This is my motorhome in Saguaro National Park. There is not much to see in the park except thousands upon thousands of Saguaro cactuses. They are amazing! Did you know that a Saguaro doesn't even develop an arm until it's about 75 years old and that a cactus can live to be 150 years old? It's true.They grow very fast in the Tucson area, which is the location of Saguaro National Park. And they are big fellows: some grow as tall as 50 feet. They don't drink much. In a good rainstorm, a Saguaro can gulp 200 gallons of water through its roots -- enough to last a year. The fruit of the Saguaro is made into jelly and wine!
BUT BAD NEWS: Saguraros are so valuable that crooks steal them to sell for big bucks. But the cops are onto these bad dudes and are implanting tiny tracking devices into some cactuses. They take their scanner readers to places where they suspect black market cactuses might be sold, hoping to corral a copped cactus. So cactus rustlers better beware!
When I subscribed to your RSS feed, I don't think that I realized that you had a Sprinter based motorhome, let along a Winnie. We're proud owners of an 08 Navion IQ 24CL, though we're not planning any more major travels until April.
ReplyDeleteGreat picture of the motorhome in the cacti!
Mike Goad (currently at home in Arkansas)
Haw Creek Out 'n About
We spent last January and February in Tucson, and we visited both units of the park. Spectacular! (This winter we're in Ohio. The scenery so far is all snow and ice.)
ReplyDeleteI love that park. Wonderful desert plants and animals, and there are some great petroglyphs, too.
ReplyDeleteI love that park. The desert plants are beautiful, and the birds, and there are some great petroglyphs as well.
ReplyDeleteChuck, you say :"There is not much to see in the park except thousands upon thousands of Saguaro cactuses."It seems you forget Sonora Desert Museum, just at south border of the western part of the park, which is a marvel for me, with many exhibits in- and outdoors, and afriendly atmosphere.
ReplyDeleteIn addition to the AZ-Sonoran Desert Museum (as Anonymous mentioned), rated in the top 10 zoos in the world, you also have the Old Tucson Studios to visit, which is a must, especially if you like knowing about the history of the many westerns, movie and TV, that have been shot there. I've lived in Tucson for almost 30 years, and I am still amazed by the desert, and I even enjoy the summers!!
ReplyDeleteI want to buy a new unit. What is the name and make of the unit you have? Do they still make it. I have a 24 ft GM Brougham, but they are not made any more.
ReplyDeleteIt is a very neat place, however it is probably better to visit it with a smaller vehicle. The road through the park has curves, sharp dips, and is often narrow, with plant life growing close to the sides. Especially on weekends, there are a lot of joggers and bicyclists using the road. We had to come to a dead stop several times, and slow way down for the dips. It was a bit too much for even our 25 foot motorhome, towing a pickup behind it.
ReplyDeleteAnother place with almost as many Saguaros, is Interstate 8 between Casa Grande and Gila Bend. However, there aren't many places to safely pull off, and there are only a few small dirt roads off the exit ramps. So it largely has to be enjoyed by just driving through the area on the interstate.