tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62777421825408231512024-03-18T14:18:20.273-07:00Spare Parts and PicsExploring the desert (mostly), one photo at a time. Thanks for visiting!Spare Parts and Picshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17836657200014402380noreply@blogger.comBlogger845125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277742182540823151.post-17249232428000328642024-03-14T10:49:00.000-07:002024-03-14T10:49:42.736-07:00Yucca Man vs. Augmented Reality<div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">You've never heard of Yucca Man? I'm not surprised. You might say that Yucca Man is to the Mojave Desert what Big Foot is to the Pacific Northwest. Big Foot is much better known, while only desert rats seem to be familiar with Yucca Man. Here's what Microsoft Copilot has to say about Yucca Man:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Yucca Man is a myterious creature that allegedly inhabits the Mojave Desert and has been sighted since the 1970s. Here are some intriguing details about this enigmatic being:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;">1. Origins and Sightings:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The Yucca Man is described as a hairy creature that roams the desert.</li><li>Reports of sightings extend as far west as Palmdale and Edwards Air Force Base.</li><li>Unlike traditional Bigfoot sightings, the Yucca Man is said to be huge, scary, aggressive, fast and threatening.</li></ul></div><div style="text-align: left;">2. Characteristics</div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The Yucca Man shares similarities with mythical creatures like Bigfoot and Yeti.</li><li>It is believed to exist in the Mojave Desert, a vast and rugged region in Southern California.</li><li>Descriptions vary, but it is often portrayed as a large, bipedal beast with glowing red eyes.</li></ul><div>3. Possible connections</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Some speculate that the Yucca Man has ties to Native American legends.</li><li>It's presence near Edwards Airforce Base adds an intriguing twist to the mystery.</li></ul><div>Whether legend or reality, the Yucca Man continues to haunt the desert, leaving curious minds wondering about its existence and origins. π΅π£</div></div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">A friend of mine messaged me with a "photo" of Yucca Man that was generated by Microsoft Copilot. That intrigued me and is the genesis of this post. I didn't know Copilot could generate images, much less an image of something as obscure as Yucca Man. I had to try it out for myself. I prompted Copilot to generate an image of "Yucca Man in a Joshua tree forest with large boulders at sunset" and this is what it came up with.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2oi3mGDCuaDGHT8wvLO7wyi5Sxs-8KEZiRgXy-rN0IYuYqt8tCkz038gTA8pkTxKVpBvnPvGytdUuHM-c0KqDygMKj8YFzeVVVocp2GnjY0dO38LtLNJmUe7CPIFN7DTJSOD1-cOsmsceKy9dsb5Pv3cBSN9KABOSrKccLdkBN3G6bjCl8uWC_4L_cDE/s1024/Yucca%20Man%20Copilot.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2oi3mGDCuaDGHT8wvLO7wyi5Sxs-8KEZiRgXy-rN0IYuYqt8tCkz038gTA8pkTxKVpBvnPvGytdUuHM-c0KqDygMKj8YFzeVVVocp2GnjY0dO38LtLNJmUe7CPIFN7DTJSOD1-cOsmsceKy9dsb5Pv3cBSN9KABOSrKccLdkBN3G6bjCl8uWC_4L_cDE/w400-h400/Yucca%20Man%20Copilot.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMbw3GSWO1RORP-hSm7GHX6VVjZZQ-1JZUXs0KVdF6rv0SezMb9YoS5mbab0fu6ZvUm3DyuP_Njy_NL8S9nxsdNvIHQB9JDsv18XvGiqOkWEhJGeNy3LWTWYPtfX6-Nqnk4rzZgIhiOM_S85ic_roRWN62fwoVKNu6KTOfx_eFaf0ral45MnlFYuJeUD4/s1024/Yucca%20Man%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMbw3GSWO1RORP-hSm7GHX6VVjZZQ-1JZUXs0KVdF6rv0SezMb9YoS5mbab0fu6ZvUm3DyuP_Njy_NL8S9nxsdNvIHQB9JDsv18XvGiqOkWEhJGeNy3LWTWYPtfX6-Nqnk4rzZgIhiOM_S85ic_roRWN62fwoVKNu6KTOfx_eFaf0ral45MnlFYuJeUD4/w400-h400/Yucca%20Man%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Pretty creative, don't you think? As a side note, I really enjoyed your comments from last week's post about AI generated images. Personally, I'm worried about what AI will do to photography (and lots of other areas) when it becomes virtually impossible to determine AI from a real photo.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Copilot's ability to generage images of Yucca Man got me wondering: Are all AI generators created equal? In other words, do they all generate similar content when using the same prompt words?</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggC61VwW2HbRrLlzKQSgNOpIaaF_G4HM1-DxuFD-jBPVgs7TLRDmOVE5IwTiHwetHEAP9ZHpbuOaBQmYFvF_aP5WvtNsd4-FuBNPAnA2-mks9eG4svH1fiwhpSUnkmhiDqt8eLEweNP9mrOrNwYVOUptlDVO33TkOaTaXYPv52npvhatEetHw1ShJHe4Y/s1024/OIG1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggC61VwW2HbRrLlzKQSgNOpIaaF_G4HM1-DxuFD-jBPVgs7TLRDmOVE5IwTiHwetHEAP9ZHpbuOaBQmYFvF_aP5WvtNsd4-FuBNPAnA2-mks9eG4svH1fiwhpSUnkmhiDqt8eLEweNP9mrOrNwYVOUptlDVO33TkOaTaXYPv52npvhatEetHw1ShJHe4Y/w400-h400/OIG1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I entered the same prompt words into Photoshop ("</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Yucca Man in a Joshua tree forest with large boulders at sunset") and the above photo was generated. Clearly, the Photoshop AI algorithms have no clue who or what Yucca Man is!!</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">Out in the Mojave Desert, Yucca Man has somewhat of a cult following. You see him from time to time on posters and adds.</span></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAaeORM_neJfWtp_JxD4b8EC0h1wUpKR_5qyhu-xQyLnhEJO4Mu0c1Td_KPS-JwlUl7d2iDCwW8-kWsKsveSFBB8nAECBQCOnSYmEk58HV-ze6NpuwGxsuDH9qdKjzOXKNR6lAcjz1WWypoLl90AhiznwAd3qyd_xy2d_MLozMFwORBWv8gDDYlMiSQTM/s1250/YM%20poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1250" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAaeORM_neJfWtp_JxD4b8EC0h1wUpKR_5qyhu-xQyLnhEJO4Mu0c1Td_KPS-JwlUl7d2iDCwW8-kWsKsveSFBB8nAECBQCOnSYmEk58HV-ze6NpuwGxsuDH9qdKjzOXKNR6lAcjz1WWypoLl90AhiznwAd3qyd_xy2d_MLozMFwORBWv8gDDYlMiSQTM/w512-h640/YM%20poster.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaoXiYw68tof2o1i7cOc8QVfhRNPyZ6coKxwH-L_WVRq_gtwfxJhbzfTa9NDlrBdDO0NHWWEYWABPVAJKhjWAT-1Qf-InJd4YOs7nHb43EMTn4wuUi4_9qGlwP_NPyvI2eMWGaOWGOBel_GvJ1FdkKGYhH2ULKAZDl5kSZeNCsCJyAH1RFlv0EFfoihlY/s388/YM%20Stout.