Start Location: Yuma, AZ
Ending Location: Tucson, AZ
Miles Today: 290
Trip Miles: 1922
States Visited: 5
National Parks: 2
National Monuments: 1
Low Temp: 88.8° F
High Temp: 121° F
Min Elevation: 187'
Max Elevation: 3236'
Route Map:
National Parks 2012 - Day 06
It's just too frigging hot down here! When we left the
motel this morning it was 89 degrees and it hovered right around 100
all day. The most interesting thing we saw during the ride across
Arizona was a huge army convoy. I have no idea where they were
coming from or going to. We also went through an immigration
inspection station this morning. I had for gotten about these.
We only had a few seconds delay but yesterday we saw one going
the other direction outside of El Centro and the backup had to be at
least a mile. I can't imagine sitting in a line like that with
temperatures in the 100s and no shade.
Saguaro National Park is actually composed of two parts. The western section is
south and west of Tucson and the eastern section is north and east.
Apparently the western section is more primitive - some dirt roads,
etc, - and the internet warned of road closures there as well so we visited the
eastern section.
We
arrived at Saguaro National Park around 1:30 and, after eating our
lunch, visited the small visitor center. They were in the process
of upgrading and remodeling so only about half the building was open
and the facilities were composed of a line up of porta potties outside.
There were also several gardens with many types of cactus.
One of the interesting thing we saw was about 6 or 8 Javalinas
right outside the windows of the visitor center. They were laying
in the dirt apparently trying to keep cool. We did get a few good
pictures of them.
Although the park is huge, most of
it is accessible only by hiking or biking. Vehicle access is an 8
mile loop that is mostly one way. There were very few people in
the park and we road the loop stopping several places along the way
including a short self-guided hike. The park, or at least the
part we saw, was mostly composed of Saguaro, Prickly Pear, and Ocotillo
cactus as well as mesquite trees. The park is within the Sonoran
Desert as opposed to the Colorado and Mojave deserts that we were in
yesterday. The park was nice but, at these temperatures, we were
glad that the loop was not too long. I'm ready for some nice cool
caves.
After we left the park, we found a motel and headed
to church at St. Francis De Sales in Tucson. I think that 5:00 is
the geriatric mass but they probably thought we fit right in.
We head for Texas tomorrow and hopefully will be in Big Bend the following day.
