January 27th – January 28th, 2026
“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” – Mahatma Gandhi
The short term goal of my 63 in 365 journey is to visit all 63 national parks in 365 days or less, but my long term goal: continue to rediscover self. After graduating college in 2020 and starting my career in teaching, I felt more accomplished, more motivated, more proud, and more alive than I had ever felt in my entire life. I snagged my first apartment, started my first salary job, could afford to take myself on vacation, and was buying name brand clothes off the rack. Things I had only dreamed of while scraping by in college. However, after a few years, the excitement and novice of all the listed above wore off. And I would beat myself up over this sentiment. I would think, “Show gratitude for what you have. Be content.”
But after years of telling myself this, I couldn’t force contentment any longer. I began journaling and reflecting on what I wanted to do with my life, my time, and, most importantly, my energy. And that is when I pin-pointed my “problem”: I have commitment issues.
After continued meditation, I came to the conclusion that this wasn’t a problem to be fixed, but a calling for me to be more intentional, to step outside of my cozy-comfort zones, and to begin abandoning things in my life that were no longer bringing me joy. In our society, commitment is linked to loyalty and discipline. Being committed or seeing things through is seen as a strength, but I was sick of enduring for the sake of showing others how committed, how loyal, and how disciplined I could be.
Something had to give.
But I felt stuck. Even more so, I felt terrified to let go of all the things I had worked so hard to attain – the apartment, the career, the coworkers, the name-brand material possesions. But like I said, something had to give, so I began googling: What can I do with a teaching degree? And that is the tiny spark that got me to take one of the biggest leaps of my life. I sold all my things (seriously) and joined the Peace Corps.
Even though I had to be medically separated from the Peace Corps before finishing my service, I regret nothing. That experience taught me so much about myself and helped me to overcome my fear of letting go.
I began to just do. Do more of what brought me joy regardless of the cost or judgement from others. Which is the reason I was able to say with confidence, “Sure. Why not?” when my boyfriend purposed the idea of this 63 in 365 journey.
Long rant over. How does this sentiment link to my experience at Saguaro? I found myself in my element here: learning and experiencing new things. From learning about the different types of cacti in the Sonoran Desert to chatting with the different desert folks I ran into along the way, I walked away from Saguaro wiser and happier – which is the intended outcome of my 63 in 365 journey and ideally should be a lifelong practice like Gandhi alluded to above.
Books
Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley
5/5 stars
Where do I begin with this novel?
Let me start by saying – I am a hard critic. Or at least I like honest reviews. I rarely give anything 5/5 stars – Airbnbs, Ubers, books on Goodreads, movies, anything. Seriously. My boyfriend gives me hell about it.
On Goodreads very few books even get 4/5 stars from me so giving Nightcrawling 5 stars is really speaking to how much I valued and enjoyed reading this book.
Trigger warning: Did I have to put this book down multiple times because I was crying? Because I felt nauseous? Because Mottley continuily knocked the the wind out of me with words alone? Yes, yes, and yes. This book made me feel, physically and emotionally.
In Nightcrawling, Mottley brings alive and gives us all a gut-wrenching reminder of the struggles, of the oppression, and of the demoralizing ultimatums women, queers, and people of color face daily while just trying to be and survive in one of the wealthiest countries in the world: America. Of all the books I have read in 2026, Nightcrawling is now at the top of my recommendations.
PS If you’re a list/log person like myself and use Goodreads, peep my Goodreads account hyperlinked at the end of this post and add me.
Bites
Annie’s Organic, Gluten-Free Vegan Mac ($5)
- Saguaro is located on both sides of Tucson, Arizona; however, Amory and I did not venture into the city during our stay. Instead we opted for a cheap, convenient bite. The childhood classic and a staple food for my nieces and nephew- a big bowl of macaroni and cheese. But as you know, Amory and I have all the sensitivities, so we snagged the boxed Annie’s Organic, Gluten-Free Vegan Mac. After a long day of hiking, we boiled a pot of water, cooked the noodles, added the vegan cheese powder, sprinkled on some salt, pepper, and paprika and chowed down.
Sights
Camping near Saguaro National Park
- Saguaro doesn’t have any campgrounds in the park. They do offer wilderness camping inside the park if that is your thing. If not, check out Gilbert Ray’s Campground. Amory and I snagged two nights here for $35 a night, which is a bit more than other campgrounds, but we felt that the accommodations were well worth what we paid. They had clean restrooms, trash and recycling receptacles, potable water, plenty of cell service, and a dish-washing station (with a high powered spay-nozzle and hot water). The campground is located about ten minutes from the Red Hills Visitor Center of Saguaro West.
Trails
- Bridal Wreath Falls Trail (out-and-back, 6 miles), Ernie’s Falls Trail (out-and-back, additional .5 mile from the Bridal Wreath Falls junction): These trails are in Saguaro East, 20 minutes from the Rincon Mountain Visitor Center, are relatively easy hikes with about 1,000 feet elevation gain, and, my personal favorite, filled with the infamous and towering Saguaro cacti – amongst a plethora of other types of Sonoran Desert cacti. Books, Bites, Insights? Play cacti eye-spy while you hike around in Saguaro. Look up different cacti species prior to your hike, and try to check them all off your list.
- Wasson Peak via Kings Canyon, Hugh Norris, and Gould Mine (8 mile loop): The highest peak in Saguaro, Wasson Peak, is in Saguaro West and only 5 minutes from the Red Hills Visitor Center. This trail offered distant views of Tucson and panoramic views of the surrounding Sonoran Desert and Rincon Mountains. Books, Bites, Insights? We hiked the trail counter-clockwise to avoid a steep descent.
Nearby Sights
- Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum ($30 per person): Located ten minutes from the Red Hills Visitor center in Saguaro West, the Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum is the place to go to learn all about the Sonora Desert. Nearly two-miles of walking paths through the many different Sonoran Desert landscapes and ecosystems. An aquarium. A hummingbird aviary. Multiple desert botanical gardens. Wolves and javelinas. A natural history museum. Multiple cafes. And more. Some reviews say the museum was underwhelming. I didn’t agree with this sentiment. While some exhibits were empty or closed for the season, I felt that this museum was what it should’ve been: focused on educating about the Sonoran Desert, both its past and present. Many zoos or museums have things from all over that draw the crowds (which is great), but the Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum was concentrated on the Sonoran Desert, and I appreciated that about it.
Sending my love to you reader. If you enjoyed this post, share it on all your socials. If not, let me know why. Don’t be shy. Talk later. Xoxo. And as always, Amory’s vlog, @AmoryWild, will be linked below.
Books, Bites, and Sights 
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