Hiking - Prepared to Get Wet in the Desert

Day 12 Location: Tucson, Arizona Sabino Canyon Recreation Center

Hiking is no joke when you want to go into the mountains. It is good to be prepared with extra food and water as well as not being afraid to get wet. Chad and I met his friend John and his wife Dana at Sabino Canyon Recreation Center for a hike through the mountains. Upon meeting the Meier’s, I mentally deemed myself the one in the group with the least amount of hiking experience.

Both John and Dana popped out of their car, slung their dedicated hiking backpacks on their shoulders and they strapped their hiking poles to their packs. Everything that they were wearing from John’s hat to Dana’s hiking shoes told me that this wasn’t their first rodeo and they knew what they were doing. Chad strapped on a back pack filled with water and food. I was only burdened with the clothes on my back and Chad offered to have me carry an empty backpack to help me feel useful. We all laughed and this foreshadowed the group’s humor for the rest of the day. Getting up close and personal with the cacti, Chad and I marveled at the sheer size of them. Our hike was going to lead us through a ravine that followed a creek. The destination was a giant water fall cascading down from the peaks, but to get there, our group needed to pass over water ways and maneuver through steep switchbacks. The views were unreal, the company awesome and the food we packed was delicious. The hike took 4 hours to get to the falls. We crossed over 7 water ways and hopped over rocks while pausing occasionally to rest near the creak or on the path’s rocks. The Meier’s shared their travel stories while we all laughed, joked and swapped memories. I could not have asked for better people to spend an entire day of hiking with. Only 7 short hours later, we arrived back where we started. Not yet wanting to leave, we went on another small looped hike to last another hour. John had asked Chad if he wanted to try a prickly pear cactus, so Chad went to work on trying to get to the fleshy green under the pricks. On cue, Chad pricked himself and danced around shouting while we all laughed. We are truly a supportive bunch.

Highlights of the day

• John went swimming in freezing cold water at the falls
• Dana hurdled and hopped across the creek rocks like a pro
• Chad was able to catch up with John and share stories
• I was able to see on foot plants and rocks I have never seen before
• The falls was truly a reward and we rested there to have lunch
• Sushi boats for dinner never felt or tasted so good after a long day of hiking