Lessons of a Saguaro

A poem by Chicory

In my prime I grew to be
As tall as a small cottonwood tree
I rose up slowly towards the sky  Grander than all other cacti

As I aged, my family grew
A brother, sister, niece, and nephew
Soon I had children, and grandkids too
My arms were many, my troubles few

A couple of sparrows made a nest in me
They bored out holes in my tough body
I offered shade, protection from enemy
And those birds also started a family

Perched on a hill with open views all around
I never longed to see a town
I kept watch over the Sonoran country
King of the desert, that was me

As with all things, time took its toll,
Slowly each of my limbs sagged low
My family left me one by one
Until once again, I was all alone

My trunk became a hollow shell
And one day to the earth, my body fell
After a century and a half, this must be the end
I had more years than most are given

Then one day a rancher found my corpse
And put me on the back of his horse
He took me home to his workshop
Restored my bones to stop the rot

Sanded and polished, I now shone
My savior placed me in the front of his home
Admired again by all who saw me
I now held coats for my new family

Once the rancher’s young son was admiring me
“As tall as that saguaro was, I want to be!
Then I could climb the old oak tree
And I could do whatever I please.”

The rancher said “Son, let me tell you a story
About this saguaro in its former glory
See, the earth he stood on was part of our land
And as a child I learned from his stand

While it’s not bad to wish to be tall
Be the most humble of them all
Show love and kindness to all you meet
Share your gifts with those in need

A better role model you won’t find
Than in the strength of this cactus spine
Whatever you learn, wherever you go
Remember the lessons of the saguaro.”

 

Southern surprises

Undulating hills covered in golden grasses and mesquite trees. Vast expanses of low desert dotted with prickly pear cacti and blooming wildflowers. Steep climbs into sky islands covered with thick pine forests. Huge granite boulders, loose rocky descents, beautiful rushing streams, brilliant sunrises and sunsets.
Can you believe we’ve seen all this just in southern Arizona? This trail has it all! We’ve all been amazed at the diversity of the landscapes that we’ve already walked through.

The Arizona trail is an incredible experience. We’ve hiked 200 miles, so we’re already a quarter of the way through the trail! We made it to the town of Oracle and are taking time for some much needed rest and relaxation. 
The Dads are doing great, despite going through some of the usual pains of thruhiking- dealing with hot days, blisters, stiff and sore bodies, and occasionally getting lost. It’s been really fun for HoHo and I to share our passion of thruhiking with them, teaching them all the tricks and tips we’ve accumulated from our previous hikes. A guy who gave us a hitch into one town asked us how we all knew each other, and I responded that my boyfriend and I were hiking with both of our dads. He asked with a laugh if the dads were chaperoning us. I chuckled and said- no not really, actually quite the opposite!
Overall, the team morale is still high. My dad, Van Geaux, has suffered the most from foot trouble, but his optimism is inspiring. Today I saw his feet, and stated the obvious: “You’re going to lose that toenail.” His response was “Well, it’ll grow back!” I’m amazed by his toughness daily. I’ve found there’s a pretty tough learning curve to this sport, but once you’re over it, it’s hard not to love every minute of this lifestyle. 
Not much can prepare you for this type of journey. It can be physically exhausting to hike 15-20 miles per day, but also so much of the hike is mental. Both of our dads have two very important qualities in common which make them excellent thruhikers- stubbornness and an unshakable love for their children. 

Also on this hike, I’m picking up any trash I come across on the trail as a Groundskeeper for Granite Gear. With the increasing popularity of thruhiking comes a greater impact on the trails, so it’s more important than ever for hikers to leave no trace. The trash collection has been a team effort. The dads point out trash for me to pack out as they come across it on the trail, and HoHo helps me carry it. We’ve packed out over 30lbs already! It’s added a fun element to the hike, knowing we’re leaving things better than I found it.
More stories and updates to come! Happy trails from Aqua Pops, HoHo, Van Geaux and Chicory.