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="308" data-original-width="388" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaoXiYw68tof2o1i7cOc8QVfhRNPyZ6coKxwH-L_WVRq_gtwfxJhbzfTa9NDlrBdDO0NHWWEYWABPVAJKhjWAT-1Qf-InJd4YOs7nHb43EMTn4wuUi4_9qGlwP_NPyvI2eMWGaOWGOBel_GvJ1FdkKGYhH2ULKAZDl5kSZeNCsCJyAH1RFlv0EFfoihlY/w400-h318/YM%20Stout.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">There's even a Yucca Man craft beer. I'd like to try it if I can find it for sale somewhere, and at 13% alcohol, everyone starts looking like Yucca Man!</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">You might be wondering just what exactly is a Yucca? Well, check out my photos below (100% real photos!). They are sometimes confused with Joshua trees, but Joshua trees are, well, trees! Yuccas are commonly found in the 3-6' size range. Yucca leaves are longer than those on Joshua Trees. Also, on JTrees, as old leaves die, they fall off the plant. On Yuccas, they turn brown but stay attached to the trunk, giving the plant a more wholly appearance.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBNioVDPDE5u2kHSOZp0CgMPYohZSRHj8pUFDT1mq1mVG3oyNLR7SPkGpAyuwYUMvFzSQIBEOuAAd469WfCP-1Mk5COruj8PIb-G5CX4wbgUXo6ASRVl36-p-xxREvKeMg54r43PsO-AM8zvwim4s5Fe-6aT_VI2BNM2ssJsxGYkRFEjzUtahKFtWCYtA/s6720/3B2A8094_14small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBNioVDPDE5u2kHSOZp0CgMPYohZSRHj8pUFDT1mq1mVG3oyNLR7SPkGpAyuwYUMvFzSQIBEOuAAd469WfCP-1Mk5COruj8PIb-G5CX4wbgUXo6ASRVl36-p-xxREvKeMg54r43PsO-AM8zvwim4s5Fe-6aT_VI2BNM2ssJsxGYkRFEjzUtahKFtWCYtA/w640-h426/3B2A8094_14small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm375ydBHsO0O2mfQjYhxaSZVYzTJtxvbH9GnH-4tb2ceAXLs1bcE6jD7jAsLwvE_69DcqmYaOsiUx0x22vlLMYuaGsnxwZ-hv1NM-DlrJX4Q3IY554qFA5aSooT3HEthPTJikiGsuoYd2HABx4YGBquYvDik9kEmANzFTMaY-u9IZQeHal0wulo4GEr0/s3744/IMG_0857tpzcrop.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3744" data-original-width="3744" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm375ydBHsO0O2mfQjYhxaSZVYzTJtxvbH9GnH-4tb2ceAXLs1bcE6jD7jAsLwvE_69DcqmYaOsiUx0x22vlLMYuaGsnxwZ-hv1NM-DlrJX4Q3IY554qFA5aSooT3HEthPTJikiGsuoYd2HABx4YGBquYvDik9kEmANzFTMaY-u9IZQeHal0wulo4GEr0/w640-h640/IMG_0857tpzcrop.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJF5kJL7__MzxGReYiJ2QcBIVnim6P6vWb-jVrd1nRlg3owcgh48s5fMDDpXBuyfPJ61eiQC3BlQy2yXSyw2VORcaAZGlo2NJ9YgWCKDYwUWq8RxHq91iSm82nV7ym1M6va-1iNhyphenhyphenIeIbck8CprwFHYCSQoGCKOrkK6SKeouBeqsp78MiTfkHBC82yIJ4/s3744/IMG_1331cropedit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3744" data-original-width="3744" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJF5kJL7__MzxGReYiJ2QcBIVnim6P6vWb-jVrd1nRlg3owcgh48s5fMDDpXBuyfPJ61eiQC3BlQy2yXSyw2VORcaAZGlo2NJ9YgWCKDYwUWq8RxHq91iSm82nV7ym1M6va-1iNhyphenhyphenIeIbck8CprwFHYCSQoGCKOrkK6SKeouBeqsp78MiTfkHBC82yIJ4/w640-h640/IMG_1331cropedit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2IPTaOSEMW0bn37uTpH5JoRCFdWPFVJJw4U7kj1JgNBxq8JKBhWAMH0PWZhEIrBOIheCrU0AVqyPpfhoH9xzXxr6ttZR_RD4AUeigSDvrKs6KHJ0ChLVUIvh3k46TkqwlZKy4WL8dwgBvtHVjj2V_vLta66RWmHpCdvxe0LaFYdGWnzKXqOR0STo2zZI/s5189/IMG_5905.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5189" data-original-width="3744" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2IPTaOSEMW0bn37uTpH5JoRCFdWPFVJJw4U7kj1JgNBxq8JKBhWAMH0PWZhEIrBOIheCrU0AVqyPpfhoH9xzXxr6ttZR_RD4AUeigSDvrKs6KHJ0ChLVUIvh3k46TkqwlZKy4WL8dwgBvtHVjj2V_vLta66RWmHpCdvxe0LaFYdGWnzKXqOR0STo2zZI/w462-h640/IMG_5905.jpg" width="462" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGHfOJvjZGeEh-KXyJk9BM39RJaNQmN2sEf9id9OeYoB1LdCKzz1OqCkjE5c4J8CXq5TjmbznJkAX4qtTEUV5Dh-XfSNnl5wtXtP4pJguTKMjlXYUGXDyZH1BJP9JF7X9juRsM3A1GT_U6TN_pMp-D0lVaAkJQKiWT6RfC25xBfc_raL4Y86ElLql5a8A/s4904/IMG_7585L4small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4904" data-original-width="3744" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGHfOJvjZGeEh-KXyJk9BM39RJaNQmN2sEf9id9OeYoB1LdCKzz1OqCkjE5c4J8CXq5TjmbznJkAX4qtTEUV5Dh-XfSNnl5wtXtP4pJguTKMjlXYUGXDyZH1BJP9JF7X9juRsM3A1GT_U6TN_pMp-D0lVaAkJQKiWT6RfC25xBfc_raL4Y86ElLql5a8A/w488-h640/IMG_7585L4small.jpg" width="488" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJncCCuFgWdg5MJjfV3Ptc0fQW2TqDOLuhm4IzghyJ3YUIHO94v4Qm4xXSeg8vdWVVkqqkN-cZaL3rmIuJk9a-BkJXSo1w4Tk6AE_AjVqp53x_tAuUMnUhn4jSSsZmEsNgbrl_pxns0OQpyuGdwyc5tZH22BHTipA1QyEZJLWJNpVhyphenhyphenY3KPnBzZ8Redx8/s2902/IMG_7648L4crop.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2902" data-original-width="2322" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJncCCuFgWdg5MJjfV3Ptc0fQW2TqDOLuhm4IzghyJ3YUIHO94v4Qm4xXSeg8vdWVVkqqkN-cZaL3rmIuJk9a-BkJXSo1w4Tk6AE_AjVqp53x_tAuUMnUhn4jSSsZmEsNgbrl_pxns0OQpyuGdwyc5tZH22BHTipA1QyEZJLWJNpVhyphenhyphenY3KPnBzZ8Redx8/w512-h640/IMG_7648L4crop.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quail on a Yucca.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Thanks for stopping by and listening to me ramble on about Yucca Man and AI generated photos! Until next time...</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;">Linking with <a href="https://skyley.blogspot.com/2024/03/skywatch-friday-14-march-2024-edition.html">Skywatch Friday</a>.</span></div></div>Spare Parts and Picshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17836657200014402380noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277742182540823151.post-2593366754419688122024-03-07T11:19:00.000-08:002024-03-07T11:19:39.530-08:00Desert Light<div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">On our last trip to the desert, we were driving home from a short hike and the sky was exceptionally beautiful. Also rapidly changing. There was rain on the horizon. I was so hoping I would be home in time to grab my camera and catch some of the beauty, and it turned out, I barely made it! Shortly after taking these, the sky clouded up and the magical light was gone!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieS2_WxgUn0Am654aX4aUmilUwSRVKpm00dDuhxq2NptlRUYCCTGl1NzqHouykikdDacR_RJ8eWFLMVl3QxOM9JykoH73vNy1GEckDdaHYjBZlQn_iAfBzGHIU3l1GuxDej1SIRKCrJ2amfuIFfJuIaoyofn4LZEbWXy1LsYslBCfaxswhmCME6zCztkE/s6720/3B2A0505.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieS2_WxgUn0Am654aX4aUmilUwSRVKpm00dDuhxq2NptlRUYCCTGl1NzqHouykikdDacR_RJ8eWFLMVl3QxOM9JykoH73vNy1GEckDdaHYjBZlQn_iAfBzGHIU3l1GuxDej1SIRKCrJ2amfuIFfJuIaoyofn4LZEbWXy1LsYslBCfaxswhmCME6zCztkE/w640-h426/3B2A0505.