Pusch Ridge looms majestically over Tucson and the sprawling desert as a defining feature of the Santa Catalina Mountains. Its lower slopes are adorned with iconic saguaro cacti, while its higher elevations are shrouded in the deep green of Douglas-fir trees. It was the ideal sanctuary to bask in nature’s beauty while waiting for my westbound train.
For a week, my days unfolded in blissful serenity beside a secluded waterfall, somewhere amongst the numerous pools tucked along Romero Canyon Trail. The seven-mile trek back to Catalina State Park from the Arizona Trail was a welcome dance with nature, dodging the occasional rattlesnake along the way.
Another two miles through the park for lunch at In-N-Out, savoring every bite of a burger and fries. Rejuvenated, I’d embark on the return journey, pausing to recharge my phone before ascending to my sunset perch, where I’d witness the city lights of Tucson twinkling below.
Each night, I sat at the precipice of the wilderness, overlooking the illuminated cityscape, where I’d drift into a peaceful slumber in my private meadow, sheltered from the wind. With the first light of dawn, I’d rise refreshed, occasionally greeted by the annoyed snorts of bighorn sheep at the end of their lambing season. Then, it was time to ascend once more into Romero Valley, where refreshing mountain pools awaited.
And then the pattern would repeat.
#lifeisbeautiful