The blowhole vents air from underground caves and would either suck or blow air depending on the pressure. The story goes that the Hopi Indians built their settlement where the blow-hole was because they suspected it to be a wind god. The last part of the trip allowed the students to experience the intensity of desert life. They hiked in high degree temperatures and combed the Sonoran Desert for wildlife. There were many different types of plantlife, which included the cholla cactus.
Cholla is a Spanish word meaning jointed, or joints.
If you touch only one of its spines, it is enough to detach one of its joints and become lodged in your skin. Even worse is that the spines are barbed, so it becomes a difficult task to remove them. Fortunately none of the Scholars suffered any serious injuries. The students also visited the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson, which featured wildlife the Scholars did not encounter in the desert. The museum also provided live demonstrations and a variety of learning activities.