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBCE0yDjLKSuhRTdBCnRyfNTwYKClkQ9ZrNDEwE_CvHvPATZX_OQo6B7u6PozpCoHReDx6ofRU4Kz81TJE2sAej2khaIrq-mAkI6-gJ-nmXAUaAkmsmv6QzZwpfEIwDXncs8qZtq81a8pfCJUqxlX499PmzTtBt-nh3tyPWguAmDlNwRRV7nglMQ1KXTM/s6720/3B2A0506.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBCE0yDjLKSuhRTdBCnRyfNTwYKClkQ9ZrNDEwE_CvHvPATZX_OQo6B7u6PozpCoHReDx6ofRU4Kz81TJE2sAej2khaIrq-mAkI6-gJ-nmXAUaAkmsmv6QzZwpfEIwDXncs8qZtq81a8pfCJUqxlX499PmzTtBt-nh3tyPWguAmDlNwRRV7nglMQ1KXTM/w640-h426/3B2A0506.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgedZuf5mr2TQOsoEhkLtoJPpRMQjknas144a8gneanJ-srZlADLZi8zWdCe6o_pWWCGYVrQkCkbTQpqJi95JOFIoRdC0hYeOP0_cj9NoXBlOQf1LVVxZfDryOCBFsqgj9uAprdhRNB5ku4v2D5y9Qe9S3uV5dXhAJMJOW7eFL88J9_sugEhPiXSkCnKi4/s6720/3B2A0508small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgedZuf5mr2TQOsoEhkLtoJPpRMQjknas144a8gneanJ-srZlADLZi8zWdCe6o_pWWCGYVrQkCkbTQpqJi95JOFIoRdC0hYeOP0_cj9NoXBlOQf1LVVxZfDryOCBFsqgj9uAprdhRNB5ku4v2D5y9Qe9S3uV5dXhAJMJOW7eFL88J9_sugEhPiXSkCnKi4/w640-h426/3B2A0508small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFC2i6gnhxV65650uCXYq3bNz0rQDKYwDvgTn8Y3J1jbHqSA8Sco-ei_TRs519huiyVfar4YQkXCbWbDrM2O-JAdb2LxK-7kgBL4OvRuwkuc4vvXIr68EYeDZS2teDbJSyR9gwel9pGHyvInntJ__mZGcldA-Rgk96x5rSIg4Hsytde-e4riEvZ4lFBU/s6720/3B2A0513small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFC2i6gnhxV65650uCXYq3bNz0rQDKYwDvgTn8Y3J1jbHqSA8Sco-ei_TRs519huiyVfar4YQkXCbWbDrM2O-JAdb2LxK-7kgBL4OvRuwkuc4vvXIr68EYeDZS2teDbJSyR9gwel9pGHyvInntJ__mZGcldA-Rgk96x5rSIg4Hsytde-e4riEvZ4lFBU/w640-h426/3B2A0513small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM8lbRY9nNnBp4K-cUG7R-_i6C0fFwj1TXFqd46yL7wkr3qVSBJFo-LTJC74aj3PEWwqcfENSJ2EvavgSuZxZVSy2eDOtK5npCtLp-BGDoKdkb3n90GHco8zfleaN6hVUK9bF6ZHA3I0ZNbbE8T2f1sZnEY18coCrX6EIH1QrmHqWkd_0ABXEWXLLBLP4/s6720/3B2A0515small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM8lbRY9nNnBp4K-cUG7R-_i6C0fFwj1TXFqd46yL7wkr3qVSBJFo-LTJC74aj3PEWwqcfENSJ2EvavgSuZxZVSy2eDOtK5npCtLp-BGDoKdkb3n90GHco8zfleaN6hVUK9bF6ZHA3I0ZNbbE8T2f1sZnEY18coCrX6EIH1QrmHqWkd_0ABXEWXLLBLP4/w640-h426/3B2A0515small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Hope your week is going well, and thanks for stopping by!!</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;">Linking with <a href="https://skyley.blogspot.com/2024/03/skywatch-friday-7-march-2024-edition.html">Skywatch Friday</a>.</span></div></div>Spare Parts and Picshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17836657200014402380noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277742182540823151.post-10022842875513625402024-02-29T11:32:00.000-08:002024-02-29T11:32:46.634-08:00Staying "Local"<div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">By "local", I mean no big hikes or adventures to report. I did go hiking up in the local foothills last week. Of note, we've had quite a bit of rain, and our normally bone-dry hills now have water! I know, no big deal for those of you in wetter climes, but in my neck of the woods it's something to celebrate!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBJ0Nee7_stqssUj29yX-sROaig0PDHNaUovXqH65MAtU3TAkw1KPmi74IT2pVoQ0qKxhY9BsynAX2GDsC1jgPs47qiEbyu2ctbz5Dnv7nRhnMl5gAL-OPY7j87lV7Gxp0hDUskHnD45an5vFGK2tjiuX3TYeTdWNj3iEytzfhcgpUvbFj-9Un3Bwqyw8/s4032/IMG_5782.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBJ0Nee7_stqssUj29yX-sROaig0PDHNaUovXqH65MAtU3TAkw1KPmi74IT2pVoQ0qKxhY9BsynAX2GDsC1jgPs47qiEbyu2ctbz5Dnv7nRhnMl5gAL-OPY7j87lV7Gxp0hDUskHnD45an5vFGK2tjiuX3TYeTdWNj3iEytzfhcgpUvbFj-9Un3Bwqyw8/w640-h480/IMG_5782.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">This is a water catchment basin. It is designed to replenish groundwater after a storm. After most storms, the water quickly soaks into the ground. Occasionally you can see a little mud puddle after a larger storm. This is the most water I've seen in the years I've been hiking in the area.</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxsQX-MUpYS6bQTzKQTQ9882fewjOGr3SxprCsHWzrld7FQ8qeKrNSzpJu6Pn3o4kJBRiHL6PlvFs9xQnCouw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;">Turn up the volume on this video to hear the startled ducks as I approach the water!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxj0qs3P7eW47SAcqB_021WznUH597XWPU-mwDdUS2bck97Yq10EQe08v5vogHpWOBG83HUt1ThEoEwTla_UA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;">It turned out to be a muddy hike! This water was draining into the catchment basin.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGzC60BevVUT_e4si-Q8DJp862FLsoRxEAFMbjSbGn0zVFQoFmefdxEPsYbXkK_DDq0yTEym24MoVUa258iOVJTDU7Pf5fHcSAa45MgQ6PC_lU8Ue2ESZ0gBHpTJ3y79p9uOl2OFU2HHJBfjeR7ZGyWUUxZ5lR4-PR382PRe-teRPKcMuf7CkY58cc_qc/s4032/IMG_5696.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGzC60BevVUT_e4si-Q8DJp862FLsoRxEAFMbjSbGn0zVFQoFmefdxEPsYbXkK_DDq0yTEym24MoVUa258iOVJTDU7Pf5fHcSAa45MgQ6PC_lU8Ue2ESZ0gBHpTJ3y79p9uOl2OFU2HHJBfjeR7ZGyWUUxZ5lR4-PR382PRe-teRPKcMuf7CkY58cc_qc/w480-h640/IMG_5696.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful skies!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVlahVM83SYY_zEeewUK4HDuZIPYcWFA0wW41PsnTd_2o8mmz-muioJj40CWqWGGcFmMDcV1zQ4Pw3Kab2oxKyIjP0sqRBFfXU085QpuZ3jpkBvps6x5cew8QXWPK-WFL3Ytrk3g9TtiZ6469Rh8GBp-fgUDWvLrhcVPk_5ruGUaIlDBCCjEq5zqiUYVE/s5205/3B2A0537.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3470" data-original-width="5205" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVlahVM83SYY_zEeewUK4HDuZIPYcWFA0wW41PsnTd_2o8mmz-muioJj40CWqWGGcFmMDcV1zQ4Pw3Kab2oxKyIjP0sqRBFfXU085QpuZ3jpkBvps6x5cew8QXWPK-WFL3Ytrk3g9TtiZ6469Rh8GBp-fgUDWvLrhcVPk_5ruGUaIlDBCCjEq5zqiUYVE/w640-h426/3B2A0537.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A nice view toward Long Beach Harbor and the dock cranes.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTShurXLKAiDJu1QbfyXKjKRHU63gd30Xc8f-qWDVtlU8z7GxurnY576VOiQz57yWdmWNdHLPxyGcZ9n5WqjHu2XyLtKAk8TqzniSXhLzaUmlVlcwZbKtQWf_Vlu6PR4PAShC31Xf52FUX9fD-18UPzLyEPVsuwCBoX1Egoq9COTC7RNHGHqPowUX6_KI/s5508/3B2A0541.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3672" data-original-width="5508" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTShurXLKAiDJu1QbfyXKjKRHU63gd30Xc8f-qWDVtlU8z7GxurnY576VOiQz57yWdmWNdHLPxyGcZ9n5WqjHu2XyLtKAk8TqzniSXhLzaUmlVlcwZbKtQWf_Vlu6PR4PAShC31Xf52FUX9fD-18UPzLyEPVsuwCBoX1Egoq9COTC7RNHGHqPowUX6_KI/w640-h426/3B2A0541.