Ready for the unexpected? You’ve come to the right show. In this episode, George is going to focus on things you’d probably never think of when you think of Tucson. With a paltry budget of only $100, George takes you on an adventure which is fun, interesting and ultimately, pretty spectacular.
George starts at Tucson’s Rattlesnake Bridge. And sure, rattlesnakes and Tucson seem like a natural fit. But what about the city of Tucson and an extraordinary culinary experience? Wait, here? Yep. Turns out, Unesco, an agency of the United Nations, named Tucson as the first City of Gastronomy, in the United States, one of only two cities in the U.S. so honored. Who knew? You’ll join George as he experiences one of Tucson’s most famous and unique dishes—a Sonoran style hot dog. (Warning: You’re about to get really hungry.)
And not only is Tucson a city of spectacular food, another little-known fact about Tucson is that it has a thriving wine region. You’ll bike with George (Tucson is a big bicycling city) to the Arizona Wine Collective for a tasting of some local favorites. Mmmmm.
Next, it’s a visit to the top of “A” Mountain, where the views are panoramic and beautiful. Here, George takes you birdwatching, another local passion. Turns out, it might not be as easy as it looks.
When you think of Tucson, flying might not be on your radar, but as it happens, Tucson is home to one of the largest collections of planes in the country. You’ll visit the remarkable Pima Air & Space Museum, where you’ll see 300 planes spread over 80 acres, including such notables as the Air Force One used by Presidents Kennedy and Johnson.
Tucson not only loves airplanes, but also the sky, and in fact has a strict dark sky code which limits light pollution and results in some of the best stargazing and darkest night skies of any city its size in the country. No wonder, then, that this is a city passionate about astronomy. George discovers that beneath Arizona Stadium, home of the Arizona Wildcats, lies the Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab, which makes the mirrors used in the most powerful telescopes in the entire world.
To wrap up the episode, George visits the Sky Bar, an astronomy themed bar next door to a fantastic pizza parlor. The universe and great pizza— who can pass up that combination? Here, astronomers set up telescopes to take advantage of Tucson’s breathtaking night skies. You’ll peer through a telescope with George and experience Jupiter and its moons, Saturn and its moon Titan, and the astounding Owl Cluster. Welcome to a Tucson you never imagined.