Tanque Verde Canyon

Tucson/Lazydays KOA
Tucson, AZ
March 10, 2016

March is certainly flying by.  Last week we found ourselves homeless for a day.  Belle was getting her oil changed and I got a much needed new washer/dryer.  The weather cooperated as we hunkered down in the x-pen with the pups under the orange tree we thought had a pleasant smell.  









We are not so fond of the smell now!  Joe and I  suffered horrible sinus headaches for three days as a result. 



Other days this month have been spent with appointments for me.  It is a relief to get those dreaded doctor visits done and I only have one more left next week.  Yippee! 

 Today was our first free day to get out and hike.  So it was off to Tanque Verde Canyon.  Tanque Verde began as a small community settled by ranchers in the 1860s.  The name of the area, which means "green tank" is reference to the algae in a large and prominent stock water tank used for cattle in the late 19th century. 

It's not a very long hike, but one filled with lots of punch.  Switchbacks that carry you to the canyon floor also carry you back to the parking lot.  The trail is just wide enough to keep you from getting scratched by the thick growth of the desert garden you walk through.  

  
As you wind your way to the Tanque Verde River, the views are amazing.

Looking towards the city...

The first view of the river...

And the opposite canyon wall...

 Then there is all the beauty right in front of me...

Once at the canyon floor, you are on your own if you want to continue to the waterfalls.  There are a lot of boulders to climb over and play on as you make your way up canyon.  Pools were knee deep or more and waterfalls were plentiful today.   

 Boulders are huge...a sample of what we climbed over.

 A little piece of desert paradise...

We could hear the sound of rushing water ahead...a great motivation to continue.

After a lot of scrambling, there it was...the lower falls.  We stopped here, but there is another (much bigger) waterfall further up the canyon.  












As we walked back to the trail I noticed a cool reflection in the water. 

What a great morning.   

This past week-end we had some high winds and storms.  

But nothing like Ronnie and Carol had at Pismo Beach, CA.  Carol sent us the following pictures...

Thank goodness no one was hurt. Carol and Ronnie's MH did not get any damage.







And Sally wanted me to mention she got a  haircut and nails clipped (actually all three pups did).  Joe even dropped me off at VerVe for a morning at the salon too. The girls are looking good !



Until next time, take care and...

HAPPY TRAILS!

Tucson Mountain Park

Tucson/Lazydays KOA
Tucson, AZ
February 25, 2016

We have enjoyed some incredible weather the past few days...just perfect for hiking the Tucson Mountain Park.  The trails are close by and rarely do we ever see anyone else. John and Pam (ohtheplacestheygo.wordpress.com), who will be heading north soon, have mastered these trails so what a treat to join them one more time.  The older section of the Tucson Mt. Park has miles of trails that intersect and NO signage unlike the new Robles Pass Section which is well marked. It's a good thing Google maps has all the details. 

John and Pam checking the trail directions...

With that said, Joe and I followed the leader, enjoyed John and Pam's company and were once again  awed by the surrounding beauty. 

Segments of jumping cholla cover the ground...

I love the way the sunlight adds a glow to these cholla (pronounced choy-a).  These are called Teddy Bear cholla because they resemble fuzzy arms and legs of a teddy bear.  But don't let the name fool you.  They might just be the most feared/respected cacti in the desert.  
This cholla is also referred to as a jumping cholla.  The segmented joints of this cholla separate from the plant when brushed up against.     
















Another cholla we see often is the Chain-Fruit Cholla.

It can grow to about 15 feet tall making it the largest of the chollas.  New fruit is added to the fruit from previous seasons creating a chain.

And another familiar variety here is the 
Staghorn cholla with a very close cousin called the Buckhorn.  The main difference that I could find is that the Stag tends to have more of a purple tint.  Another significant difference is that the fruit of the Stag is fleshy and spineless and remains attached to the plant throughout the winter.

The fruit from last year is quite showy on the Staghorn Cholla.

 One last cholla worth mentioning is the Christmas Cholla.  The spines on this cholla are different as only one very long spine is produced by each areole instead of a cluster.

Small fruits are bright red and last through the winter, hence the name Christmas.

 According to DesertUSA (desertusa.com) there are more than 20 species of Cholla cactus in the North American Desert. 
There are many benefits from these amazing plants including providing homes and foods for wildlife. 

It looks like the saguaro will be blooming soon...

 ...and we saw a prickly pear growing in a saguaro.

 It was another great day in the desert with friends...

...and we were not the only ones enjoying the beautiful weather.  We saw a lizard... 

 ...and a Bull snake enjoying the warm sunshine too!

 Until next time...

happy days and happy trails!