March 1, 2005

March 1, 2005

Huachuca City to Tucson, Arizona

DAY 256

 

Today was sunny and warm.

We left Huachuca City this morning heading north on Hwy. 90, to Interstate 10, then west on I-10 to Tucson. At I-10 exit 264 in Tucson we got off to shop at Camping World. After buying a few items we needed at Camping World, we were back onto I-10 to exit 255. At exit 255 we got off for an RV Park we had picked out, El Molino. We checked into El Molino, unhitched, had lunch, then headed out for Saguaro National Park. As we were approaching Tucson, we began to see Saguaro Cacti here and there in the desert. The Saguaro Cactus is the quintessential desert. It's what people think of when they think of the desert. They're the tall cacti, often with "arms" out at the sides. Think of the character Spike in the comic strip Peanuts.

WOW ! ! ! As we passed out of the west side of Tucson, via Gates Pass Road, we began to see "forests" of Saguaros. Tucson is surrounded by mountains on all 4 sides of the city. The mountains are covered in Saguaros. On the west side, where we went, first we passed through Tucson Mountain Park, a municipal park, I think, then we were into Saguaro National Park. We drove the six mile gravel scenic loop road through the park.

We were amazed at the size of the Saguaro Cacti. They are often 25 feet tall ! Out first photo stop was to take a picture of Joanne standing with Bo in front of a tall Saguaro, to give perspective. As I was snapping the picture of Joanne standing in front of the Saguaro with Bo in her arms, Bo leaned over to sniff a nearby cactus. Joanne leaned away just as he was about to get cactus needles in his nose. I took the photo, then as I was walking back towards them ... OW OW OW OW OW ! ! ! I brushed up against a cactus with multiple "arms". At the end of each arm was a lemon sized ball filled with unbelievably sharp, barbed needles. Just brushing against it broke one of these lemon sized balls off, with the needles piercing my jeans, and embedding a bunch of the barbed needles into my knee. OW OW OW OW OW ! ! ! I tried to pull my pant leg away from my leg, and the pain was severe ! I gently grabbed some of the needles on the ball, and slowly pulled it away from my pant leg. The needles poking through my pant leg and into my knee broke off, and the ball embedded into my hand. OW OW OW OW OW ! ! ! We walked back to the truck with me hobbling with a knee full of needles, and this cactus ball embedded against my hand. I shook my arm hard, and the ball broke off, leaving about half a dozen barbed needles in my hand. I pulled the needles out of my hand, and out of my knee. OW OW OW OW OW ! ! ! Each little needle hole bled profusely, itched, and swelled. They bled, itched, and stayed swollen for about half an hour.

As we drove through Saguaro National Park, stopping frequently to take pictures, I decided to touch of these needled balls wearing leather work gloves. I touched it, and the ball immediately broke off the plant, with the needles imbedded into the leather. I shook my hand, but it wouldn't break off. I asked Joanne to try to gently hold one of the needles, while I pulled my hand away, to break the ball off my glove. Oh, it broke away all right. And immediately embedded into Joanne's hand. Ooooops ! Seemed like a good idea at the time.

After driving all the way around the scenic loop through the park, we made our way to a Wal-Mart where we replenished groceries. Then back to the trailer at El Molino, for a late supper, and the first episode of a new Amazing Race. WOO-HOO !

DSK