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moon at rest.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqsG01thdnfdK-gPWaRBSbrrF9DG0Ig_G2bESPjxMeLwfhkHLzylnZLOiSfyRzIKjhX8cADwqZLKWlfpdOg_53Ubvxw0kBGK59TL-ryiETjlmiKDJ_LHXvkHj2oz8uLRb5gRf3Gy_toMC6qQSMGgeGxGR0IkV7Ns3sErflxccR1CM4WaO2fj6-FEILLyI/s4032/IMG_5707edit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqsG01thdnfdK-gPWaRBSbrrF9DG0Ig_G2bESPjxMeLwfhkHLzylnZLOiSfyRzIKjhX8cADwqZLKWlfpdOg_53Ubvxw0kBGK59TL-ryiETjlmiKDJ_LHXvkHj2oz8uLRb5gRf3Gy_toMC6qQSMGgeGxGR0IkV7Ns3sErflxccR1CM4WaO2fj6-FEILLyI/w480-h640/IMG_5707edit.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I even found this interesting rock. See the fossilized shell fragments? Geologists say the ocean came right up to these hills (a <b><i>very</i></b> long time ago!). I guess I missed out on having a home on the beach. Way too expensive now!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Over the weekend, we made a quick trip out to the desert to spend some time with visiting relatives.<br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRNGCmQmR39qNdcrRvc9sBJ5UyPTc_me5M4jv74ORDNsTS30tORJ_dCagBea6C_PxHCOFnpA8AQInDQlSrGtGoY5vZOvwOrm8uRfAGNjxec3uHo6tNr8Ydkp0jayroYGa_q7woNwuJARQ0mW5KiXVsto8PTXczI33gWT8YIVsfhHjcR0lbg_LoLgdJ4uI/s3024/IMG_E5804.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRNGCmQmR39qNdcrRvc9sBJ5UyPTc_me5M4jv74ORDNsTS30tORJ_dCagBea6C_PxHCOFnpA8AQInDQlSrGtGoY5vZOvwOrm8uRfAGNjxec3uHo6tNr8Ydkp0jayroYGa_q7woNwuJARQ0mW5KiXVsto8PTXczI33gWT8YIVsfhHjcR0lbg_LoLgdJ4uI/w640-h640/IMG_E5804.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Even Lilly joined us for this short hike right out the back door of our desert house. Here she is trying to keep this huge boulder from rolling on top of the red barrel cactus!π€£</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB4jF1foONGdG5rdv9MjdW6yrh3gkoy6T3mEG3vuOM6QmTHS3wWWTIox7WRKSJSfCU6aGh6Ce-aMuFENoLN0039IApWrosHSxN85K3bzVd7hVLvjWycPCBvEt2uQXg6Ef_x4FV5Hho_ydQrJdKKaMy0bkfMATL3zsgCRftJeOLfGc7HD7EtExrN6OFA60/s4032/IMG_5798.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB4jF1foONGdG5rdv9MjdW6yrh3gkoy6T3mEG3vuOM6QmTHS3wWWTIox7WRKSJSfCU6aGh6Ce-aMuFENoLN0039IApWrosHSxN85K3bzVd7hVLvjWycPCBvEt2uQXg6Ef_x4FV5Hho_ydQrJdKKaMy0bkfMATL3zsgCRftJeOLfGc7HD7EtExrN6OFA60/w480-h640/IMG_5798.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here she is under a local arch.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9QQyGg4fvAmFMZsg50m14xbT9Fi48YVtJZmu46VAcXwLuDyZ0RZy2hEk2zQeYcj4cG705Hwo9uUPjQ4oyLLPoJoGwTkS3JoZieX0rMBAzVIUytlkCwOkP9vPILYc8Ox0mxBVMFJlTD2FZXq2kfUAmvDtOyTHYahyphenhyphenMiE6-gAl3WfZwZkz6lRehNH2tJJY/s4032/IMG_5796.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9QQyGg4fvAmFMZsg50m14xbT9Fi48YVtJZmu46VAcXwLuDyZ0RZy2hEk2zQeYcj4cG705Hwo9uUPjQ4oyLLPoJoGwTkS3JoZieX0rMBAzVIUytlkCwOkP9vPILYc8Ox0mxBVMFJlTD2FZXq2kfUAmvDtOyTHYahyphenhyphenMiE6-gAl3WfZwZkz6lRehNH2tJJY/w640-h480/IMG_5796.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And a final Lilly photo... blending in with the rocks!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioiwoN_jZplhyDSr3qjT199ucouFJKvh5tx7ync45iswOfkr2RK4jBVTPzqZR6b9pKTmzCNa1zs35Y5bpJqzvy8gYL7C4tEoBQJJxxV_obYoeDVwGSRcBj3YKwUQ-CSkFlJqqo4lCqg8wEpdninNi04IpZPn4w1ATmZiFeLZtMJJlG5nQCz_omvw92xhA/s4032/IMG_5789%20Joni%20Mitchell%20Amelia%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioiwoN_jZplhyDSr3qjT199ucouFJKvh5tx7ync45iswOfkr2RK4jBVTPzqZR6b9pKTmzCNa1zs35Y5bpJqzvy8gYL7C4tEoBQJJxxV_obYoeDVwGSRcBj3YKwUQ-CSkFlJqqo4lCqg8wEpdninNi04IpZPn4w1ATmZiFeLZtMJJlG5nQCz_omvw92xhA/w480-h640/IMG_5789%20Joni%20Mitchell%20Amelia%20copy.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Amazing contrails! The sky reminded me of Joni Mitchell lyrics in her song "Amelia": </span><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>It was the hexagram of the heavens</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>It was the strings of my guitar</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeZtAkCafjakbApky8Qgmwnr6tnOI2RPPML9AI2s7SHNp9sLt8wHPgTrU8U8x1j6v99kUOd_wyTaa6f3S9Ph6CErJNTXsfgNhASjxAHCls7u_yg3NnGX3mLEOiGxxtsFHQ0QGxiiTs1LZWQn3fQTIoZnQ-wVP32YVoWyCSDBkWmaLsrpJfivF_hEzP_F4/s4032/IMG_5803.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeZtAkCafjakbApky8Qgmwnr6tnOI2RPPML9AI2s7SHNp9sLt8wHPgTrU8U8x1j6v99kUOd_wyTaa6f3S9Ph6CErJNTXsfgNhASjxAHCls7u_yg3NnGX3mLEOiGxxtsFHQ0QGxiiTs1LZWQn3fQTIoZnQ-wVP32YVoWyCSDBkWmaLsrpJfivF_hEzP_F4/w640-h480/IMG_5803.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bladderpod in bloom.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXskwkG5sZ2Tn-1iEPfwm_V-XM-sGKAXI8BBEagIx2HfRazRYcwXBbfRoShKSISAM7tPfNpyXZPopEz13FJVhX0cScGxoNVvKrWrMIq4hVuJSR1qggTM3k19ZwilN9m7TBEQkI0KZaKnG9lRMdfjF4QYLhciRlGBzWJh0L0PFAw8xhME9_EMJvz0XpiAI/s4032/IMG_5805.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXskwkG5sZ2Tn-1iEPfwm_V-XM-sGKAXI8BBEagIx2HfRazRYcwXBbfRoShKSISAM7tPfNpyXZPopEz13FJVhX0cScGxoNVvKrWrMIq4hVuJSR1qggTM3k19ZwilN9m7TBEQkI0KZaKnG9lRMdfjF4QYLhciRlGBzWJh0L0PFAw8xhME9_EMJvz0XpiAI/w640-h480/IMG_5805.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">6:08AM Sunday</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg33fBfPBabruGAOuaTvzRHCNj0Q1Bp_I4OwdmB1SfrB_bay4WLFQDsUP0CkZ3qHGttzgcNCzrFTEnbTd2b_ZVgpJygT5DBUHKHxZuyCEf5C5RMdPasckJI9GplR84nA98uqeEaX6tOt9zXCWQq0j9rgQCxTta16pOHGvGxZtcJMU-adgGavqrxjfyuzYA/s1998/Joshua%20Tree%20forest%20with%20boulders%20at%20sunset%20AI.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1427" data-original-width="1998" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg33fBfPBabruGAOuaTvzRHCNj0Q1Bp_I4OwdmB1SfrB_bay4WLFQDsUP0CkZ3qHGttzgcNCzrFTEnbTd2b_ZVgpJygT5DBUHKHxZuyCEf5C5RMdPasckJI9GplR84nA98uqeEaX6tOt9zXCWQq0j9rgQCxTta16pOHGvGxZtcJMU-adgGavqrxjfyuzYA/w640-h458/Joshua%20Tree%20forest%20with%20boulders%20at%20sunset%20AI.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Photoshop now has AI capabilities. For the above photo (can I even call it a photo??) I typed in "Joshua Tree forest with boulders at sunset" and this is what it generated. Not sure what I think about all this, other than it seems way to easy to "generate" photos. They also make it easy to add or replace things to improve a mediocre photo. Want to add a more dramatic sky? How about a full moon? Not sure about the rest of the world, but I'm going to keep my camera and do it the old fashioned way!