Saguaro

I headed up Squaw Peak this morning at 6:10 thinking I would be ahead of the early birds. Not so, the trail was quite full of hikers of all ages. People were so chatty, in comparison to folks heading to work at that hour, well it was remarkable. The hike is only 1.2 miles and I thought I would be looking for another trail for after my descent. Not so, between my photo stops and the steep rocky terrain it was getting hot when I reached the bottom

The saguaro cactus blooms in the spring and these on the trail are great specimens. Some facts: can live up to 150 years; can be 70 feet tall; take 75 years to grow a sidearm; a man on the trail said it takes 10 years to grow an inch; the lovely flower that sits like a top-hat is the state flower of Arizona.

Sister progresses and I have time to noodle around. I like both of these situations!