Saguaro National Park

Aloha Everyone

Most of us are familiar with the Saguaro. It is an iconic image of the American Southwest.

There are two districts of Saguaro National Park separated about 30 miles apart by the city of Tucson. This morning we visited Saguaro East-Rincon Mountain District park.

We took the right-mile scenic drive through a saguaro forest that gave us numerous opportunities to stop to take photos and take a close look at a variety of Sonoran Desert cacti, trees and shrubs.

Here are more photos of our visit.

From Saguaro National Park, we took state highway 77 through Oro Valley in the direction of Oracle passing affluent neighborhood with enormous houses with thick walls and relatively small windows. Even today in late October, the daytime temperature was 88 degrees Fahrenheit. Dry, desert heat is not really conducive so we are hurriedly moving on from low desert to high desert.

More Saguaro forests along highway 77.

We passed small towns with named like Mammoth, Winkelman noticing change in topography.

Tonight we are staying at an RV park just outside of the town of Globe. This is a very small (only 15 spaces) place and Honu slipped into the last spot. The place is rustic but we have electrical hook-up and yes, free Wifi.

When red ants were reported by the woman who registered us, a man walked over with an old coffee tin and emptied its content approximately 7 feet from Honu. When I asked what it was, he said that it's a homemade concoction that will "Take care of 'em red and black ants and anythin in between."

With a friendly grin he said, "Don't you worry. Snakes are afraid of you and why skunks don 't usually bother none." It seems that there are a family of mammals that resemble fat wild pigs with shiny beanie eyes. He cautioned me to stay indoor because they have very sharp teeth.

The sunset, I imagine will be beautifu, but I will remain inside Honu for I have no desire to encounter the family of mammals with shiny beanie eyes.

Aloha -- Cathi