I was slow to get started, I didn’t really have a plan for the day, but my legs were achy and I didn’t feel a whole lot like doing anything, so I lingered. Eventually I snapped myself out of it and went to check out the west section of Saguaro National Park. I’d nearly ridden to it yesterday so it wasn’t hard to find. I got the feeling there would be nothing of interest for me there and I was correct. After watching the 18-minute film about the Sonora desert, which was way too long and not very informative, I filled up my water bottles at the bee-infested filling station, then went on my way on the scenic loop road. No hiking necessary since I’d ridden through very similar terrain yesterday. I found it funny that while the whoe of Tucson’s surrouning area is covered in cactus desert, they felt the need to segregate a few bits as national park.

Scenic loop done, I resolved to go into the heart of Tucson, check out the historic district, do some shopping for an anniversary present and have myself a Saguaro hotdog, the local delicacy. I checked in at the visitor’s center and lo and behold, parking anywhere would be a hassle, including where I’d left my car. I was near the UofA (University of Arizona) campus so I wandered through that for a bit, feeling extremely out of place amongst the throngs of university students out having lunch and watching football. It is a brilliant campus, probably three times the size of little old Adelaide Uni and every block surrounding the campus was filled with sorority houses. You could tell by the decrepid couches on the balconies and UofA flags adorning every top floor window. Cool atmosphere, I probably should have stayed and made some friends.

Back to my car, I drove away from downtown to find lunch. I found it at El Guero Canelo, as suggested by Lonely Planet. The $8 special was two Saguaro hotdogs with a drink. Yes thanks! They also had a salad bar that I helped myself to. The hot dogs (sausage, refried beans, tomatoes and cheese) were delicious and the coke went down a treat on the hot day. I was surprised when the salsa from the salad bar blew my head off it was so spicy. I left the restaurant with tears in my eyes.

Next, I went shopping. Something I absolutely loathe, especially because of American-style shopping which means a lot of driving between places, instead of it all being in one place. For my anniversary, I’d decided I deserved a comfy chair for sitting outside. With the weather becoming more favourable, surely it would be something I’d be doing more often. I was sorely disappointed with the options presented at Target and Big 5 but REI thankfully had one that would work for $60. Probably not the perfect chair, but it was comfy enough, I think.

That brought me up to 4pm and I was itching for more riding and thought a dusk ride would be a great way to enjoy the trails and have some nice riding weather. I drove over to the Sweetwater trail network and parked. There were a few cars around but more rolled in as people knocked off work to go on after-work rides. I killed time by modifying my collapsible poles so I could fashion an awning out of my tarp. Not a project I finished in the hour or so before I went off, but I’d made progress. Just as a big group arrived, I kitted up and set off on the trails.

This network was ideal for beginners with minimal elevation change and nothing technical, but I still enjoyed myself. The fading light of dusk made the desert come alive, thankfully not with rattle snakes, but I scared more than a few bunnies off the trail. Each of them had ears way out of proportion to their bodies, maybe that means they were hares? Despite the number of riders that must have been out on the trails, I didn’t run into any of them, only a few hikers. As the sun was setting, I made little riding progress, stopping to take photos all the time it was such a pretty picture. To the east were the twinkling lights of Tucson in the valley below a mountain range and to the west, the giant Saguaro cactus were making silhouettes against an orange sky. To top it off, the cool afternoon breeze had come in and made for absolutely perfect riding temperature.

As the moon started dominating the sky, I carried on riding the last bit of trail, opting not to bother taking my light out of my pack figuring I only had a few more minutes to go. Probably not the best decision considering the moon was throwing my shadow on the ground by the time I finished, but I finished my ride with no more cactus in my body than what I had when I started, so I consider that win.

I relished the cool air as I packed everything away and headed back to camp. Talking to Kevin along the way, his visit is looking unlikely so that was a bit of a downer. Camp was still and quiet apart from the nearby RV running a generator and my spot was waiting for me. I had myself a shower, made dinner and chilled out in the van for the next hour or so before sleep and exhaustion took me.