The Lone Mother

It was late in the evening and an old lady was siting on a bench in her front porch staring at the gate with wishful eyes as she had done for some years now. A mother of three children from a less known part of India she had lived a long and eventful life. She had been a devote wife and loving mother for as long as she could remember. She was waiting and hoping that somebody she knew and who cared for her would walk through the gate and spend the evening with her. As night set in she head back into the home disappointed as she generally was on most days. She would have dinner and go back to sleep after watching the same old boring TV series which never seemed to end. It was a typical day in her life. She would rise every morning and spend her day going through daily chores till she finally settled back on the bench as the evening set it. Years passed by as the longing in here eyes and heart became more evident. She had been a strong woman living through the ups and downs and being there for her children the best she could. But time had taken it's toll on her and she began to give into her emotions. There wasn't much she wanted except for a few happy memories as she was heading towards the fag end of her life.  

All her children had moved on to better lives in the cities blessed with more riches than most people. They would come back often to visit their beloved mother. They loved her very much and wanted her to move in with them, but she wouldn't as she did not want to be burden on them in her old age and she could never leave her home behind. Sometimes they couldn't visit as they were away visiting their own children or occupied by important business. She was blessed with enough grand children and great grand children, but they were also away in far away places completely engrossed in their own busy lives. She probably couldn't remember when she had seen her entire family under one roof. Gone were the days when her children and grand children would visit her in the summer vacation and would spend days playing in the yard in front of her own eyes. Now she would talk to them over the phone when they called and wished that they had a full and happy lives with her every breath. On the rare occasion, probably once every year when they would visit her and spend a day or two, her heart was filled with joy as it once was. But, as they left she once again had to come to terms with reality and waiting on the bench for their next visit. 

After eighty years she could barely remember having lived a life which was her own. Her entire life had revolved around her family and she had dedicated herself to doing the best for children in the limited resources available to her. She had never thought about what she wanted in life for herself, except for the occasional movie back in the days when they were still remotely descent. It had been two decades since her husband had passed away and loneliness had began to creep into her life. Her friends who gave her a sense of belonging had also passed away as age caught up with them. There was very little left in her daily life which reminded her of those blissful days when her naughty children and then her grand children would drive her to the edge, but at the end of the day they were her bundle of joy. All she had left were faint memories which kept her going day after day. The irony was that her family had everything she had ever wished for but she couldn't be a part of it. She held on to her life with what little strength she had hoping that there probably would come a day when the people she loved would come visit her and spend the holidays with her as they once did. 

In modern day India this tale of the lone mother is probably representative of what most parents go through in their old age. As children leave home in pursuit of better living and modernization their parents get left behind. Indian parents tend to give up their entire lives, their dreams and ambitions for the sake of their children. After having spent so many years engrossed in bringing up their children that they completely forget what they wanted for themselves in life.  Slowly as old age sets in and the farthest they can walk to is the gate of their own home they have little to look forward to in their life. I am one such child who has moved on with his own life in a far away place. I wish that one day I can find the strength in me to be able to go back to my own parents and grand parents if they are still around. Not because I am responsible for them, but because they were the reason for some of the happiest moments of my life. They are the only two people on this whole earth who love me more than themselves and would give up anything for my happiness. I cannot think of anybody else whom I would want to share my life with. But, as it stands today I am so consumed by money and a better modern living that going back home is the last thing on my mind ...

Mica View Loop

Distance: 2mi

Duration: 45min

Difficulty: Easy

Javelina Wash

The Mica view loop was the one trail in Saguaro national park where I was completely lost for directions. It was my first stop on my second day visiting the park and it wasn't the best way to kick start the day. Usually when I plan for a trail I have a turn around point in mind and a rough idea to get there and back. But, I wasn't sure where I was headed and what I was looking for most of the hike. The easiest part was finding the trail head near the Mica view picnic area off of the Cactus forest drive. According to the brochure the trail would lead me to some of the best views of the Mica mountain and back to the picnic area. After about a quarter mile into the  the loop I was completely clueless about which of the numerous mountains was supposed to be the one I was looking for. My navigation skills were put to test as the trails disappeared into one desert wash after another. 

