Saguaro National Forest

December 16

You know the type of cactus that is reminiscent of an old western?  The really tall straight ones with a couple of arms?  Well, these are called saguaros and there is a whole national forest dedicated to them! (nps.gov/saguaro)  Turns out they're more interesting then one would think!

The park is divided into two sections; on the western edge of town at the base of the Tucson Mountains, and the eastern side, at the base of the Rincon Mountains.  Moon's Handbook of Arizona, says if you're only going to one, pick the east side, so we did.

The drive through is an 8-mile loop that is relatively deserted on this mid-December day. We learn that this cactus springs up under a mesquite tree and that it only grows to about a foot in its first 15 years and it takes at least 75 years to grow an "arm".  These plants can live over 200 years and it's very interesting to look closely at a dead one.  Under their cactus exterior, there is a kind of skeletal system that is hard as bone.

There are a lot of other types of cactus, most of them, frankly, more attractive than the saguaro. The small oval-paddled cactus in the foreground is called a prickly pear.  It's spring blossom is picked as an ingredient for many foods.  I buy a prickly pear jelly that is really tasty.

A number of varities are sporting types of blossoms.  But I've been told the spring is the time to come when the park is in full bloom and very colorful. Saw a falcon....but the only other "wild life" we saw were numerous chipmunks.  Would've like to have seen something more exotic, but must admit the bear sighting signs all over made me a bit nervous!

We were having a grand ol' time when we hear a very, very strange sound from under Jessie's (our Jeep) hood.  It's like from an old movie...out in the middle of the desert, no one around, and the water boiling over!  The difference, we have cell phones!  Rick calls a Jeep dealer, we let the car cool down and limp into the service center.  The repair to the fan is too expensive to merit being fixed.  Looks like we're going to have a big red bow in our driveway for Christmas!

We're leaving for Indio in the morning, but want to try a restaurant in a book called Road Food by Jane and Michael Stern.  El Torero (no website) is in South Tucson, light years away from the fancy downtown restaurants.  It is nearly impossible to find, set back on E. 26th Street near 4th Ave....but keep looking, it's a real treat. 

It's definitely a locals' restaurant, simple, festooned with Mexican ornamentation.  We're kind of surprised it's owned by non-Mexican man, Brad Hultquist, who took it over from his aunt in the 70's.  He joins our table periodically over the course of our dinner and is a grand storyteller.  And the food is terrific.

We start with a small Loca Crisp which is a perfect thin crust Mexican pizza with everything you might imagine with the addition of a wonderful dried beef ....the small is huge and could've been our whole dinner, but we want to try more of their authentic offerings.  I have the Shrimp Platter Vera Cruz Style. The shrimp is perfectly cooked with a tasty red, mildly spicy sauce that includes whole green olives.  I'm not a green olive fan, but it is a perfect counterpoint to other ingredients.  Rick loves his platter of three different kinds of tacos.  Of course all the food is served with the obligatory beans and rice....and then they bring a complimentary enchillada!  We love every morsel and our conversation with Brad.  Half the food comes home with us to live another day!

Heading to the desert early in the morning..tired of being cold...hoping for flip-flops in my near future!