Tonelli's Travels

Continuing west across the desert brought a new sight, magnificent, tall Saguaro cacti. Standing erect, sometimes reaching 50 feet into the air, these plants can live for up to 200 years. They understand the importance of time, of slow steady growth, not blooming until 35 years of life and not sprouting arms until at least 50. But when they do, they form all types of intricate shapes, stretching up, lowering down, and twisting around. 

I met Bryan at the east side of the park and we drove admiringly around the scenic loop. The desert may have little shade, be hot and dusty, but it is anything but lifeless. Among the Saguaro forest are spiny Ocotillo with brilliant red flowers, fuzzy looking Cholla cacti that have protective needles, Prickly Pears donning flowers of various yellows and pinks, and vibrant Palo Verde trees providing protection for young plants. Desert life shows how resiliency and adaptation can create life.

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After our drive we settled on a plan for the next day, a long hike to Rincon Peak, and headed over to our camping spot. A little ways down a dirt road we found a peaceful place and settled in for the night. For me, that meant dinner and a shower. For Bryan, hunting for more rattlesnakes. And find one he did! Another set of awesome shots thanks to help from my trusty hiking pole (that is now in the dumpster) and his mission was accomplished. The night ended more calmly with some star watching and early to bed. 

Our hike the next morning started at 6AM, down a long and bumpy dirt road to the backside of Saguaro National Park. With 8 miles and 4,600 feet of elevation gain ahead of us, we needed all the time we could get.  This was about me to my new longest and highest climb, challenging my limits and proving to myself that I can do hard things. 

The trail started out easy enough, winding through flat cattle pastures. Then we hit the park, and the ascent began. Quickly we climbed up the side of the mountain, switchback after switchback, around and over rocks. Just an hour in and we looked back to find the car, a tiny dot in the distance. The morning was still cool though, the sun still rising, and the distant mountain views inspired us to keep going.

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As we climbed, the desert changed into sparse forest and pine trees gathered around us. While they provided shade, they also brought flies and gnats, incessantly buzzing around our heads. Now this was our motivation to keep moving! The path levels out temporarily, passing through a valley, and we picked up speed to get through. Soon enough though we were climbing again, the brief break over. 

The forest covering continued, as did the bugs, and the climb go steeper. Switchbacks became shorter, more vertical, and at times almost like crawling. The loose, dry soil beneath our feet made many steps a challenge. Roots, trees, and nearby rocks providing support and grip as we continued upward. 

Many times I thought we had to be close, that looks like the peak. But alas no, 8 miles and 4,600 feet is long. My breaks became more frequent, my speed slower, but my motivation lingered. Bryan led the way, giving me something to chase after, to encourage me to keep stepping forward, one foot at a time. 

Then, finally, after one last scramble over rocks, the summit appeared before us. Rocky and wide open, a panoramic view of Arizona spread before us. A slight breeze greeted us and we settled in to rest and relish our accomplishment!

Sitting there, soaking in the wonders of Mother Nature, Bryan and I reflected on our new found friendship and how grateful we were for meeting at Guadalupe Peak. Among many things, Bryan reminded me that an adventurous spirit lies within me. I enjoy pushing limits, developing new skills, proving to myself that I can accomplish physically challenging things. I’ve often shied away in the past, afraid or not knowing where to start or not having someone to go with, but I won’t any more. I can do it by myself and seek out groups to join. No more quieting certain parts of my identity.

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*Photo credits to Bryan Jauch

A long rest and heart filling chat later, we departed the solitude Rincon Peak for the descent to the car. Never let anyone tell you going down is easier than going up. It isn’t, it’s just different challenging. And often seems to take way longer than anticipated because you are so tired!

Slowly but surely we went down, down, down, accompanied by a few wild turkeys gobbling in the distance, a deer here and there, and many, many bugs. Music helped drown out the annoying bugs until we escaped the forest and a gentle breeze gave us some relief. Down, down, down we continued, weaving back and forth across the switchbacks. Many miles later the car came into view, but was still just a speck in the distance. 

We knew we were close when we encountered the fence, marking the border of Saguaro National Park, and then the cow ploppings signifying we were back in the pasture. We passed a few skiddish cows and kept pressing forward through the sandy soil, longing for water and rest. That last mile and a half seemed like 10, but eventually we emerged, tired, hot, and proud.  New milestones reached. 

After the drive back we enjoyed much earned ice cubes in the shade of Sunny and marveled at our accomplishment. Bryan headed out for the night and the next leg of his journey and I enjoyed a much earned shower and cold dinner. It was sad to be alone again, hard to say goodbye to a wonderful friend, and worth all of it for the connection we made in such a short period of time. I look forward to a reunion with Bryan, Natasha, and Crystal at some point down the road. 

The following day, after a luxurious sleep and an early morning FaceTime chat with Crystal, I headed to Saguaro West to check out some more cacti. Most of the day was spent in the car, legs tired and body sore, but a little movement was good. 

Errands and chats with friends back home wrapped up my day and I settled in for another beautiful sunset in the desert, another day on the horizon. 

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