I kneel on the hot pavement in front of the magnificent beast, any Sabino Canyon walker could see I am taking photos, but would they guess that I am also paying deep respects to this small master? Hardest of the hard core it spends the cool winter days dreaming underground, only interested in the black hot summer nights, gambling on the southwest’s fickle supply of water for life. I wonder how many summers this one has seen – some sources that say they live 4-5 years in the wild, others guess 10-20 years – could this toad have been here for the massive 2006 floods in Sabino Canyon? Maybe it was stalking beetles by moonlight before every walker had a cell phone camera to flash at it. Silence and an intense stare are all it shares tonight – not impressed by my winters in the desert I guess…