Monday, February 15th, 2010

Glen, April, Chuck, Clyde, Jeanne & Gordon went for a ride today.

We loaded up, drove the vehicles to Mile 8 on the Plomosa Road, unloaded and headed east. We had been in this area a couple of times last year and once this year, but today we were looking for

the trail over the

mountains to Brenda. We found it and it was a

toughie! Real rough riding in places, and the steepest climb we have made in the desert. We just went right over the top

of the mountain. If you look closely at the second picture you can see the trail down below us. We were at the top of one mountain where we had stopped for lunch. We found this friendly little cactus at the summit where we lunched. Would not like to run into this at any time. (Picture 1) Picture 3 is a view from the summit in an southerly direction. We sure could see a long way

in two directions. It is amazing just how far we could see. As we

were eating our lunch we saw a truck coming along the the trail

we had just come over, and disappeared just where the trail goes out of sight in picture 2. The comment

was made by all that we wouldn't be trying this trip in a pickup.

Well, soon we saw three people walking out the way they came.

There are more Saguaro catci through this part of the desert than we have seen anywhere else. The two cacti embracing are called

the "hugging" cacti. They are just a short distance out of Brenda. The male is standing straight and the female is leaning into him, and he has his arm around her. If you look closely, she

has lost her head. Isn't that just like a woman, to lose her head over a man! There are lots of Ocotillo and Choya and a few other

cactus which we didn't know the names of. It is obvious that this area is not open to camping.

We are so grateful it is open to

quading, as it is so beautiful. There are a large number of side-by-sides here, but I sure wouldn't want to do today's ride in a side-by-side. There were a few dead trees like the one above. Both April and Jeanne wished they could take it home for their yards, but that is a NO NO! The last picture shows a different rock formation. The desert is full of all sorts of interesting rock formations, and colors. What a great day. The weather cooperated and was tipping 80F. We left Mile 8 at 3:30, stopped for drinking water then came home. Gordon filled the water tank in the trailer and while doing so noticed a brown bus driving down the highway. It was Doug and Phyllis Lansdell from Turner Valley. We spoke with them a few weeks ago and they didn't think they would be able to come down this year. It was great to see that they could come, and the weather today was a wonderful welcome to Albertans heading south! Had a fire again tonight. Gordon cooked a roast, mashed potatoes, gravy and peas & carrots for supper last night and Chuck joined us, then Bonnie & Kathy joined the three of us for Date Squares, then we had a fire later.