Mt. Lemon, Tucson - March 15, 2009

Sunday we took a ride up to Mt. Lemon, 29 miles from Davis-Monthan, and is between 8 and 9 thousand feet high. Was a very scenic ride with many places to pull off and enjoy the view.

The Saguaro Cactus, the state flower of Arizona, is composed of a tall, thick, fluted, columnar stem, 18 to 24 inches in diameter, often with several large branches (arms) curving upward in the most distinctive conformation of all Southwestern cacti.The skin is smooth and waxy, the trunk and stems have stout, 2-inch spines clustered on their ribs. When water is absorbed , the outer pulp of the Saguaro can expand like an accordion, increasing the diameter of the stem and, in this way, can increase its weight by up to a ton. We saw many different cacti along our drive -- some in bloom.

Mt. Lemon Ski Area still had snow -- was down to 46 degrees when we were there -- 30 degrees difference below the mountain. However, along the way up, there were many beautiful flowers. Was a really nice day!