The Friends (and cacti enemies) of Tucson
Tucson found us camping at the Diamond J RV park, it was a nice place to stay while we explored the Tucson area. On the first morning of our stay Owen ventured a little too close to a nasty cactus – the Jumping Cholla. He escaped with a face and paw full of needles. It was a challenge to get them all removed but he was a trooper while we worked on him. The next day Cece ended up with some of the same needles in her nose. It was difficult to find any trails the dogs were safe from these crazy plants.
One evening we met with Mike and Sue Droubie (Stein) at the Barrio Brewery in Tuscon. We had a great time catching up with MK’s friend from grade school and learned a few things about the benefits of living in Tucson from fellow Minnesotans that got away from the cold long ago.
Unfortunately we didn’t get a picture together so here are 4 random craft beers.
We also spent a very enjoyable evening with Peggy and Paul Alderman, neighbors of MK in St Louis Park. They have a lovely winter home in Green Valley, AZ. We enjoyed dinner at the Coyote Grill at San Ignacio Golf Club and had a quick tour of the highlights of Green Valley, a 55+ community with tons to offer its residents. Paul also knew the name of cactus the dogs “bumped into”. The Jumping Cholla is just one of the many things in the Arizona desert that try to kill you.
We finally made it to Saguaro national park. We hiked the only dog friendly trail in the park, the Golden Gate Road Multi-use Trail. We were excited to get out on the trail to do some exploring. We wandered through the giant Saguaro cactus (avoiding the Jumping Chollas) and soaked in the sun on the open trail.
To say that Saguaros are impressive is an understatement. They provide food and shelter for many different species.
They grow to an average height of 40 feet and don’t grow any “arms” until they are 75 to 100 years old. It can take approximately 200 years for them to reach 40 feet tall and the tallest recorded was 78 feet tall. Although the Saguaro is the icon of the American west they only grow in the Sonoran Desert – Southern Arizona and Northwest Mexico.
Our favorite things about the desert, besides our fun friends, are the beautifully clear blue skies, gorgeous sunsets and amazing star-filled night skies.
