The drive from Las Cruces to Oceanside was too great to make in one day, so we camped one night in the stunning Saguaro National Park outside Tucson, AZ.
We initially didn’t get the pronunciation correct. Sa Gar O isn’t right and sounds terrible with my nasally midwestern accent. Suh Waa Row. It’s a nice word, give a try. I bet you like it too.
We camped at Gilbert Ray campground and were in awe at the size and the sheer number of Saguaro cacti. Cactus? Cactuses? Not sure. Not Googling. Just going with it.
Saguaro National Park
Learning our lesson from the long Marfa day, we didn’t spend as much time at Saguaro National Park as we would have liked. However, we were able to get two small hikes in before heading to California – Mica Valley and Signal Hill to see Petroglyphs. If nothing else, drive the loop and see the cacti (I bet that’s it), they’re as otherworldly as the White Sands of NM.
The Story of the Lost Saguaro Cactus
We had fun pretending that the Saguaro Cacti were waving hello to each other. Some where giving high fives. Other’s dancing the robot. We took the humanness and told a story:
Once upon a time, a Saguaro Cactus woke up in an usual land. She didn’t know where she was or how she got there but, towering over a prickly pear, she knew she was lost.
Hello! She said waving her gigantic arm at the small round cactus tucked under a desert bush. Can you tell me where I am?
Big Bend! Southern Texas! said the tiny cactus in a small but enthusiastic voice. I’ve never seen someone like you!
And then we continued the story of the Saguaro’s journey home. She met coyote, birds made hotels in her massive trunk, crossing highways without any feet was a unique challenge, and eventually she made it back to her home.
The Bass Note Journey 