Food and Lodging Details
Accommodations: Gael has room for people to stay or camp at her house. There are two bedrooms available for $33 a night. There is also a heated basement dormitory for those who do not want to commute from Tucson or Green Valley. There are cots and beds available if you bring your sleeping bag for $15 a night. If Gael is providing the sheets it is $20.00 per night. There is probably room for three or four people in the basement. Another option is to bring your tent and camp in the yard for $15.00 a night. Other options are to stay at a local motel or bed and breakfast.
Please note: Prices are subject to change so be sure to contact Gael for the current rates. You can also click HERE for a link to Gael’s site.
Also, click HERE for a special message from Gael Chilson
Local Motels 20 to 30 minutes from Gael’s home.
- Holiday Inn Express 520-625-0900
- Best Western 520-625-2250
- Baymont Inn 520-399-3736
- Amado Territory Inn (a B&B about 40 minutes from Gael’s house) 520-398-8684
- B&B off the Beaten Path owned by Joyce Sierra (a personal friend of Gael’s) near landmark Elephant Head and about 30 to 40 minutes from Gael’s house 520-398-3970
Meals: Gael offers meals for $35 per day including Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and snacks during the day. If you only want to purchase some meals and not others the breakdown is $8 for breakfast, $12 for lunch, and $15 for dinner. (That includes tax and gratuity!) If you would like to do the meal plan and pay in advance before the event starts the cost is $130 (a $10 savings off the individual meal price or daily rate.) Please let Gael know ASAP what food plan you are interested in so she knows how much food to buy. Gael can be reached at 520-625-5762 and she can tell you where to send the check for meals in advance of the event.
For those who are not participating in the Food Plan a $10 donation for snacks, coffee and/or tea is appreciated.
Water: There is a Solid Carbon filtered drinking water system that provides good tasting water.
Weather:
February and March it is spring in the Desert. Days are usually warm in the 70′s and 80”s with occasional cooler days in the 60′s. The nights cool down to the 40′s and 50′s. April can warm into the 90′s though high 80′s is more typical. April evenings are 50′s and 60′s making it great for night sky.
October is similar to the months of March and April and November can range from 80′s to the occasional 6o’s and the evenings are usually in the 50′s or 60′s.
December in Tucson is usually wonderful. The weather ranges from anywhere from the mid 60′s to mid 70′s during the day and is usually in the 30′sor 40′s at night though sometimes colder. So be sure to bring warm clothes for the night sky classes. Rain is possible, though not probable and always welcome in the desert.
Additional Details:
The Tucson airport is about 30 minutes away and the Phoenix airport is about two and half hours away if there are no traffic delays.
The classes are being held at Daniel Giamario’s home next door to Gael Chilson’s home. Gael lives outside of town on a rustic Old Mining Property that her family took over in the early 40′s. This area has been mined for silver, and copper etc. It is interesting to note that the silver used to craft the chalices for the San Xavier mission (very near by) came from these local mines. San Xavier Mission is an Old Spanish Style mission worth a visit.
The property is quiet and peaceful. There are hills and places for roaming around during breaks. For those you are interested be sure you have sturdy shoes as there are cactus and other spiny plants. Gael says there is plenty of wildlife including Javelina, Deer, and Hawks. There also have been very rare sightings of Bobcat, Coata Mundi (an indigenous ringed tail cat) and Mountain Lion though it has been many years since they have been observed. There is also a small stone circle Gael has created with Solstice and Equinox alignments up on a hill behind her house.
Transportation: Tucson is the closest major airport with most airline carriers servicing Tucson. Airline flights by all major carriers are available into Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport about two and a half hours away. Car rentals are available at both Tucson and Phoenix Airports. There is no Shuttle transport available to Gael’s house from either airport. However, you can take a taxi from the Tucson airport for about $65 one way, or Gael has offered to pick up people from the Tucson Airport for $30 to cover her gas and time.
Directions to Gael’s house (see alternate route with more freeway and less back roads below): If you are coming from the Phoenix or are North of Tucson get on I-10 heading East and get off on I-19 going to Green Valley. There is only one direction (south) from I-10 onto 1-19. From I-19 take the Valencia exit. Turn right and stay on Valencia until you get to Mission road. Turn left on Mission. It is about 10 miles.
Stay on Mission Road and watch the speed limit signs. Gael’s house is on the right or west side of the road. It is the first
driveway about a mile and a half after the second cattle guard (the first cattle guard is about 10 miles before on Mission road). Gael’s house is exactly 12.5 miles south of Valencia, between mile post 10 and 9 at 15000 S. Mission Road. The house is on the right or west side of the road with a blue and purple mailbox and a driveway that rises steeply up the hill to a pink two story house. There is also a colorful sign that says: That Healing Touch Plus
Above photo is the right hand turn and photo to the right is a close up of the drive-way.
If you are coming East on I-10 from New Mexico or Benson then contact Gael for alternate directions with a short cut. Otherwise you can also use the I-19 exit to Nogales and follow the directions below.
Alternate directions (Cayelin’s preferred route) If you are coming West or East on I-10 get off onto Interstate I-19 to Nogales. Stay on I-19 for several miles until you get to the Sahuarita Road exit number 75. Turn right 
off the exit and follow until the road T’s into Mission Road. Turn right and go about 1.8 miles and look for Gael’s driveway on the left. Photo on the left shows Gael’s house up on the hill as you come around the curve. You will take a left into her driveway shown on the right.
If you have housing questions call Gael at 520-625-5762. For all other questions about the class contact Cayelin at 520-744-6923 or Cell Phone 520-822-7282.