</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Thanks for stopping by!!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;">Linking with</span> <a href="https://skyley.blogspot.com/2024/02/skywatch-friday-2024-leap-day-edition.html">Skywatch Friday</a>.</div></div></div>Spare Parts and Picshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17836657200014402380noreply@blogger.com42tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277742182540823151.post-35559234327698491992024-02-22T11:15:00.000-08:002024-02-22T11:15:20.739-08:00Lost Pencil<div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">It doesn't really look like a pencil to me. And who lost it?? Those are just a couple of the mysteries we hope to unravel as we hike to see if we can find this interesting and strange rock formation, and (hopefully) get a close-up look.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuoV8ybUzD4ZtQTDDkG7FNtN4L217OqlquBlf1pm_k84ZV6WYqpqECOnixaJYAyKz-fjAL8fDR3vY4srCAJrSj6qFAbBdbtZg6NbYQvVz8LAdSaGVGARvDqiubq6g_YmvECV1IqaCS9qCgY29-WrwiA-i3IIfYI_XIWZZR4oXaFqjzrYA0HXzmctVy17U/s6457/3B2A0245.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4305" data-original-width="6457" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuoV8ybUzD4ZtQTDDkG7FNtN4L217OqlquBlf1pm_k84ZV6WYqpqECOnixaJYAyKz-fjAL8fDR3vY4srCAJrSj6qFAbBdbtZg6NbYQvVz8LAdSaGVGARvDqiubq6g_YmvECV1IqaCS9qCgY29-WrwiA-i3IIfYI_XIWZZR4oXaFqjzrYA0HXzmctVy17U/w640-h426/3B2A0245.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">We've chosen a perfect day for a hike in Joshua Tree National Park. We are going somewhere in the general direction of those rocks, but there is no trail to follow. My hiking partner today is Mitch, and he seems to know where we're going, so that's good enough for me.</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL35_yx_tW4JtS08x9LLoCRUhsLjIw8iNEkrzQqgIgP6cZ0OdpcKLkM2TJY0oFNnbQ5oIjUs2xQn8DutJjK6YFcYjCwwOMxD0i9Wlbpq_uq-0NTEQbFRL3Thkd5yYxSROyD6g59wvclm3_0hn3eew2fduJSEEVb3MS0UNCNOhY-y1T3W_RSsf6g1L3vYA/s6720/3B2A0250.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL35_yx_tW4JtS08x9LLoCRUhsLjIw8iNEkrzQqgIgP6cZ0OdpcKLkM2TJY0oFNnbQ5oIjUs2xQn8DutJjK6YFcYjCwwOMxD0i9Wlbpq_uq-0NTEQbFRL3Thkd5yYxSROyD6g59wvclm3_0hn3eew2fduJSEEVb3MS0UNCNOhY-y1T3W_RSsf6g1L3vYA/w640-h426/3B2A0250.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This boulder is helping us with our navigation!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPhfbzD-pv2nuW7bod65-i17YuLmomk9ndSZWxJdSYOwkWIp9ap1PkFF1xNV0Y-pSiM6XjYJQOJZhK6yjE4ZNitLlwrS33fWMokjdG0q8TFaZamZ5HKW90-TSnKPT16ivFcC6P7O6PZ4J32pURMDjQqjzvk4gev4zLRBsoA4AcA3x0xPadaqRxM5JS77M/s6720/3B2A0246%20Aperitif%20Rock%20small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPhfbzD-pv2nuW7bod65-i17YuLmomk9ndSZWxJdSYOwkWIp9ap1PkFF1xNV0Y-pSiM6XjYJQOJZhK6yjE4ZNitLlwrS33fWMokjdG0q8TFaZamZ5HKW90-TSnKPT16ivFcC6P7O6PZ4J32pURMDjQqjzvk4gev4zLRBsoA4AcA3x0xPadaqRxM5JS77M/w640-h426/3B2A0246%20Aperitif%20Rock%20small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">This interesting bent-over boulder is called "Aperitif Rock", so named by the rock climbers that like to climb it. Funny name... perhaps this is a climb to stimulate the appetite for bigger climbs to come?</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPF2sJ9wnPV-_i6mqK8GSlFSxgWBacyPwnnwR8H3dt-MuYZEwV0i4EFp24N2m1-bnpG3BAKDPkImlgHmPZm7Fec8Q8sIR_gI6hEQmsXhBC0_9tQYDPcDhZVYQDu7D4cZt8UirztJV8vGf3zEbNIcDJeTgGNTXBj1onCQMRT7INWUHIB8W10H9FrMcPfXk/s6720/3B2A0251%20Grumpy%20Rock.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPF2sJ9wnPV-_i6mqK8GSlFSxgWBacyPwnnwR8H3dt-MuYZEwV0i4EFp24N2m1-bnpG3BAKDPkImlgHmPZm7Fec8Q8sIR_gI6hEQmsXhBC0_9tQYDPcDhZVYQDu7D4cZt8UirztJV8vGf3zEbNIcDJeTgGNTXBj1onCQMRT7INWUHIB8W10H9FrMcPfXk/w640-h426/3B2A0251%20Grumpy%20Rock.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grumpy rock? Or perhaps tortoise head rock?</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzcMlvFPMBuUM09_WIhD95x3Q9FEOXRch9dUDDFS06CxR_ya3uZHmWzwiI7lzCKYTgFV5GkYHWyGRFpM1bnCBOWCw9gJuuCN6F40OtCbfmk4gFKF1JKAhtTbkmde8MDKYPgf35kfvmW8P7zaDGoLyLDchc5YPPBfOoJjssT6o83MK_tVSVZbbFmNhys2c/s6720/3B2A0254%20small.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzcMlvFPMBuUM09_WIhD95x3Q9FEOXRch9dUDDFS06CxR_ya3uZHmWzwiI7lzCKYTgFV5GkYHWyGRFpM1bnCBOWCw9gJuuCN6F40OtCbfmk4gFKF1JKAhtTbkmde8MDKYPgf35kfvmW8P7zaDGoLyLDchc5YPPBfOoJjssT6o83MK_tVSVZbbFmNhys2c/w640-h426/3B2A0254%20small.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We get our first view of Lost Pencil. Like I said, it doesn't look like a pencil to me!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEuW76Vf_jBm1mC-Zhd8Gq8c1AEiPAg6YOhNuiWtsHgabi0zkRnr9jTThfAY1pltLxJKrNTzUTONSi-nrvhWAnYnOtJZTL6fqnoZAcQCz8WDJiOjr4vQ8e7ccV-NSzeCkRgCfVMi2EQQVj_2o4e1Jo60Y2yBQI2W0NWo5y0VUw8YUnONPQHqj-iRd43lY/s6720/3B2A0260%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6720" data-original-width="4480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEuW76Vf_jBm1mC-Zhd8Gq8c1AEiPAg6YOhNuiWtsHgabi0zkRnr9jTThfAY1pltLxJKrNTzUTONSi-nrvhWAnYnOtJZTL6fqnoZAcQCz8WDJiOjr4vQ8e7ccV-NSzeCkRgCfVMi2EQQVj_2o4e1Jo60Y2yBQI2W0NWo5y0VUw8YUnONPQHqj-iRd43lY/w266-h400/3B2A0260%20copy.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hi Mitch!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVWFUCcBh3dlN41Oo2IqSMO0szu7L4BSOr6OMmWq9-dI5PdWMwXQ1cwIMU6gZ1fMUcnJpj_VfGIUYF_BQ9IvSBZ8D6yCTa34rRLdIAGNP2UBX9r1g7epvVhwqIfrvQGJ58K2ZT8bpOpcA0g31hc0nqmAw9xEkhLBgFvC_5HWI5v4ThYSG4jw99DqYtG7Q/s6674/3B2A0272distort%20small.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4449" data-original-width="6674" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVWFUCcBh3dlN41Oo2IqSMO0szu7L4BSOr6OMmWq9-dI5PdWMwXQ1cwIMU6gZ1fMUcnJpj_VfGIUYF_BQ9IvSBZ8D6yCTa34rRLdIAGNP2UBX9r1g7epvVhwqIfrvQGJ58K2ZT8bpOpcA0g31hc0nqmAw9xEkhLBgFvC_5HWI5v4ThYSG4jw99DqYtG7Q/w640-h426/3B2A0272distort%20small.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From this angle, it looks pretty unstable!