Sabino Canyon (AZ)

We learned in early July 2012 that my dad was going in for surgery in Tucson to have a tumor removed.  He’d just lost his wife (my stepmom) in late March, but seemed to be coping well.  I wanted to head out there, but he insisted I wait a couple of weeks before visiting so that he could get some of his strength back.  I gave him a week then flew to AZ and spent a few days with him in the intensive care unit, prying him for old stories and memories, while he slowly regained some strength.  Things were looking up, so I allowed myself time for a nice morning hike in Tucson before catching a flight back home.

I had googlified Sabino Canyon as a perfect destination and hit the trail early on July 23.  The not quite colorfully named Telephone Line Trail crossed the lumpy, stickery desert, then climbed and rounded a ridge with wide open views of the canyon.  The hike became more interesting and scenic with each mile and I was two hours into it before passing another human, an older woman out for a solo jaunt.  A shuttle bus chugged along the canyon bottom ferrying others to the upper trailhead that I, too, happened to be aiming for.  Rugged mountains enclosed the picturesque canyon and lizardly wildlife skittered beneath my feet.  I continued up to a promontory for a break then followed switchbacks down to the road end.  A leisurely saunter along the narrow pavement led me along Sabino Creek and numerous opportunities to jump in and cool off, which I duly took advantage of.  Back at the trailhead, a pair of majestic saguaro cacti jutted into the clouds and demanded a photo before I zoomed off to catch my plane.