Six adventurous semi-strangers came together to walk 145 miles from Ottawa to Montréal. We are composed of two friends, a brother/sister-in-law, plus two others. We are bonded by smiles, laughter, and an eagerness to experience the walk.
Since Covid-19 Pandemic, all my travel plans went up in smoke. Two weeks before departing for Canada, I kept my anticipation in check. Avoiding Covid could not be taken for granted.
Coach Mark had prepared my training program for Ottawa’s Half Marathon, a perfect send-off before beginning the Ottawa-Montréal Camino. Toni joined me for days and days of walking in preparation for the Camino. I could only hope it will all come to fruition.
Tootles!
Desert life…
Here kitty, kitty….
Adaptation keeps plants alive. Creosote trees have minuet wax-like coated leaves. Even with the leaves shed during droughts, photosynthesis can still occur as the green bark is rich in chloroform.
The trunk of a Saguaro tree is pleated. During rain, water is stored in expandable pleats which actually increase the circumference of the trunk.
For the hike, I paired with another female solo walker. Imagine our surprise when we were passed by an older man, all in black, without water.
Saguaros forest. It’s like pencils poked in a giant sand.
Saguaro primer…Saguaro (suh-wah-roe) can grow 40 feet tall and often exceed 150 years. Their side arms can appear at 75 to 100-years. Sometimes no side arms form and those Saguaro are called spears. It’s native to the Sonora Desert and the blossom is Arizona’s state wildflower. A familiar image on Arizona licenses 🌵.
Iconic Camelback Mountain forms Phoenix’s backdrop. It’s quite the hike.
Half-way up the Cholla Trail is a helicopter pad. What might that be for?
