Cactus

When I think of the desert I think of mountains and emptiness. Places like Death Valley come to mind. Once you cross the Colorado River on I-10 from California to Arizona you notice something new all around, cactus. It is as if they walked west across the Arizona desert but couldn't figure out how to cross the river.





The saguaro cactus are like trees. It is hard to imagine how tall they are as you fly down the interstate. You have to stop, stand in front of one and look 30 feet up to the top.

In Big Bend the cactus did not tower like the saguaro in Arizona, but they covered the ground like a harsh and sharp carpet. The whole view screams "go away".





Unfortunately for my legs, I ignored the warnings the cactus were clearly giving and got as close as I could. It was worth the many pokes and stabs. Cactus are so pretty they are worth the pain of getting too close.