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEideXOTYAS9DL3qKFbRUvCI_kvU-E4Np0EUzrWJOfX0j8ywccsdXJFB7UHzJ1fnMNGgQIBQ33pv1BvyrKQdAHuW8oOWeXS7oR05iUJ44ugKpdN_TG407EA3-LW_QPilVFmkazlC0q0Qf_3Dmc57Y2cwjz4-fbhutWFOEET111jbL3XC76ZG3-gGLXka3es/s6720/3B2A0278small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEideXOTYAS9DL3qKFbRUvCI_kvU-E4Np0EUzrWJOfX0j8ywccsdXJFB7UHzJ1fnMNGgQIBQ33pv1BvyrKQdAHuW8oOWeXS7oR05iUJ44ugKpdN_TG407EA3-LW_QPilVFmkazlC0q0Qf_3Dmc57Y2cwjz4-fbhutWFOEET111jbL3XC76ZG3-gGLXka3es/w640-h426/3B2A0278small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Api6ynYi_th0Yc6jqx_pPL8hrB5vFloyLUOjkYBxiJbAlNB1pTrC1x0-YFAKujLgZeKXy_d0KsOycUjR9__rPBwlMhsR8_bgQBw7lYWMY9HK7wV0SHt9EInkfLMEFa02MsGBy2lEohU5xZIORU4uQ6Lh_qHiXjpYKCSjkJPedNPi9UpfPQK3EgL9AUE/s6720/3B2A0286small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Api6ynYi_th0Yc6jqx_pPL8hrB5vFloyLUOjkYBxiJbAlNB1pTrC1x0-YFAKujLgZeKXy_d0KsOycUjR9__rPBwlMhsR8_bgQBw7lYWMY9HK7wV0SHt9EInkfLMEFa02MsGBy2lEohU5xZIORU4uQ6Lh_qHiXjpYKCSjkJPedNPi9UpfPQK3EgL9AUE/w640-h426/3B2A0286small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQtZH0mdAoUPlyzCFmJUO2vDi1b3-k5lm0qCekiz-fD1hO_44dk42K0wmUrV1idT2Dr7EPbT0nL0lRto-AIpPCpLs8hlL2E-SvR7kiLlRmgH_iPOI8qcLiCIFykbSydgparUefdQjlLbfdfAIAlAWc23Ylb6fHloyWh8n7a5yv9f2KDSuE5gpk9mP74mk/s6720/3B2A0288small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQtZH0mdAoUPlyzCFmJUO2vDi1b3-k5lm0qCekiz-fD1hO_44dk42K0wmUrV1idT2Dr7EPbT0nL0lRto-AIpPCpLs8hlL2E-SvR7kiLlRmgH_iPOI8qcLiCIFykbSydgparUefdQjlLbfdfAIAlAWc23Ylb6fHloyWh8n7a5yv9f2KDSuE5gpk9mP74mk/w640-h426/3B2A0288small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkUzSCDR38_UWP-5wnldtjsQ_nUwWAG3qj51hwDhjUF80Ta1pYvk2GGj2W1BLBKYbLcblwbyh-rAYf4VP5GrwkZQlrDDjGr3SqlrJiePYF6sCHFDGdyPxB_TjEbETjC33Nuf5kJ5u3edGfJPujPecV-VcpIyDod7TpTAxBSsAB01ekgTlEL2VEGNH6SYE/s6720/3B2A0289.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkUzSCDR38_UWP-5wnldtjsQ_nUwWAG3qj51hwDhjUF80Ta1pYvk2GGj2W1BLBKYbLcblwbyh-rAYf4VP5GrwkZQlrDDjGr3SqlrJiePYF6sCHFDGdyPxB_TjEbETjC33Nuf5kJ5u3edGfJPujPecV-VcpIyDod7TpTAxBSsAB01ekgTlEL2VEGNH6SYE/w640-h426/3B2A0289.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">This rock caught my eye because it stood out from all the other rocks in the area (mostly it's shape, relatively sharp edges, and color). Possibly a stone tool used by Native Americans? Hard to say, but I put it back on the ground where I found it and continued on.</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip9GsUceoXCg6aE-Bb6JAWJ5UdWYqq5LOxP2_dzJgePNyaTBWPn2sRDYYG117zEhOR0kHE34BRgVGuh46Dbid8Jq6auLrRbRx5rnjg_oCxTU1Bwchh5u090Av9-FqHjuYbqKj-0z8wBh5KEMTum42SoE9DkG0lBHSjbcxQFyefgh8tbaIV4-JO3S0tu2o/s6720/3B2A0307small%20Malapai%20Hill.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip9GsUceoXCg6aE-Bb6JAWJ5UdWYqq5LOxP2_dzJgePNyaTBWPn2sRDYYG117zEhOR0kHE34BRgVGuh46Dbid8Jq6auLrRbRx5rnjg_oCxTU1Bwchh5u090Av9-FqHjuYbqKj-0z8wBh5KEMTum42SoE9DkG0lBHSjbcxQFyefgh8tbaIV4-JO3S0tu2o/w640-h426/3B2A0307small%20Malapai%20Hill.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Malapai Hill in the center of the photo. Unlike most of the surrounding hills made of granite boulders, Malapai Hill is dark-colored and volcanic in nature. It almost looks like you can see ancient lava flows!<br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfvU99ySqYy-KQpfbQ3Ao8OZThNaoXfKFFkkG_gYQ2O2_S9TRvkvuw1s-1DWl20E31gUXGyDzr8usJIiXDZIebHS6n3lG6KdNbA319j8v3OHS0tuVTKzBWZAFgwrbnkpBGB51nq6Wo4AfZAVOIzTHd8Glj9-sfuXdCEiuNB0Vwr8O9drY9MiAWNp_2_yQ/s6030/3B2A0294%20moon.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6030" data-original-width="4480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfvU99ySqYy-KQpfbQ3Ao8OZThNaoXfKFFkkG_gYQ2O2_S9TRvkvuw1s-1DWl20E31gUXGyDzr8usJIiXDZIebHS6n3lG6KdNbA319j8v3OHS0tuVTKzBWZAFgwrbnkpBGB51nq6Wo4AfZAVOIzTHd8Glj9-sfuXdCEiuNB0Vwr8O9drY9MiAWNp_2_yQ/w476-h640/3B2A0294%20moon.jpg" width="476" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lucky break to see the moonrise through the clouds!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7PkP9542lhrCKiThWcjjfyJzwgcdIONRmCcTcpGL1yVbH6wFXeRuVIp57aphiOJ0Uu5oCw3l26OhyraCXeTJaimn6n9ho0ef2B-7ELJZYzOJnk70D-HFjN10OD_catsCCFG0wIhWSj_ZkvcuHZheMVdN3evnscjz4GnWWCjr3t3-rnwiYbj7LPRMpsbE/s6720/3B2A0316tex-2small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7PkP9542lhrCKiThWcjjfyJzwgcdIONRmCcTcpGL1yVbH6wFXeRuVIp57aphiOJ0Uu5oCw3l26OhyraCXeTJaimn6n9ho0ef2B-7ELJZYzOJnk70D-HFjN10OD_catsCCFG0wIhWSj_ZkvcuHZheMVdN3evnscjz4GnWWCjr3t3-rnwiYbj7LPRMpsbE/w640-h426/3B2A0316tex-2small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEina8hapshdztTcSOY7ZFuZ8ICgK0vLnht9vxpt9cLD-PjsqNpEtiFcX1X-0Q3nQ1m5_rBHv-5vSz3KNFgPcjL2DyW-ZElOScvR2-BMJpx1JQ2lSIibshpP2r_wJTH9VSCKRTeJP6Es2Cj57gOofacaoouNgzbB5LPOK8hALNhM27o8xHAlfMqIUdyNMqs/s6720/3B2A0317texsmall.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEina8hapshdztTcSOY7ZFuZ8ICgK0vLnht9vxpt9cLD-PjsqNpEtiFcX1X-0Q3nQ1m5_rBHv-5vSz3KNFgPcjL2DyW-ZElOScvR2-BMJpx1JQ2lSIibshpP2r_wJTH9VSCKRTeJP6Es2Cj57gOofacaoouNgzbB5LPOK8hALNhM27o8xHAlfMqIUdyNMqs/w640-h426/3B2A0317texsmall.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No shortage of interesting rock formations on this hike!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">We didn't solve the mystery of the rock formation that doesn't look like a pencil and that isn't lost, but you did get an opportunity to see it up close. Hope you enjoyed this short escape out to the desert!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;">Linking with <a href="https://skyley.blogspot.com/2024/02/skywatch-friday-22-february-2024-edition.html">Skywatch Friday</a>.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;">Thanks for stopping by!</span></div>Spare Parts and Picshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17836657200014402380noreply@blogger.com41tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277742182540823151.post-16453695095055142412024-02-15T15:01:00.000-08:002024-02-15T15:01:20.270-08:00Hidden Lake in Joshua Tree??<div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">My expectations were low, but I really couldn't think of anywhere else to hike. I had spotted a "hidden" dry lake on Google Earth quite a while ago. To my knowledge, there was nothing special there... no pictographs or petroglyphs, no old mining structures, nothing. However, it's in a secluded location that probably gets few to zero hikers. I couldn't even find a place to park. I had to pull off onto the "shoulder" of Pinto Basin Road and hope not to get stuck in deep sand. I love hiking to remote places like this because you never know what you might find!