I've been exploring down by the US/Mexico border area south of Tucson for years. This winter I've been down there 6-8 times, mostly west of Nogales, sometimes over by Bisbee and Sierra Vista. As spring progressed into summer, the drive from Tucson south on I-19 got to be almost like driving through an area that was burned. It has been so dry, few of the Mesquites had any leaves and the ground was bare of weeds and grasses. The Mesquites even looked blackened in the sun.
In all my hiking this winter and spring I saw maybe six wildflowers. The vast majority of oaks between Nogales and Arivaca leafless. Tanks for cattle were dry.
In July we did get some rains. Usually the only rain I count is what falls in my yard; but over the entire area significant rains happened. I think the NOAA just said Tucson set a record for rainfall this July, and there is still a day remaining. Needless to say, we're excited.
On this Monday past, the 26th, Lawnmower Man and I went hiking in the Santa Catalina's and found water running all over. We hiked high on the Green Mountain Trail, and heard water almost the entire hike. Saw lots of wildflowers, had to hop across a couple of streams. Looking east the San Pedro watershed had green all over it.
On Tuesday, I drove with a friend south to Nogales, AZ, then east over the southern end of the Patagonia Mtns on FR 61 to Lochiel, then north along the Montezuma Canyon Road to Parker Canyon Lake, on through Canelo and Sonoita to I-10 and home.
All the way as we headed south from Tucson the Mesquites were fully leafed out, the ground covered with grasses and weeds. It looked like poppies covered the low ground but we were at I-19 speeds. What a sight. Between Nogales and the Patagonia Mtns grasses were knee high and you couldn't see the ground. We saw prickly poppies three feet tall, pig weed half that and trying to catch up. East of the Patagonia Mtns the cattle had eaten so much they were mostly laying down, looking happy.
We had lunch in a campsite above Parker Canyon Lake and luxuriated in green. Green, green, green, what a treat.
it is my first post, and I don't have pictures. Seeing all the dry and blackened looking Mesquites didn't inspire any over the winter and spring. I did take my little camera on Tuesday, but never used it, so you folks will have to imagine your own shade of green with happy cows.
We're so excited we're not even complaining about the mosquitoes the rain brought.
In all my hiking this winter and spring I saw maybe six wildflowers. The vast majority of oaks between Nogales and Arivaca leafless. Tanks for cattle were dry.
In July we did get some rains. Usually the only rain I count is what falls in my yard; but over the entire area significant rains happened. I think the NOAA just said Tucson set a record for rainfall this July, and there is still a day remaining. Needless to say, we're excited.
On this Monday past, the 26th, Lawnmower Man and I went hiking in the Santa Catalina's and found water running all over. We hiked high on the Green Mountain Trail, and heard water almost the entire hike. Saw lots of wildflowers, had to hop across a couple of streams. Looking east the San Pedro watershed had green all over it.
On Tuesday, I drove with a friend south to Nogales, AZ, then east over the southern end of the Patagonia Mtns on FR 61 to Lochiel, then north along the Montezuma Canyon Road to Parker Canyon Lake, on through Canelo and Sonoita to I-10 and home.
All the way as we headed south from Tucson the Mesquites were fully leafed out, the ground covered with grasses and weeds. It looked like poppies covered the low ground but we were at I-19 speeds. What a sight. Between Nogales and the Patagonia Mtns grasses were knee high and you couldn't see the ground. We saw prickly poppies three feet tall, pig weed half that and trying to catch up. East of the Patagonia Mtns the cattle had eaten so much they were mostly laying down, looking happy.
We had lunch in a campsite above Parker Canyon Lake and luxuriated in green. Green, green, green, what a treat.
it is my first post, and I don't have pictures. Seeing all the dry and blackened looking Mesquites didn't inspire any over the winter and spring. I did take my little camera on Tuesday, but never used it, so you folks will have to imagine your own shade of green with happy cows.
We're so excited we're not even complaining about the mosquitoes the rain brought.