Just about when I thought I was completely lost and was wondering if I should turn back two rangers on horse back ensured me that I was on the right track. They gave me the directions for the loop and pointed out to me the rough location of the Mica mountain. With new found confidence I made my way down the Cactus forest trail for another half a mile before a couple of washes stopped me in my tracks. Afraid that I would get lost I decided to head back along the Javelina wash back to the Mica view picnic area. This Javelina wash was probably the most interesting part of the entire hike. It was nice to walk along the smooth sediments of the wash and besides I came upon some old snake skin. Soon after I was back at quarter mile marker where all my troubles had started. I headed back the same way I had come, back to the picnic area. Though a little disappointed that I could not find Mica mountain, but it felt nice to get out of the car and stretch my legs. It was a perfect warm up for the Loma Verde loop, my next and final stop in the park ...

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Freeman Homestead Trail

Distance: 1 mi
Duration: 30 min
Difficulty: Easy

Freeman Homestead Trail

A sunset in the desert has always been a magical experience for me. I am not sure if it is the clear blue skies with brilliant orange hues or just the soothing silence, it's one of those times that I have always cherished. So when I ended up on the Freeman homestead trail in Saguaro national park for a short stroll in the evening I was treated to what would be one of the most beautiful sunsets I had ever seen. It was my last stop along the Cactus forest drive and a nice way to end my first day at the park. By the time I got to the trail head the Sun was almost grazing the horizon. Since the park closed at Sun down I assumed I had just about half an hour to explore the trail. As soon as I started down the trail, the sky was suddenly flooded with the most brilliant hue of orange as the Sun started to disappear into the horizon. The trail was fairly flat and a nice evening breeze blowing across the trail which was relief after a long sunny day. The best part was that the trail was entirely deserted and I had the entire scenery to myself. Excited I made my way further along the trail climbing down a few stairs and passing past some interesting information posts. 

A rabbit in the bushes

With the setting Sun the otherwise still desert seemed to come to life. A lot of rabbits were running around the trail almost as though they were teasing me to follow. It was a pleasant change from the rest of the day where the only life forms moving around the desert floor were lizards. As I walked further down the trail I came upon a couple of nice looking benches which marked around the turn around point for me. It took me a moment to pass the benches by with out sitting down to enjoy the beautiful sunset as it was getting dark.  I made my way back up along a small desert wash which seemed to be a part of the trail. Finally, after about a few minutes of brisk walking I was back at the trail head. It had been a nice evening walk and it was time for me to head back ...

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Cactus Forest Drive

Distance: 6mi

Duration: 1Hr

Javelina Rocks Along Cactus Forest Drive

The Cactus Forest drive in the Saguaro National parks eastern district was one of the most recommended drives by visitors to the park. I was looking forward to this interesting drive after having spent a whole day in the west district. By the time I got to the entrance it was pretty late in the afternoon, but just in time to drive around the loop, before it was closed for the evening. I briefly stopped at the visitor center to pick up some maps and inquire about trails for the following day. After that I got back on the road only to stop at almost every other turn out I could find. True to the numerous reviews this was a very interesting drive. The initial part of the loop passed through what felt like waves in the semi-arid desert. There seemed to be fewer Saguaros on this side of the park compared to the west side. One of the information posts mentioned that a large number of the Saguaros had perished during the extreme winters in the early nineties. I could only imagine the vast expanse of land in front of me covered in giant Saguaros. 

