The Crowned Cactus

 10-16

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I may have overdone it yesterday, a little.

Well, probably what actually happened was that I did a long hot hike with a lot of climbing, but then I didn’t drink enough water or electrolytes to replenish what was lost.

But maybe I’m just getting old.

Whatever the reason, I found myself extra hobble-y this morning, my leg muscles screaming in protest as I shuffled through the world’s longest oatmeal bar. So I thought, maybe I should start the day off a little easy.

So I parked Jane out front of the hotel and took some photos. Can’t resist a cool building and other classic cars, you know! Plus, the hotel staff had asked me for some photos. I guess classic Mustangs don’t cruise through their archway very often.

Also pictured: a LOT of Sonoran dust.

Dallying aside, I packed up my gear and headed back east to the Rincon Mountain District of Saguaro. It was a beautiful bluebird day, and not quite so hot as before, so a nice little hike was a welcome prospect.

I parked at the Douglas Springs trailhead – a spot at the very end of a very, very long, very, very straight road populated by increasingly wealthy estate-type properties the further you drive – and set out on the Garwood/Wild Horse loops. There’s a large trail network out here in the rolling hills at the base of the Rincon Mountains, with dozens of miles to hike (or ride, in the case of the equestrians). But the ranger I spoke to a couple days ago had specifically mentioned she liked to hike the Garwood loop, so that’s the one I took.

I strolled across the Sonoran Desert, rapidly being absorbed into the landscape. The vast skies of the Southwest hung above me, their crystalline heights crossed by friendly fluffy white clouds that cast dark shadows across the distant ranges bordering the desert. Saguaros stretched tall and proud and eternal, fat and green on this rainier side of the Rincons. Clumps of prickly pears crawled out from beneath bushes, bearing flowers and fruit in abundance. Birds flitted and chirped cheerfully, unbothered by my presence, and all manner of lizards skittered across the trail in search of a bite to eat or a warm rock to lay on.

For all that this is a desert, it never gives the impression of desolation. This is a healthy, lush land, it just doesn’t need as much water as some others might.

I climbed up into the foothills, where I found a number of tanks – that is, areas that hold water long-term, functioning like mini ponds. Usually they’re in rocky draws, where runoff pools and sits after rains. They’re vital for the health of the desert wildlife, so I was pleased to see that even after such a dry autumn, they still held a bit of water.

I also found a massive saguaro, towering well over 25 ft tall with over a dozen arms! I was very impressed with this monster – no other cactus on the trail came even a little bit close to its majesty.

But then I came around a corner, and suddenly THE saguaro came into view. A classic two-armed saguaro… wearing a VERY fancy hat.

So fancy!!!

Just look at it!! The most majestic saguaro I’ve ever seen. The most majestic cactus I’ve ever seen. Possibly the most majestic plant I’ve ever seen!! Well, maybe not more majestic than a redwood. But still.

This is what’s called a cristate, or crested, saguaro. It’s a mutation that occurs in an estimated 1 out of every 200,000 (or more) saguaros, totally at random. I did some Googling later on and found that out of the 2 million saguaros in Saguaro National Park, only about 75 are cristate – so yeah, that’s pretty rare. Biologists don’t even know why some saguaros grow that way. They “just do”.

My theory is that there can only be so many cacti royalty. Maybe the one I stumbled across was the king of the northern Rincons. It certainly looked as if it was holding court, standing commandingly on a small knoll looking out over the valley, arms upraised, crowned head held high.

Sufficiently awed, I finished my hike back to the trailhead, trying my best not to disturb the crowned cactus’s domain. What a fantastic hike. But it had grown quite hot, the early afternoon sun raking out of the sky with a bit more malice than called for in mid October, so I took the opportunity to skedaddle back west.

I stopped to get some bubble tea on the way – there were about eight shops to choose from on this very long road – and considered my options for the remainder of the afternoon. Ultimately I decided that I was feeling very inspired by the day’s scenery, and that I’d like to finish it up with some art. So off I headed downtown to the Tucson Museum of Art.

I used to really dislike art museums, you know. It probably had something to do with my constant rebellion against my art teacher and her rules, and the fact that I didn’t like having to decipher the meaning of various art pieces in exchange for a grade. Either way, I developed quite an aversion to them for a very long time. But in recent years I’ve come back to really enjoy seeing art – it’s a cool way to experience other cultures and other points of view.

Tucson’s art museum is small but mighty, with a particularly impressive collection of Native American, southwestern, and Mexican/Mesoamerican art. My favorite! I spent the rest of the afternoon wandering, giving my legs a break from hiking and my eyes a break from squinting.

Some very cool Hopi kachinas

An interesting juxtaposition of a few styles of Native art.

A pretty terrible photo of a very fascinating collection of traditional basketry... the best of which is front and center.

Yes, that is indeed an armadillo shell used as a purse! Ingenious really. If armadillos weren't so dang cute I'd be inspired to start a new (or rather, renew an old) fashion trend.

A selection of Peruvian pots made around 100-700 AD. I liked this pot in particular because it is absurd in two (or more) ways: first, it would be incredibly difficult to use; second, the craftsman who made it decided to paint people as beans all over it. Phenomenal. 

A selection of large clay sculptures from Mexico around 100-300AD. They were apparently commonly buried in large tombs - amazing that they still exist 2000 years later!

Someone in West Mexico was really into making adorable dog pots... about 2000 years ago (100 BC-300 AD). I would put one of these guys in my house for sure!

So cute! Look at their little smiles.

There was a lot to look at, obviously most of which is poorly represented by a photo through glass. But I highly recommend going to see the collection if you’re ever in Tucson!

I finished the evening off with a stop at El Charro, apparently an old Tucson classic. I ensconced myself in a corner table and entreated my waiter to get me “whatever enchiladas are best”. He very kindly and considerately responded by giving me a plate of possibly the best enchiladas I’ve ever had in my life. El Charro specializes in carne seca, a type of marinated beef that’s dried in the sun for a few days before being shredded and fried up with onions, tomatoes, and chiles. And you know what, it’s incredible. I had it topped with a poblano-cilantro crema, accompanied by a side of refried beans.

To be honest, I think I might crave those enchiladas for the rest of my life. I kind of hate it when that happens. But boy were they good.

Stuffed to the brim, I waddled back to Jane and we took off for home base. It’s our last night staying in Tucson – tomorrow we’ll head up to the Phoenix area!

Until then, Kelly signing out.