MESA, CO-VID STYLE

September – December, 2020

We found wisdom early on in the horror of the pandemic and delayed our trip to the Pacific Northwest until the summer of 2021.

It’s been a while since this journal has been updated with our further adventures. The last several blogs documented our successful summer anchored in Williams, Arizona. Amazing to think of all the hikes accomplished in Williams, Flagstaff and Sedona. We biked in Williams, Flagstaff and at the Grand Canyon. We learned to play disc golf. Amazing to remember our visits to Great Basin, Channel Islands and Death Valley National Parks, and our re-visits to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, and Petrified Forest and Painted Desert National Parks. What fun feeding the donkeys of Oatman, seeing snakes, osprey, and heron, taking a jet boat trip from Laughlin to Lake Havasu, seeing our friends Tom and Kelley in a deserted Las Vegas, wine tasting in Cottonwood, and spending a little time in Holbrook, Prescott, Payson and Show Low. Anchoring in Williams also allowed Brian time to rehab his surgically repaired quadriceps tendon working with a fabulous PT Group in Flagstaff. Everyday was full. But all summer long we wished we could get Aimee back on the open road.

By late-September we were ready for our return to Valle del Oro Resort. Yes, it was still over 100 degrees fahrenheit in Mesa until the middle of October (can you say record setting number of days over 100 degrees, can you say record drought?). And yes, we were contracted as workampers for another winter season at the resort. But then throw in pickleball, table tennis, softball, water volleyball, time in the sewing room, bocce ball, renewing friendships from last season, making new friends, and an occasionally happy hour within our safe group and the Fall has gone by very quickly.

This Fall we got our nature on with hikes at Silly Mountain Park and the 40th Street Long Loop and a return trip to the Desert Botanical Garden. A second journey to ZooLights and WonderSpaces was on our agenda, and we were negligent at chasing after the murals of Phoenix the last time we were here. We’ll save on reporting on those events for subsequent blogs.

Silly Mountain Park is only about 6 miles east of our campground (Resort, please!) in Mesa. Officially part of the city of Apache Junction parks and rec, the hike is a 2.2 mile loop with a slight 500 foot elevation gain. There are 4 named trails that are only fairly well marked, but they are groomed and it was easy to follow in the footsteps of the many who had been here before us over the years. It was a gloriously beautiful day and we felt wonderful to be out and about hiking in the desert…the views definitely reminded us of how desolate this “neck of the woods” is when not in a more gentrified urban area.

We blogged about the Desert Botanical Garden during our ’19-’20 winter stay. As a reminder we were so enamored by our 1-day stroll through the property that we converted the day pass to an annual membership. With the limitations of the pandemic our annual membership was extended for 6 additional months…guess there is sometimes a sliver lining even in the worst of circumstances. A return visit was definitely in order. We were impressed with the Garden’s enforcement of co-vid safety rules, and enthralled with the comprehensive and cleverly organized display of desert plants once again.

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We started the day aiming to hike to the summit of Phoenix’s iconic Camelback Mountain for the quintessential view of The Valley of the Sun. Hikers have the choice of 2 trails; the immediately and severely steep climb and scurry over slick rock difficult and breath depriving 1 1/2 mile hike that begins at the Camelback Mountain trailhead parking lot -or- the more moderate 1 1/4 mile and 1/2 mile of steep hell Cholla Trail hike that requires street parking, and a quick city sidewalk 1/4-1/2 mile walk to the trailhead. The Cholla Trail which was obviously our #1 choice was closed, and the parking lot for the main trail was full – no more hikers allowed. Bad planning on our part; however and with a little stumbling around we found the 40th Street Long Loop Trailhead (thank you Barbara and Google).

The 40th Street Long Loop is an 8.2 mile hiking trail that starts out relatively flat, but depending on the route taken may stay easy or become moderately challenging. While ideal for hiking, the trails are also used by mountain bike enthusiasts. Social distance is easy to keep in the desert. So off we went for what we expected to be a most pleasant hike….

…have you ever heard the legend of the jumping cholla? Us neither, but turns out that it’s not a legend at all. Dig this: some types of cholla cactus will purposely shed their pads (kinda like a limb) and when animals (read: humans) come near the pod it attaches itself (jumps onto) to this convenient transportation in order to spread its seeds “far and wide.” According to several websites including gardenguides.com: “The plant has pads that separate easily from the main stem. The pad’s spines easily attach to your clothing, your skin, your shoes. Since the plant is covered with spines, it’s difficult to grab and dislodge the pod that has found a new home with you. Unlike other varieties of cacti with solid spines, jumping cholla’s actually have hollow spines. Because they are hollow they can easily attach to whatever they touch with their needle like sharpness. If there is moisture, such as with skin, the tips actually curve once they have made contact, locking their spines in place just underneath the skins top layer (!!)” Ask us why we care or how Brian knows these facts. Or is it obvious by now?

While hiking Brian spied a cholla with an incredibly dark red flower and wanted to take a picture.

And in the process of backing away from the vicious aggressive nasty little booger, a pod attached itself to Brian’s ankle and another to the tip of his shoe. He could actually feel the spines pulling deeper and deeper through his sock and into his flesh. What to do? Can’t grab the thing, it’s more than a mile back to the car and walking was painful, and the spines are embedding themselves for the long haul! Down he sat, removed his shoe, and then pulled the sock away from his ankle dislodging the pod, but leaving a dozen or so spines behind, which after another 5 minutes were pulled out one by one. By now Barbara had removed the disagreeable and abominable little spud from his sock…sock and shoe went back on and the hike was continued. Sorry no pictures – honestly it was a painful encounter with one of Mother Nature’s creatures, and the concern was, well, getting the darn thing out of Brian’s ankle.

It’s astonishing to think that a few miles away from urban and suburban hustle and bustle an expansive desolate and beautiful desert exists. Let’s think about this though: should humans and our ancillary complications evacuate the area for perhaps a generation, the desert environ that has been simply waiting will take back that which is rightfully its. Could be interesting…

Barbara and Brian