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Tempting Trails of Tucson Abound

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When we arrived in Tucson in early January, I poked the AllTrails app to look for a moderate day hike to get us started. I was stunned. Dots all over my phone’s screen and “500 trails” in the blank space across the bottom. I zoomed in to focus on trailheads within about a half hour drive. Still, 200 trails filled the map. Where do I begin?

Since that day, Sue and I have climbed mountains, hiked to waterfalls, meandered through canyons, and marveled at the varied cacti everywhere. Sue got so close to a cholla that a lemon-sized piece attached itself to her. A warning: cholla hurt—a lot—and are tough to remove.

Clusters of trails abound in the foothills and spectacular mountains that surround Tucson. Many have detailed maps posted at intersections. We discovered trekking adventures in Saguaro National Park, both the west and east sections, and in the expansive Tucson Mountain Park, accessible at several trailhead parking lots. We walked a few times at the Sweetwater Preserve. Then we drove 45 minutes to trails in Catalina State Park.

It has been in the 60s and 70s most days, interrupted by five or six days of rain, which many around here have complained about. They have no idea. Have they ever lived in Oregon?

Wallflower Is More Than a Coming-of-Age Story

Reg Spittle 1 Comment

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a journey of self-discovery for Charlie, who begins high school running away from tragedies he does not understand. Author Stephen Chbosky presents a 16-year-old who lost his best friend to suicide, mourns his aunt’s death, and carries a devastating childhood secret.

Despite being accustomed to living life on the sidelines, Charlie wants to relate and finds friendships in a pair of senior classmates. The book is a series of letters he writes to “Dear friend,” describing his times with his new friends, step-siblings Patrick and Sam. He falls in love with Sam, who has an older boyfriend, and learns Patrick has a secret lover in a closeted football star.

A series of events related to date rape, sex, drugs, abortion, and abuse give Charlie compelling topics for his engaging letters. Through it all, Charlie is a charming kid who is getting wiser, giving hope that he will learn to be more honest with himself and find ways to confront demons.

Wallflower is entertaining, insightful, tragic, funny, and the kind of book many readers say they come back to, over and over. It is much more than a coming-of-age story. Chbosky enjoyed huge success with the book and the motion picture, which he directed. He also wrote the screenplay.