Saguaro and Red Rocks

Saguaro National Park

For scale...

The beautiful saguara cacti, the largest in the world.

A small fraction of the airplanes parked at the Air Force Base at Tucson.

The viewpoint from the pass above Phoenix.

The incredible red rocks of Sedona.

 Tuesday, July 5th.

I was up very early again. I packed up and left the Coop at 6, stopped at the Circle K for fuel and some yogurt and fruit and then I began the drive north. It was a beautiful day, clear skies and nice temperature. When I got to Tucson I saw a sign for Saguaro National Park. I love these cacti and since it was only 13 miles off the interstate I rode there. I arrived well before the visitors centre opened but the gate was open and there was no entrance fee. So, I spent an hour riding around the loop. There were cyclists, runners and hikers using the park too. This is a small part of the Sonoran Desert which has been protected to keep out the encroaching suburbs. The cacti are incredible, some reach 10 feet or more and there are other interesting species as well, including the palo verde. This small tree has chlorophyll in its bark (which makes it green) to help generate food production which allows it to have smaller leaves. By the time I left the heat was building. Just north of Tucson I noticed a huge field full of aircraft. It looked like a huge mall parking lot, only with planes instead of cars. The photo only shows about a tenth of the planes. Then a little further was the Davis Monthan Air Force Base with another huge number of planes and further yet was the Pima Air and Space Museum with another fleet of dozens of different kinds of aircraft parked in the desert heat, including bombers and trooper carriers. I know this is not the only American Air Force Base, so it made me realize the sheer number of aircraft and personnel they have in just this one branch of the military. No wonder their budget is in the trillions. I continued north and thankfully rode 65 kilometres through metropolitan Phoenix without any traffic snarls. If there had been I would surely have melted, it was well over a 100 degrees. The only thing that kept me from melting was moving. North of Phoenix the elevation rises and thankfully the temperature cooled a bit, from 100 to 90. But as the road climbed the saguaro that had been growing along the highway disappeared. They cannot live in any area that experiences frost. I finally arrived at the beautiful red rock area of Sedona about 2:30. I found a Starbuck's and had a cold drink while I researched a hotel. I wanted a pool and included breakfast. I decided on a Hampton Inn, as I thought I deserved to upscale a bit. It was right across the street from the Starbuck's. I checked in and immediately hit the pool. I stayed there for a couple of hours refreshing myself. Then I went for a ride around some of the roads that lead through the gorgeous canyons in the area. I bought dinner at Whole Foods and ate in my room. I spent the evening working on the blog and photos.