Driving home in the dark this evening, I proclaimed this a pretty perfect day. No, a perfect day, insists Rocky. What could have been better? She’s right. Perfect.
The ride plan for the day was to return to Saguaro Park, starting with a loop through the park before the day got too busy with visitors (it’s Monday, but also Martin Luther King Day) and then bike south to Colossal Caves and back. We timed it to return in late afternoon, have an early dinner on the open patio of the restaurant/bar near the park entrance, and then go back to the park in time to see the sunset. If time permitted, we’d also take a short walk in the desert while waiting for sundown.
Our timing was pretty good - perfect, in fact.
First curve-billed thrasher of the tour! A good omen for the day’s outing.
Crested saguaros are a rare but beautiful freak of nature, estimated to occur only about once in every 200,000 cacti. Multiple theories exist - genetic defect, lightning strike, or frost damage - but no consensus exists on the cause.
Bruce LellmanEvery year we have at least one branch on our cherry tree that does this exact thing. I think it's when the cells go nuts for some reason. Reply to this comment 3 years ago
Pistol Hill, with Rincon Peak behind. We’ve ridden Pistol Hill Road in both directions now. Both ways are fine, but eastbound is better for the mountain views.
On an after dinner walk in the park. We’ve just got time for a two mile loop along Javelina Wash before sunset. Beautiful this late in the day, but no javelina.
Jen RahnThat cactus is doing the shimmy!
Miles from its home in Kissimmee
It's looking so wiggly
It makes me all giggly
This cactus whose first name is Timmy Reply to this comment 3 years ago
Scott AndersonTo Bill ShaneyfeltIt’s been one of the driest on record. Fortunately we’re due to get a bit of rain in the coming days. Anxious to see what springs up afterwards. Reply to this comment 3 years ago
Scott AndersonTo Hi, Marilyn. Welcome to CycleBlaze, btw! This is the third empty comment you’ve left here, so I wonder if you’re unclear on how comments work? Let me know if you have any questions. Reply to this comment 3 years ago
marilyn swettTo Scott AndersonI think I finally got this figured out, sorry! I wanted to say that I had no idea that there were so many types of cholla. I bought a book on AZ cacti when we got home and wish I had had it with me on our trip Reply to this comment 3 years ago
Ride stats today: 38 miles, 2,500’; for the tour: 2,152 miles, 74,600’; for the year: 16 riding days, 702 miles, 20,600’, and 1 flat tire
Today's ride: 38 miles (61 km) Total: 2,005 miles (3,227 km)
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Bob DistelbergScott, I think you outdid yourself on photos today. I was going to comment on individual photos, but in the end decided that every one was amazing. Reply to this comment 3 years ago
Scott AndersonTo Bob DistelbergThanks, Bob. Such a wonderful day - I’m happy to have come away with something to help us look back on it. Reply to this comment 3 years ago