Javelina Wash

About halfway into the drive I came to the desert ecology trail parking which gave me a welcome chance to get out of the car. I had spent close to two hours sitting in the car since I had left the west district and wanted to get out and explore the surroundings on foot. The desert ecology trail as the name suggested was a short nature walk introducing visitors to the variety of the plant and animal life in the park. The information posts along the trail gave me a sense of the delicate balance of life in a desert. The Javelina wash along the trail was a nice site making me wonder how a rain would transform the landscape. Before I knew it I was back on the road heading towards what was the most scenic stretch of the drive.

After the desert ecology trail, the road started to gain elevation heading into the hills which I had seen from a distance. The surrounding view changed dramatically from the wavy desert floor and long washes to high hills overlooking an entire valley. With the Sun setting in a distance on the other side of the valley it was an awe inspiring sight. I stopped a few times to get a couple of pictures of the surrounding mountains and valley. As I came up to the Javelina rocks named after thier inhabitants the Javelinas, the Sun started to graze the horizon. The different shades of the orange rocks on the hill seemed to come to life with the setting Sun. I tried to walk around the rocks trying to find thier residents without much luck. Soon, it was time for me to head back and make my way to entrance. Fortunately, I just had enough time to squeeze in a short hike along the Freeman Homestead trail and watch a beautiful sunset in the desert. But, more on that later...

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King Canyon Loop Trail

Distance: 7.5 mi
Duration: 4 hr
Difficulty: Strenuous

King Canyon Trail

The King canyon loop trail was the longest and most strenuous hike that I undertook while visiting the Saguaro National park. The trail took me all the way to Wasson peak the highest point in the parks western district at 4600ft and back. Though I was originally planning on taking the Hugh Norris trail to the peak I decided against it at the last minute since I would have to go back the same way I went up. Instead, with the Kings Canyon trail I could take the King canyon trail while going up and come back down along parts of the Hugh Norris, Sendero Esperanza and Gould Mine trails. The prospect of a loop trail has always been more exciting for me, since I get to see more of what a park has to offer. Besides the weather was just about right for a long hike through the desert landscape and on top being my first day at the park I had all the energy in the world. The only trouble with the hike was finding the trail head parking lot was just a small unpaved road outside the park.  Once I got to the parking I packed my provisions and set out on what was going to be one of the best hikes in the trip.  

Peak Register

I started out slowly along the King canyon trail taking my time as the trail gradually gained elevation. The trail was mostly deserted except for a rare group of people which made the hike that much more enjoyable. Except for a few places where I was a little confused with the signs the trail was pretty well marked. Going up the trail the views of the surrounding valley were just spectacular. I kept stopping and looking over my shoulder to make sure I did not miss the breath taking scenery. Especially once I got to the higher elevations more of the surrounding hills came into view making giving me a sense of the elevation. Soon I reached the Sweetwater trail junction from where the trail got pretty strenuous  A couple of sweep switchbacks took me up the final ascent to Wasson peak. Looking down at a valley full of Saguraos made me realize how numerous these cacti were; no wonder the park was named after these amazing plants. The last 0.3 mile stretch to the peak was the best as I could see on both sides of the mountain range from. I spent a few minutes at the peak before heading back down after signing in the peak register.. 

On the way back I took the Hugh Norris trail to see what the other side of the mountain had to offer. I would have to say the Hugh Norris trail was definitely more beautiful at least till I got to the Sendero Esperanza trail junction. The views of the surrounding valley and the trail itself curving through the side of the mountain were just amazing. Besides, there were a lot more wildflowers along this side of the mountain and not to mention the different variety of cacti. Unfortunately my camera battery seemed to give up on me just when the trail was getting more interesting. A little disheartened I picked up the pace so that I could at least get to the eastern side of the park before dusk. Before long I reached the Gould Mine trail along which I came across the old mining site. From there the parking lot was not too far away. By the time I reached the parking lot I was completely famished and a bit tired. After a quick lunch I was all set to get to the eastern district stopping only to pick up my spare camera battery at the hotel room. It had been an amazing hike with some great views of the western district of the Sagurao national park...

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