bring Central Avenue up to mass-transit speed with some other highly populated U.S. cities such as San Diego, San Jose and Sacramento. Entering from Culver just off Central Avenue in the Margaret Hance Deck Park, visitors can experience a nostalgic Phoenix Trolley ride or walking tour. The experience reminds visitors that although conditions were hot in the summer, cold during the winter and noisy year-round, the motto of the old Phoenix Street Railway System was "Ride a Mile and Smile the While," providing trolley transportation every 10 minutes for only 5 cents a hitch. The railway system was the main source of transportation in Phoenix from 1887 until 1948. Call first before making the trip, as the trolley is occasionally out of service for electrical upgrades. When running, trolley rides cost $4.50 for adults, $2.50 for children and $4 for seniors and organized groups. Information: (602) 254-0307 or www. phoenixtrolley.com.

How Does His Garden Grow?

A wall of “garbage” surrounds the Arizona Cactus Botanical Gardens, located 6 miles south of Bisbee in Bisbee Junction. Director David Eppele is proud of that fact, since the wall looks like classic adobe when, in truth, it's constructed of recycled pallets, steel mesh, plywood and a mortar coating.

In a way, the wall serves as a credo for the 2-acre garden. Just as the wall is constructed of things found lying around, all of the more than 800 plant specimens in the gardens make do with what's lying around the area. That is, in a location that receives a scant 16 inches of rain a year, an entire botanical garden thrives without supplemental water, fertilizer or pesticide.

"If they can't do it on 16 inches, they don't make it,” says Eppele, who has spent the last 18 years working with his botanical garden at Arizona Cactus and Succulent Research, figuring out what plants will thrive in the inhospitable climate of southeastern Arizona.

Eppele offers free daily tours at the gardens-complete with free plant clippings and samples of prickly pear juice-to help spread the word about droughtresistant landscaping. And the array of 15-foot-tall yuccas, 20-foot-wide prickly pears and various South American columnar cacti proves that even without water, an Arizona garden can shine. Information: arizonacactus.com.

Christmas at Winsor Castle

Winsor Castle, the official name of the old rock fort at Pipe Spring National Monument, goes all out for Christmas. Victorian lamps softly light the pioneer rooms while women in long flowing dresses move from room to room like ghosts from the past. The Harmonium, an old reed organ, fills the two-story rock enclosure with Christmas carols. Called "Winsor Castle by Night," this magic event happens only one night a year. On an evening early in December, the fort comes alive with period Christmas decorations, stories, tours and refreshments. Stand around a campfire and socialize much like travelers from the past, but be sure to dress warmly and bring a flashlight.

Pipe Spring National Monument is near the Utah border on the Arizona Strip, 14 miles southwest of Fredonia. Information: (928) 643-7105 or www.nps.gov/pisp.

Question of the Month

Are there earthquakes in Arizona?

In 1910, 52 earthquakes rocked and rolled through northern Arizona in just 13 days. A construction crew working in the forest quickly left their posts after boulders shook loose and rolled into their camp. When the last of the 1910 quakes hit on September 23, its intensity was so powerful, the local Indians decided to evacuate the area.

LIFE IN ARIZONA 1 8 7 3 NO HORSES ON THE SIDEWALK

Any person who shall "A willfully and maliciously ride or drive any horse, mule or other riding animal, upon any porch, or sidewalk, or under any awning in front of any private dwelling or place of business, or into any dwelling, store, saloon, or other business house, thereby terrifying the occupants thereof, and endangering life and property, or who shall drive or ride through the plazas, streets, lanes, or alleys within the village limits in a careless and reckless manner liable to cause injury to life or property, shall, upon conviction before the Recorder, be fined in any sum not exceeding $100, in the discretion of the Court." -Ordinance Number 2 passed in the Common Council of the village of Prescott on May 12, 1873.