Desert Beauty

 

I have always been fascinated with the southwest. Not because I hail from there but because of the feeling it invokes when gazing across vast open spaces with all of its dry beauty. Yesterday those feelings were in full in gear when we biked our way around the 8 mile loop in Saguaro National Park in Tucson, Arizona. This place looks like a desert botanical garden with the many varieties of cactus beginning to bloom. Dashel's favorite (and perhaps mine too) are the Ocotillo with its long spiny arms sometimes adorned with delicate green leaves and many with blazing orange-red flowers atop each arm. Gorgeous. 

Our first sighting of the famous Saguaro cactus was driving on I-10 as we approached Tucson. These human-like cacti are better in person than in cartoons. It's hard to believe how tall they can grow--frequently over 30 feet. The boys were quite captivated by them. We also encountered our first rattlesnake of the trip--albeit a deceased one. And a baby at that.

After our nature ride, we surprised the boys with a visit to the Pima County Fair just down the road from our RV park. The county fair's we are used to are about 1/10 the size of this one. Must be a featured event for the folks in Tucson. Incredible midway with rides I had never seen before. Plus really clean. I never thought I'd encounter elephants in the desert.