NEWS UPDATE: RIP SPINEE Spinee, original inspiration and close friend of Spikee, recently lost his life on the 210 freeway in Los Angeles in January 2006. Details of the incident are still under investigation. As of this report, it is known that Spinee was attached to a car antenna traveling at a high rate of speed when his body disassociated from his head and fell into moving traffic. His lifeless rubber head was apparently still intact. Services were held by all cacti and family mascots last week in southern Arizona. Donations in honor of Spinee's memory can be made to Saguaro National Park. Please join us in remember the joy that Spinee brought to all of our lives.

Weekly Spikee Image Spikee visiting Denali National Park in Alaska Check out Spike's new picture gallery here

Who is Spike? Spike (aka Spikee) is a mascot, family member and world traveler who was adopted by photographer Alethea Steingisser in September 2001 from the Mojave Desert Cactus shop in Kramer Junction at the start of what was to become a 6 month long road trip around the west. Although his initial job description was to survey the world from his permanent location on the car antenna, he sprung to life on his first trip to Cedar Breaks in Utah, where he demanded his picture taken at the lookout point to prove he was there. After all, you don't usually see saguaro cacti in the snow at 10,000 feet. Since then, Spike has had his picture taken all over the west, from the Golden Gate Bridge to backpacking in the Sierra to dinner at Benihana and the Grand Canyon. He continues to accompany Alethea on her travels throughout the west, delighting onlookers and waving to passersby from the car on road trips.

How Old is Spike?

Spike was full grown at the time of his adoption in Kramer Junction. Although he can't really tell us this (we haven't found his mouth yet), we know because of his long upturned arms. You see, saguaro cacti (pronounced suh-wah-roe) grow at an amazing slow rate. It can take up to 5 years for a saguaro to reach 1 inch. As the saguaro ages, its growth rate increases. By 30 years of age, the saguaro grows only to 3 feet tall. Arms generally do not develop until the saguaro is 75-100 years of age and 12-20 feet tall. To learn lots more about saguaro cacti, click on this Saguaro Facts link.

Are There Others Like Spike?

Spike has friends and family throughout the southwest. It seems everywhere we go, they are there with outstretched arms welcoming him back home! Spike does have other friends closer to home, namely Mujer and Harriet. Mujer was adopted from Wal Mart in Tucson and tried to fill in Spike's role on that trip as Spike wasn't able to attend (actually I forgot him, but we'll just say he didn't feel good). Harriet was purchased by Alethea's mother, who was becoming insanely jealous of Spike and her daughter's fun-filled relationship so she purchased a companion of her own. Harriet was the only one of the group who was purchased and not adopted. We know from her weird color that she could never truly be one of "them". Last but not least is Spinee. Spinee has had a long hard life. Now blind (his glasses were lost, and therefore his vision) and broken, he spent many of his life's best years riding on the antenna of his owner's beloved Ford Bronco. Spinee's owner still takes him out into the Mojave and other desert locales for adventures yet to be posted.

Friends of Spikee

Mujer, Spikee and Harriet with a friend in Alaska (?!)	Iggle with a real eagle in the background (Homer, Alaska)	Spinee (RIP) and Spikee	Skinny at Skinny's in Alaska

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