</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj33BUO2VmPV-APQwi5tAB_izgLzXamJ_kYJQ0L0qSsR4Z55oMKJHuFkm7McqQXRs1kMz3Mda6EcLaDR-4Xi_tfuN2yZQUkNnp1Pi_dr_abOe_vKLCqRO_7759kbFs0H2sxCYGcYjUS8TzDSE0L1oKJvedhX7OMiKvL6qFYn8kSr-8mLGA8HpAUTShhr5o/s753/Screenshot%202024-02-05%20133208.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="753" data-original-width="671" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj33BUO2VmPV-APQwi5tAB_izgLzXamJ_kYJQ0L0qSsR4Z55oMKJHuFkm7McqQXRs1kMz3Mda6EcLaDR-4Xi_tfuN2yZQUkNnp1Pi_dr_abOe_vKLCqRO_7759kbFs0H2sxCYGcYjUS8TzDSE0L1oKJvedhX7OMiKvL6qFYn8kSr-8mLGA8HpAUTShhr5o/w356-h400/Screenshot%202024-02-05%20133208.png" width="356" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Remote and "hidden" dry lake bed.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLhsSFMMb-ttWZOR5q1CpuykqC8nyOerUBTBuNhXUVmHfVe35Zosor9OyxZJtIePUp2IUm5vLxEOy_TU_sOn_IHuijroKL8TKSgaU1TKBgPjzKSnIh7IEHuaB-o5q9EEsR4d5Ia_iEkoli6dk2AZ4jEPxas2GEeZ4tk_VLvX37MKdfntUJBu-mlXg7iyU/s6720/3B2A0404small.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLhsSFMMb-ttWZOR5q1CpuykqC8nyOerUBTBuNhXUVmHfVe35Zosor9OyxZJtIePUp2IUm5vLxEOy_TU_sOn_IHuijroKL8TKSgaU1TKBgPjzKSnIh7IEHuaB-o5q9EEsR4d5Ia_iEkoli6dk2AZ4jEPxas2GEeZ4tk_VLvX37MKdfntUJBu-mlXg7iyU/w640-h426/3B2A0404small.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A desert wash full of Smoke Trees... always a treat to see!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYi9xO1rXee7xQiOkeUt4UwwigEYvH4_gopl9aYWfqQIv1QdGxbdqfSbyjYK_r7rpj8ZdGBAnAV90uZVBa95OSGaMM5oZjoKZ44gNntRgJsUEy1e0azQG2BnZHbo0w8mv6GWCs_NzWGUBmvytghzJAFr3HuD67BdShiRg4YT6J-ifBF2iUXWE0WIKUzFI/s6720/3B2A0406small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYi9xO1rXee7xQiOkeUt4UwwigEYvH4_gopl9aYWfqQIv1QdGxbdqfSbyjYK_r7rpj8ZdGBAnAV90uZVBa95OSGaMM5oZjoKZ44gNntRgJsUEy1e0azQG2BnZHbo0w8mv6GWCs_NzWGUBmvytghzJAFr3HuD67BdShiRg4YT6J-ifBF2iUXWE0WIKUzFI/w640-h426/3B2A0406small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">It had rained a few days ago, and I love how these red barrel cactus turn a deeper shade of red after a rain. I really enjoy hiking when the sky is cloudy, so I was thinking this might turn out to be a fun hike after all.</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR1iH_LPbrQ9KCDwWVVmmM797EHqY6IQ3opn6nT_BjUrg_p9fHGCl0quTxNste5WVDR5vrXScrwRotoG6z6eWnj2kgKacX3eeiwIGioaOPYsxT-rjfUFqacsvoezgpHoKkaIQNwORo9tQ_CCO7zYG91D46Tgn2MGjMn9-zNJTn5_k2p6uw6JZnLCapsPo/s6720/3B2A0408.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6720" data-original-width="4480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR1iH_LPbrQ9KCDwWVVmmM797EHqY6IQ3opn6nT_BjUrg_p9fHGCl0quTxNste5WVDR5vrXScrwRotoG6z6eWnj2kgKacX3eeiwIGioaOPYsxT-rjfUFqacsvoezgpHoKkaIQNwORo9tQ_CCO7zYG91D46Tgn2MGjMn9-zNJTn5_k2p6uw6JZnLCapsPo/w426-h640/3B2A0408.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Very early into my hike I came across this rock formation. Can you spot the petroglyph? That just elevated the hike from "mediocre" to "fun"! It's always thrilling to find rock art and this one, although modest, probably hasn't been seen by too many people. And you know what this means, right? It means I will have to check <b><i>every single</i></b> nook and cranny I come across for MORE rock art!!</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC1KLTlwelYsBsB-6uLLfc_GF3zCGuyAvDiEnX5GqxOhPcbygd8DltghedN_HonwyVUW0EhCnhFOgVkOjfd4zHip8JTbKoI9IJ7nTyu6NY1-ZnZrla2l0ExEfDlwuPPWKSRj1aVeYuWQPchyphenhyphenQvat42d_RHljGskSDIfksMWlXEYrmxiiKTRistAS-lsqM/s788/Screenshot%202024-01-26%20151844.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="552" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC1KLTlwelYsBsB-6uLLfc_GF3zCGuyAvDiEnX5GqxOhPcbygd8DltghedN_HonwyVUW0EhCnhFOgVkOjfd4zHip8JTbKoI9IJ7nTyu6NY1-ZnZrla2l0ExEfDlwuPPWKSRj1aVeYuWQPchyphenhyphenQvat42d_RHljGskSDIfksMWlXEYrmxiiKTRistAS-lsqM/w448-h640/Screenshot%202024-01-26%20151844.jpg" width="448" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In case you weren't able to find the petroglyph.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCMbtB14L5gwGHffYKRiuGp3fsKENo_xNnFoI4pxGCNsXc4uc8694fjx_PvUer2d2rUII1m3ALbw2112fgQh3-aLaEIu6h5XbSW9gmDWmEZxWL4qWttyCddC9uzogMEbB6HtYc113VRUMViPdqwUWMy0n98o05DYNHmZZ7-V_23dy0K_9flBPLRz24CB8/s4032/IMG_5630.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCMbtB14L5gwGHffYKRiuGp3fsKENo_xNnFoI4pxGCNsXc4uc8694fjx_PvUer2d2rUII1m3ALbw2112fgQh3-aLaEIu6h5XbSW9gmDWmEZxWL4qWttyCddC9uzogMEbB6HtYc113VRUMViPdqwUWMy0n98o05DYNHmZZ7-V_23dy0K_9flBPLRz24CB8/w480-h640/IMG_5630.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I don't recall ever seeing a symbol like this.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJD27j8WTJ_FzzVbvt6TMKGdKKMg4a9LhY0SYp5S2VBzUR3zDyCvHWwpLj8uSm9MuRJ88Q2nukD-j5LfOCdZ4ZTSqBQ_D7gN2rohEtwrkk1DDLCTwn2F7VuxZMeXRAmO6fw7qA98n12JH_mtO4VTjF9N6e-9sHha4TjFEmtTlo41GxLw0tjLtM8J3e2sA/s6720/3B2A0415.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJD27j8WTJ_FzzVbvt6TMKGdKKMg4a9LhY0SYp5S2VBzUR3zDyCvHWwpLj8uSm9MuRJ88Q2nukD-j5LfOCdZ4ZTSqBQ_D7gN2rohEtwrkk1DDLCTwn2F7VuxZMeXRAmO6fw7qA98n12JH_mtO4VTjF9N6e-9sHha4TjFEmtTlo41GxLw0tjLtM8J3e2sA/w640-h426/3B2A0415.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">The problem with the boulders in this area is they are covered with veins and striations. From a distance, they all look like petroglyphs! After looking closely at this one and finding nothing, I proceeded to the top of the hill just to take a look around.</span><br /><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMrgbWEa7GgX2SnfMQEWdAQ-_hDUc_8nPncwtaolCP1AD6qkvbME5482njAkHL_x_nWxS1-hQiNMgXwieQpri39EcHUfAy8gY8WNk-ABnIg9WFG9ofFUINMpXRTkEf-ijjmfbtCCVUnNKq-uWQvGsJ1T_AuVfC_uvr5EUuU3_kkGpCZ303lICrosDIwHw/s6720/3B2A0413.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMrgbWEa7GgX2SnfMQEWdAQ-_hDUc_8nPncwtaolCP1AD6qkvbME5482njAkHL_x_nWxS1-hQiNMgXwieQpri39EcHUfAy8gY8WNk-ABnIg9WFG9ofFUINMpXRTkEf-ijjmfbtCCVUnNKq-uWQvGsJ1T_AuVfC_uvr5EUuU3_kkGpCZ303lICrosDIwHw/w640-h426/3B2A0413.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">And I was in for a surprise. Someone, a long time ago, prospected this area! There was a rock pile that might have been a mining claim or boundary marker, and a small pit in the ground. It's certainly possible this pit might have been deep at one time, and the Park Service filled it in. Adjacent to this area was a smoothed-out area (rocks removed) with a few pieces of old wood. Perhaps the site of an old cabin?