Day 3: Saguaros, Sunburns, and Questionable Camera Decisions
I woke up just before 5:00 this morning, but thanks to the time difference it felt like sleeping in. We started the day slowly on our little patio at the Joshua Tree House. I had a cup of prickly pear tea while Alex drank black coffee. I miss coffee. A lot. We also finished off the tacos we’d brought back from El Charro the night before while watching the sun come up over the desert. Not a bad way to start a day.
Our original plan was to stop by the visitor center at Saguaro National Park before hiking, but when we got there they weren’t open yet. We ended up buying a seven day vehicle pass because we thought we needed something displayed in the truck. Later we found out our America the Beautiful pass would have worked just fine and we just needed to have it with us. Apparently you’re not really supposed to leave anything in your vehicle. Oh well. We’ll call it a donation to the park.
From there we headed out on the Sendero Esperanza Trail toward Wasson Peak. The hike ended up being right around eight miles round trip, and it was absolutely beautiful.
When we started just after sunrise, most of the cactus flowers were still closed. As the morning went on, we got to watch them gradually open up. By the time we reached the peak, the desert looked completely different than it had when we started. I love the way saguaros wear a crown of flowers. The early morning light was incredible too. The long shadows stretching across the desert made everything feel dramatic. I took far more photos on the way up than I did on the way down because the light was just so much better. I also completely fell in love with the palo verde trees. Their green bark almost glows in the morning sun. Honestly, I think everything out here is beautiful.
At some point yesterday I introduced Alex to the Seek app, which identifies plants and wildlife. He became our designated plant expert for the day. I stopped looking things up myself because he’d identify something and then spend the next few minutes telling me everything he learned about it. He was having a great time and that allowed me to focus on take more photos.
One of the nicest parts of the hike was how quiet it was. We didn’t see another person until we were getting close to the peak and they had used a different trail to get there. On the way back down we passed a few hikers, but for most of the morning it felt like we had the mountain to ourselves. I’m sure it gets busier later in the day and probably much busier on weekends, but starting at sunrise definitely paid off.
Our biggest mistake of the day was sunscreen. Or rather, the complete lack of sunscreen. I had put some on my face during my morning routine, but somehow we both assumed the other person had packed the sunscreen. By the time we figured that out, the damage had already been done. Even though we finished the hike around 11:00 a.m., we both managed to get pretty thoroughly roasted. In our defense, we spent nearly five hours on the trail because we stopped every few minutes to take photos. I regret nothing.
The farther we climbed, the more the flowers opened. Hummingbirds appeared everywhere, darting between blossoms. Some of the blooming cactus we surrounded by bees and it made me so happy to see. We also saw several tarantula hawks. After looking them up later, I’m very happy none of them decided to sting us. The ones we saw were actually beautiful with metallic blue bodies with bright orange wings. Later, when we visited the visitor center, we saw preserved specimens and they weren’t nearly as impressive as the living ones.
We also discovered a cactus called Graham’s nipple. As soon as I learned that was a real cactus name, I immediately thought of Fallout 76. I promise the free Fallout inspired painting I’m planning for this trip will not feature Graham the Super Mutant with cactus nipples. No promises beyond that.
Today was also the first time I’ve seen crested saguaros in person. They’re so fascinating. They look like somebody melted the top of the cactus and let it harden into a wave. I’ve seen photos before, but seeing one in real life is entirely different.
Speaking of things that didn’t go according to plan, my film cameras have officially entered the “we’ll see what happens” stage. I discovered that one of my 35mm cameras wasn’t loaded correctly. I fixed it, but then started having trouble advancing the film. My second 35mm camera decided to act like the brand new batteries I put in it were already dead. At this point I think the universe is trying to tell me it’s time to buy different film cameras. The rolls that come back from this trip may contain masterpieces or absolutely nothing. It’ll be a surprise for all of us.
After finishing the hike, we drove over to Signal Hill to see the petroglyphs. I’d never seen petroglyphs in person before. It was incredible standing there looking at artwork that has survived for centuries. A few of the designs immediately started giving me ideas for future paintings.
Once we got back to the Joshua Tree House, I took another much needed shower and grabbed a few more self portraits in the room and private patio. Then I spent some time at the pool. The water was actually a really comfortable temperature, but because I was sunburned it felt much colder than it probably was. I only stayed in for about half an hour, but the pool itself is gorgeous. It looks less like a swimming pool and more like a natural desert rock formation. I cannot stress enough how much I love this property.
For a late lunch and early dinner, we headed over to Bashful Bandit Barbecue. We both ordered brisket. Now, our friend Steve is a competition brisket smoker, so restaurant brisket is always fighting an uphill battle with me. That said, it was excellent. Better than most restaurant brisket I’ve had in Texas, and I generally prefer Texas barbecue over barbecue from anywhere else. I’d absolutely eat there again.
At this point I’m struggling to keep my eyes open while Alex streams Bonanza.
Good night y’all,
MERC