End of the trail

So, where was I? That's right, Saguaro National Park, East.  We walked the loop and took some shots. I don't know that I got anything particularly outstanding. Of course I can make a turd look good if you give me enough time. But I didn't set the place on fire with my virtuosity that night.

I talked to my brother. I had a faint recollection of being in the park about fifty years ago which he confirmed.

Saguaros are certainly cool. Ken mentioned that we humans had the tendency to anthropomorphize everything, right before I said I liked the saguaros that looked like their arms were in human positions.

But there's not a lot to say. People start looking at you funny if you start waxing about your favorite saguaros.

Don't get the idea I'm a cactus hater or anything. You know how word gets around.

*
We went back to the Super8, (which are really nice now that Wyndham has refurbished them) and hit the hay. Next morning up at sunrise, this time in the large west section of Saguaro National Park.

The sunrise certainly had its charms.

Saguaros are incredibly ancient organisms. It takes 75 years for one to branch and a hundred and fifty to be full grown.

But eventually, like any other life form, entropy sets in and you get a skeletal remain of structure like the guy above. All things must pass. We need to respect 150 year old life forms.

Saw this guy out there. Is he a type of flicker? Birders? northern flicker

We met Tiffany and her husband Dave at the Desert View Tower and these locals turned us on to a really great valley view that we would never have found on our own. She was kind enough to let me snap her pic.

We managed to get through the desert unscathed. Cholla are sharp, no? Lost my glasses but found them again. No serious injuries to report.

This cactus is a crested saguaro. One in 10,000 get the mutation. Just like a particular breed of human. This fellow has photographed 760 of them at last count. And they are very rare so good for him.

Not much else. We stopped in Gila Bend for lunch and I had to snap a pick of one of my favorite hotels on the planet, the old space age. Les and I stayed there decades ago.

We saw Harris hawks and snow geese in the fields west of Gila Bend. Motored on home.