A tour of the American Southwest 3

180 miles as the bird flies was a lot more than that as the car drives. The road from Gila CDNM to Silver City is just crazy twisty - I haven't seen its like since coastal Northern California (like the back of Mt. Tamalpais or way in the north coast mountains). Then it was out to I-10 and into the vast desert expanse and on to the day's target: Tucson (inexplicably pronounced too-sawn instead of tuck-sun). We rented a room, got cleaned up, and the next day we hit Saguaro National Park. Ahhhhh

we came to the right place

lovely little hike

Saguaro live quite a long time. they don't even get their first branch until they're 75-100 years old!

woodpeckers make these holes, use them once, then other things move in (including owls)

still some cactus flowers

yucca

ocotillo 

what's inside a Saguaro holding it up

part of the quest was to get photos. we camped in Ironwood National Monument, right next to Saguaro National Park

the money shot

note to self: NEVER camp within fall-over distance of a Saguaro cactus

the boys couldn't get enough of their spaceship (things little boys do). that tree behind is a desert ironwood tree. it could be hundreds of years old

8 ft by 8 ft floor: even scrunched on its side, it's big & roomy

we rolled the fly to one side so we could put it back on really fast if a strong wind came up