Dear Maia, Isaac and Virtual Wanderers,

Today was hot! We got up a little early so we could get to Catalina State Park as early as possible without totally changing our routine. No, I don’t get up super early! But, we did get there mid morning.

I asked the ranger about stroller friendly hikes because I decided I didn’t want to carry both Koko and Cimarron in the Sonoran Desert heat. We started down one path, but then crossed the Nature Trail. I have taken the Nature Trail with a dog umbrella stroller before. I think twice – for sure the year Sazi was having an IVDD episode and Maizzy was post op. Why not?

It’s a climb at first.  It seems like it goes back further than before, but maybe I’ve forgotten. It’s been a while. There was a film crew there when we were climbing up and they wanted us to go through so they could continue. When we came back down, I asked what they were filming. An Arizona PBS program called Trail Mix’d was the answer. I subscribed on YouTube when I got to the hotel tonight. After that we had a picnic before we headed down the road.

We drove to Florence and then over to Superior. It’s a gorgeous desert drive that I discovered a couple years ago. We stopped at Boyce Thompson Arboretum to pass the afternoon, as our hotel is only 3 miles from there. I love that place but this is the hottest day we have ever had on a road trip. So, we wandered, but slowly and in shade. We will return tomorrow when it’s a little cooler.

It today had a theme other than saguaro cactus, it’s that everyone we passed said they wished they were my dogs being pushed around in a stroller or carried in a bag. Even the PBS crew. I replied “so do I” every time. I’m sunburned but feel like it was a good day all in all.

Love GM ❤️ (Cathy)