After Monday's rain-a-thon we were ready to get out on the trail, but we didn't want to drive a lot, and that is the beauty of staying at
Justin's Diamond J...it's adjacent to Tucson Mountain Park. We headed over Gates Pass to the Camino De Oeste trailhead for what turned out to be 8.5 miles of gorgeous, freshly washed, lush desert topped with scattered cotton candy clouds.
Once again Tucson Mountain Park trail map fooled us...or rather the lack of signage and additional trails that are not mapped. BUT, on such a gorgeous day we enjoyed the heck out of the hike and met some new folks too! Jim and
Allison are fellow full timers, mountain bikers, road bikers, hikers and have a blog too! We hope to meet up with them to check out some (new to us) biking trails soon.
This little guy brightened my walk around the RV park this morning with his finery and happy song. I hear there are a couple of pairs living around here.
Hoped to wake up to a dusting this morning at camp, but our rain stopped before it got cold enough. The surrounding peaks in Tucson Mountain Park got a dusting though.
 |
| Heading over Gates Pass Rd toward Camino De Oeste trail head. |
 |
| Approaching the trail head we interrupted this guy... |
 |
| It's a nippy 40 degrees, but as pretty as can be. |
 |
| Bowen House ruins. |
 |
| Endless shades of green around us. |
 |
You didn't think I could refrain from cactus photos for a day, did you?
Crested accessed from 36th St or Genser Starr Pass trail heads. |
Boy, I tell you, Crested saguaro is the cactus of the year! It seems every Arizona blog I read has to have a photo of a crested saguaro in it. I had never seen one before 2013 and now they're everywhere. Brings to mind a Beatles song, "Here, There and Everywhere."
ReplyDeleteThe fun is in the hunt for this elusive anomaly!
DeleteI get a kick out of how so many people winter in the SW, do the same things because we have the same interests, and then have to find their own way to write about it! I guess blogging will be more interesting in the summer as we all head in different directions!!!
It sounds like you are having a great time in my backyard. Here is a place I thought you might be interested in Kitt Peak Observatory. It is a great place with free tours of the telescopes and you have great views of Arizona and Mexico. There are tables for picnics as well. It is, I believe, just down the road from you.
ReplyDeleteHope you have a great day
Leila
Thanks Leila! I've been viewing the observatory through my binoculars so far...!
Delete