#21 Hiked Wild Burro Canyon

I joined friends GT & PT for a nice hike today up the Wild Burro Canyon and Alamo Spring trails in NE Tucson Metro (about 8.5 miles roundtrip). Palo Verde, cholla, prickly pear, hedgehog, ocotillo were all still blooming and the saguaros were just starting to bloom -- most were still getting buds ready to bloom. The above picture shows a palo verde tree still in a bright yellow bloom.

I guess I'm still working the bugs out of the new camera... We ran into several of the above insects roaming around in the sandy wash. I don't believe I've ever seen these before... Anyone have any idea what they are? Update: It is an Iron Cross Blister Beatle -- not one to handle or eat. For some more info check out notes on it at the Firefly Forest.

The ocotillo up here were putting on quite a show. Most of the ocotillo were leafless -- but just a little bit of rain and these sticks will be covered with fresh green leaves in a few days, only to drop them again shortly after the soil drys out again.

Which way? Oh, ok, thank you kindly Mr. Saguaro.

This low hanging saguaro arm is really budding out getting ready for the bloom!

Orange cholla flowers

We ran into a bunch of these poppy'ish looking flowers along the trail. Very pretty and really stood out against the other ground cover. [Update: grannyj has identified this as a "Mariposa Lily"]

When I uploaded this picture from my camera I did a double-take... This looks like one of those camera or photoshop special effects where you emphasize one color and drop out the rest. But no no no... I assure you this is a full color picture and the cholla really was that drab and its one flower really stands out this much!

Here is a closer shot of the cholla flower shown in the previous picture.

I really like purple thistles. I usually see bumble bees on patches like this one, no such today.

Here's GT & PT headed on down the Alamo Spring Trail and back to the car, shade, water, and food! It was starting to get hot out -- Tucson hit the low 90's today -- time to start thinking about heading to the high ground in the surrounding pines for summer hikes.

Ran into this rowdy bunch on the hike out. Not sure if they were giving us a hard time for thinking it was getting hot... Then again, they may have just been watching the game on a secluded TV stashed behind the bolder.

back on the campaign trail...

So I'm hiking off trail northeast of Honeybee Canyon with friends Gregg and Pat today, enjoying the solitude and being away from the Nevada Caucuses election news coverage, and suddenly we run into the saguaro to the right...

Yet another presidential candidate giving a stump speech to anyone who would listen -- You know the pose: arms outstretched, mouth wide open, like-minded supporters carefully planted in the background, at home in an environment full of hot air.

Yes, we had inadvertently stumbled upon the campaign trail...

We didn't stay for the whole event, but long enough to hear:

• "Green? My opponents are calling me green? My roots are intertwined in the very bedrock of America. No one has a grasp of the country like I do."



• "Arms reduction? Who said that? Now that's just not funny!"

• "Seriously, we've got to do something about the coyotes. Installation of fire hydrants is a must."



• "Show a little spine? I'm showing nothing but spines!"

• "Yes, I know I've been accused of having a holier than thou attitude. You try dealing with the woodpeckers. Besides, they need a home. I'm proud of my support for the homeless."



• "What's my taxon? Thanks for asking. My friends call me Carnegia gigantea."



• "Sure I got myself into a rock, but if I get out of a rock now, I'll lose my support base."



• "I hold the bush on my far right responsible for that."



• "Who's that heckler standing over there with all the bad puns?"

Taking the hint, we continued along the campaign trail, carefully watching our step -- this is cattle country after all...

To wave or not to wave?

I took a quick 3.5 mile loop hike in Saguaro National Park this afternoon and ran into one of those embarassing Sonoran desert moments...

As I came around a bend in the trail, I looked up to see this saguaro waving at me. At least I think it was waving at me, but I sure didn't recognize it. So, what to do? If I wave back, I'll look foolish if it turns out to be waving at someone behind me... If I turn around to check, I'll look foolish if it turns out we've met before... What to do? ...I took the coward's way out and pulled out my camera, smiled back, snapped a picture, and moved on down the trail.


It felt good to get out on a trail for the first time this year, even for this short hike. I've been recovering from my broken wrist from a few months back and have just been doing treadmill stuff lately. Nice to step back out onto the planet.


Quite a few people out day hiking today. I also ran into two different sets of horseback riders, including the group that was being waved at...