Water Tank Hike/Scramble

I drove west on Sullivan about a mile to the road that leads up to the water tank this afternoon.  There were just unbelievable clouds rolling in through the Morongo Valley today, and I wanted to do some rock-scrambling to get to a high point and take some panoramic shots.  I told my wife I would be gone about 45 minutes.  Little did I know what a great hike (more of a scramble) it would be!  I'm sure I was hiking at least 3 hours.  Lots of cactus and other plants in bloom, beautiful vistas, and incredible rock formations.  What I saw today rivals (dare I say exceeds?) the hikes I've been on inside Joshua Tree National Park, and this area is really close to my house.  I took over 100 photos, so a great day to take pictures!  Here are a few of my favorites...

Strange rock formations... and yes, this occurred naturally (not man-made)!

Lots for flowers...

More strange rock formations... note the horizontal rock "veins"

Beautiful vista toward Joshua Tree (northwest)

Tip-top of the mountain looking north - that's Copper Mountain College in the distance.

View looking Northeast... our house is almost dead-center in this photograph.

Above is my neighbor Bob and I.  Bob's an incredible guy, and lives in the place just behind us.  He's lived there about 50 years.  He's in his 80's but still very spry... I was really surprised when he followed me up the ladder onto my roof a few months ago to show me how to winterize my swamp cooler... incredible!!


Funny story... Bob says he was asked back in the day by a city employee what he wanted to name the road to his house (at the time, his was the only house in the area).  He asked his wife what she thought, and she said "I don't know, but you're a jackass for making me move out here to the desert!".  So Bob turned to the guy and said "heck, just name it Jackass Trail".  And so it was!