Tucson to Flagstaff (now with more Florence)

Lori and I compared roadside sightings of crested saguaro, and determined that we would see one on this trip. And so we did, on Highway 60, in front of the Arizonian RV Resort. A fine specimen she is, too.

But, I'm getting ahead of Florence, who gets tired of the view when I do that. We enjoyed some Sonoran scenery along the Pinal Parkway (SR 79), until we got to Florence, AZ.

Florence has what looks like a charming old downtown. We had lunch at The Fudge Company, then moseyed along. There's not much else to say about the beauty spots of Florence; it's a prison town.

There is plenty to say, on the other hand, about beauty spots of Sedona. Please enjoy the following 3,000 words:

Blogger has been having problems with blogrolls. I have not removed any blogs from the roll lately, so if yours is missing please don't take offense. Save that for when you meet me.

More easy Tucson hikes. "Easy."

I've been following some folks who are tearing up the trails here in Tucson. By "follow," I mean I sit here and read about them tearing up the trails here in Tucson. They've been teasing me with their fancy-schmancy crested saguaros until I couldn't bear it any more.

You seen on saguaro, you seen 'em...hey, you seen my nest?

I headed for Tucson Mountain Park and a nearly-sure bet to see one. Crested (cristate) saguaros are a special kind of weirdo, but I'm pretty fond of all these desert oddballs.

This cactus is not named Russ. 

WHAT THE...nevermind. I don't want to know, and you don't, either.

I'm not a long-distance hiker (yet), but Pam estimated 1.6 miles one way to the crested. Three point two miles - I can still do that, right? Right? There was a lot of self pep-talk going on inside my bonnet.

The first part of the hike is in sight of civilization, although not much of civilization was hiking the trail that day. I don't mind being alone on a trail. I prefer it, except when I want someone there to carry me the rest of the way.

Once around the bend, the trail becomes pure wilderness beauty. A jet overhead will remind you that you're not all that far from the 21st century, but the jet passes and you're alone again. An hour later, a helicopter passes directly overhead, reminding you that he's not there to rescue you, keep walking slacker.

I pass a cardio-hiker and I make him stop. Did you see a crested saguaro back there? Indeed he had, and he told me where to look for it.

It's funny how a lazy mind works. If Pam had told me the Great Crested was two miles into a trail (it is), I would have gone to see the one in the Sonora Desert Museum parking lot. But, 1.6 miles? No problem!  This is the power of always forgetting to take a map because you're pretty sure you've memorized the way.

I may or may not have been on the ground here. I don't like to say.

At last!

Now it was time to head back, and there's never a choice there.

It's all been worth it, though, because I captured the elusive Crested Saguaro. Sure, I had to walk for hours to see one, but that's okay because

ARE YOU KIDDING ME

 Parking lot

I decided to walk into the labyrinth. It's a symbolic thing. I kicked down the walls to leave. It's an exhaustion thing.

THIS JUST IN: Lisa from Metamorphosis Road says: 

It's funny how almost every hike we've done in the Tucson area has turned out to be longer than the posted mileage...don't believe everything you read!   

 
ARG! There is no way to know how far I really walked. I estimate 22 miles.

~~~~~

Thanks for re-soling my hiking boots by making our Amazon link YOUR Amazon link.

Easy hiking in Tucson

I headed for Saguaro National Park (West) to do a little hiking. I stopped in at the office to flash my pass and to ask about the elusive crested (cristate) saguaro; did you know a perfect specimen died in September? I never even saw the obituary. Monsoon season made the ground very wet, then they had a 70 m.p.h. wind that caught that non-aerodynamic crest and...crestfallen.

I asked if I could hike to one. He gave me a discreet once-over and suggested it might be a long hike. He did point me to some easy hikes, though, so I waddled off toward Wild Dog Trail.*

*I intended to walk the shorter Valley View Trail, but I got lost. Let's not make a big deal over it.†
†I got to the road and flagged someone down for a map. It was embarrassing. Let's drop it.

The trail goes that way.  Saguaro, you are fired.

I met up with two guys hiking, and one asked Are you the New Yorker? We compared notes (his axle broke in Ithaca), and we laughed about how "unfriendly" New Yorkers are. After about ten minutes of chatting, it occurred to him that I wasn't hiking with anyone, and he got startled.

Are you alone? Be careful!
Will do! And you have fun!

Since I didn't want to risk two days in a row of reckless behavior like walking unassisted, Annie joined me today on a Robles Pass hike. We meant to do the easy, quick Creosote Loop Trail, but we missed the turn and took the charming Rocky 13 path. It's not a loop, and so we ended up someplace unexpected. There was no one to flag down for a map.

Tee hee! Nice "arm."

Pam from Oh, the Places They Go! told me where to find a nice crested saguaro, and so I shall. What can go wrong?