East Section of Saguaro National Park (Rincon Mountains) and Sabino Canyon Trolley Tour and Walk

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonoran_Desert

Jackie and Nick, friends from Kincardine who have a place here in Voyager, took us on a tour the other day of the Sonoron Desert East and Sabino Canyon.  The Sonoron Desert is the ONLY place where the famous Saguaro (sworrow) cactus grows.  It is reminiscent of the old Western movies of course.  It is an incredible sight to see so many of them but apparently this is nothing compared to their numbers a few years ago.  It was thought they might even become extinct, due to weather conditions but they have survived and seem to be reproducing.  They are full of holes.  Wrens make homes in them and when they vacate elf owls take over.  It takes 40 years of growth before they flower and 70 years before an arm is produced!  So that tells me the ones with lots of arms are quite old!  Once they die the innards that are exposed look like driftwood with strangely shaped holes.  It is like they are inside out with soft tissue on the outside.

Sabino Canyon is in the Santa Catalina Mountains near Tucson and it is beautiful.  There are "Santa" mountains all around!  (how Christmassy)

We took a trolley tour up and learned lots from out tour guide Frank.  What do you get when you cross Yogi Bear with Mr. Rogers?  Frank!  He had a sing-song voice that reminded Jackie of the speech pattern of Yogi Bear but his quiet and gentle way of speaking reminded me of Mr. Rogers.  I am not sure if that was his real way of speaking but it was entertaining for sure.  I suspect it broke the monotony for him of repeating the same thing day after day.  Maybe he changes his tune depending on his mood?

We walked down the road and enjoyed the scenery even more.  It was an unusual combination of fall colours, boulders and mountains and desert vegetation.  John and I will go back and do some of the off road hikes in the new year.