Picacho Peak and the Giant Saguaro

Casey

After a night at the Benson KOA  and with Connie all bandaged up, I headed to Tucson. I was meeting with team members and customers in downtown Tucson.

I have to say, the trip into Tucson was a bit nerve-wracking. The city is undergoing a lot of road construction, and on top of it some of the streets around the store were very narrow. But with some newfound RV skill I made it and had a great event. The team members and customers I met seemed very interested in the journey and history. I really enjoyed my time there.

Outside Tucson is Picacho Peak State Park . Unfortunately, the park was closed by the time I arrived, but the peak never closes. In fact, it has been used as a beacon for many weary travelers on their way West. From an 18th century Jesuit priest named Father Kino  to the Mormon Battalion  to the Butterfield Overland Mail Company , Picacho Peak or pass has guided travelers' ways for centuries.

Today the road that led those early travelers west is occupied by the transcontinental railroad.

The area surrounding the peak is very beautiful and typical for this part of Arizona. The Giant Saguaro Cacti  — some reaching as high as thirty feet — dot the land around the peak. If you've never seen one of these cacti, they are amazing plants that can live as long as 200 years. Their shape is candelabra-like with arms spread welcomingly outward (but watch out for those needles!), while others reach high into the sky.

It was very hot, especially since I was still in my 19th century costume, so I stood under the shade of one of those giant green fleshed candelabras. I looked out into the distance over Interstate 10 as the cars flew by and wondered how many people in them knew they were passing beside an ancient beacon. Or was the site of the towering Dairy Queen  sign on the other side of the road too much of a distraction?

When Ormsby passed this peak he himself said very little about it. His journal only mentions that the first fresh water to be found for 40 miles outside of Tucson was to be found at the pass — although thanks to some recent rain along the way, they had apparently scooped water from puddles along the road for the horses. There is no longer a station, but luckily for the I-10 traveler there's always the DQ for refreshment.

With the mail safe and sound and the peak in the rearview mirror, I headed to Phoenix and another event. I am excited because this one is taking place tomorrow at Connie's museum, and I have never visited this one before!