</span><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjukkdPH7TXy2p_ZQc06X8KTtY4IEDcm3ZjmZ2lLH9BIS_o8vCutKvCbg5a0dva4GjIO8fj9is1sE1rP_lN97gkGRRV3ca5mW5Rikv3DKJB_v5KdfsvF9lx4i7fAPKt0OBytMNJRrISsnDUECYiXiTfH0ozOwXDrfhOKEStlIh36hPnWsLw_7y8T38XWs/s5736/3B2A0414.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5736" data-original-width="4480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjukkdPH7TXy2p_ZQc06X8KTtY4IEDcm3ZjmZ2lLH9BIS_o8vCutKvCbg5a0dva4GjIO8fj9is1sE1rP_lN97gkGRRV3ca5mW5Rikv3DKJB_v5KdfsvF9lx4i7fAPKt0OBytMNJRrISsnDUECYiXiTfH0ozOwXDrfhOKEStlIh36hPnWsLw_7y8T38XWs/w500-h640/3B2A0414.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful turquoise-covered rocks, and also lots of quartz.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhqwYe687_2h-T-a0CWidoJzALwkBAeHNFKkXYs2RQ5acsm4PQZjeiL87c7KgDdOkKY8Jd02Rb8HD6xep6NtZ1pqMcHyqMOKYZ1gw6L8OIyw776-dzYdDtJhhbmH4lKMoMqynC_lXkkFDgLTR4ms-PHCtTa2bC8zueSjUJn00X9rBd65AnM4A2CoS6xvI/s6370/3B2A0409.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4247" data-original-width="6370" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhqwYe687_2h-T-a0CWidoJzALwkBAeHNFKkXYs2RQ5acsm4PQZjeiL87c7KgDdOkKY8Jd02Rb8HD6xep6NtZ1pqMcHyqMOKYZ1gw6L8OIyw776-dzYdDtJhhbmH4lKMoMqynC_lXkkFDgLTR4ms-PHCtTa2bC8zueSjUJn00X9rBd65AnM4A2CoS6xvI/w640-h426/3B2A0409.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The miner that worked this area evidently had a fondness sardines!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAuxgK5u4HVbusVrTLmCTAoA3S2XdZk8AOvNFaRLd-VvM4czbNuRBvSHAieTtQiFCy7sWA0xM1D3A10oYReEqz4y0OVCqWuje9RY4-bKC35Q_OYGgTdEWkjaDQlg8S7e0Aq0flrxQa_gfj7t12RRMgmbv7QWr_nNCjwRoQA_ks0aK3xWkxgFymnb-qAWY/s6577/3B2A0419.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4385" data-original-width="6577" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAuxgK5u4HVbusVrTLmCTAoA3S2XdZk8AOvNFaRLd-VvM4czbNuRBvSHAieTtQiFCy7sWA0xM1D3A10oYReEqz4y0OVCqWuje9RY4-bKC35Q_OYGgTdEWkjaDQlg8S7e0Aq0flrxQa_gfj7t12RRMgmbv7QWr_nNCjwRoQA_ks0aK3xWkxgFymnb-qAWY/w640-h426/3B2A0419.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I've finally made it to the lake bed. This is pretty much what I was expecting, and I was curious to explore the area. It might be nice to make a return trip when the wildflowers are blooming. With this sandy soil, desert lilies, sand verbena, and other sand-loving desert plants might put on an impressive show! I'm going to explore the hills on the far left side of the lake bed. On Google Earth, it looked like there might have been an old road that went up there, which would likely mean mining activity.</span></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiub4_Q4oZ5XwdHGgQ1ib8ch6cY0TT2I6Tb1IVfxC0zoKUmqgzeujeYCjJZRpulWEEeWMRZFt3Y3y-Yl6grRu6So8amLAaEEOykLGjhqJcQSUjIdQ-cqPVS7SX-SQfk1XjHFqAu0YH9C9Uf0XKp3o7df0yg8vn7XM1-C70fZBEQHznMrPkajgztekMG8c0/s6720/3B2A0420.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiub4_Q4oZ5XwdHGgQ1ib8ch6cY0TT2I6Tb1IVfxC0zoKUmqgzeujeYCjJZRpulWEEeWMRZFt3Y3y-Yl6grRu6So8amLAaEEOykLGjhqJcQSUjIdQ-cqPVS7SX-SQfk1XjHFqAu0YH9C9Uf0XKp3o7df0yg8vn7XM1-C70fZBEQHznMrPkajgztekMG8c0/w400-h266/3B2A0420.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Looks like I'm not the first person to explore this old lake bed! There are no footprints in the area, so no one has been here in a while, but this old hole-in-cap can goes waaaay back. It was made sometime between 1825 and 1904. I continue my hike up the hill.</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf75nA9Rn-Le6xeytFQKOFxrFMKUAKrMuEQAXzAga634nQN13D_gXhBS4JRehBsomvicYSKQ4lJznPgwd25gdU5P9FZo4QY-GHGHyaazQScCqCkFZnDpE_8gvj2umkg6HzYATBpX-ZdUv_z38lQQu0hHEJ9sSINOfa9crkmVwMgUeeTqK3Y6d2YiNWDro/s6720/3B2A0422small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf75nA9Rn-Le6xeytFQKOFxrFMKUAKrMuEQAXzAga634nQN13D_gXhBS4JRehBsomvicYSKQ4lJznPgwd25gdU5P9FZo4QY-GHGHyaazQScCqCkFZnDpE_8gvj2umkg6HzYATBpX-ZdUv_z38lQQu0hHEJ9sSINOfa9crkmVwMgUeeTqK3Y6d2YiNWDro/w640-h426/3B2A0422small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I make it up to the top of the hill, huffing and puffing. It looks like there might have been an old road leading up here, but can't tell for sure. No signs of mining, and no rusty cans. I'm admiring this cottontop cactus when I pause to take in the horizon, and my <b><i>jaw drops</i></b>... Is that water?? It looks like a small lake from here. I can hardly believe it. I've never come across a lake bed in the desert full of water after a rain, so this is amazing! Oh, and by the way, what's the white zig-zag stuff on the ground in the center of the photo?? Let's go check it out.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRswtN76gAmzJh_9ICd2yimdwHG_Qkm-_rKj-c7nqcRj3XTp4LyywZuj-fN8gGzn1Nno_KrceaKjavqpxymigVHQY8WPS-mv8zQrpFH0jigabmpn-WADEHV0sOp1TU8ZbAG9LnF2kF_7vwqssFqAFIYj2U46wxhYr-DjfZSQ6H4fwA8A3Lv5OHkAR9E-w/s6720/3B2A0425small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRswtN76gAmzJh_9ICd2yimdwHG_Qkm-_rKj-c7nqcRj3XTp4LyywZuj-fN8gGzn1Nno_KrceaKjavqpxymigVHQY8WPS-mv8zQrpFH0jigabmpn-WADEHV0sOp1TU8ZbAG9LnF2kF_7vwqssFqAFIYj2U46wxhYr-DjfZSQ6H4fwA8A3Lv5OHkAR9E-w/w640-h426/3B2A0425small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">The white stuff turns out to be a very large vein of white quartz. As if planted by a gardner, this red cottontop cactus beautifully stands out against the white quartz! This hike has gone from mediocre to fun to amazing!<br /></span><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh76yIhgp6rRYYCiNnDngmTlGnVhTJStMDUdxgDOnCE6OceEAcCwADW699eMlbxnxd3uqtOqz3aBwdIwpjNdT1ODjB3S-SBxqm4PfGo9OMefPUXS26tV4phF2cOe71zJTE1Wgeq8oFWDAgq_c0xeGthP9Z71LgHtd_jNTbEv3PqOR-Z7lK4vXJIhVfvX5A/s6720/3B2A0428.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh76yIhgp6rRYYCiNnDngmTlGnVhTJStMDUdxgDOnCE6OceEAcCwADW699eMlbxnxd3uqtOqz3aBwdIwpjNdT1ODjB3S-SBxqm4PfGo9OMefPUXS26tV4phF2cOe71zJTE1Wgeq8oFWDAgq_c0xeGthP9Z71LgHtd_jNTbEv3PqOR-Z7lK4vXJIhVfvX5A/w640-h426/3B2A0428.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's a lot of water for a dry lakeπ</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj31AXp_kwFCzA9fhIAF9wKdjkVOGP5UOLvgrJ3ZqeKugSPnY34cgIJJon5rIIv_zKRCuEeiN9EY1YMCGsM-QJEHWFA4Hg1MSyHwZCP4s9sT_d5UMU4rprGniHdb3YakRJBBNeajTzUoBrronpbDexAAgzvw2E55yQaxZsaqtnUCygP49SQZl2KCIV6M0Y/s6720/3B2A0438.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj31AXp_kwFCzA9fhIAF9wKdjkVOGP5UOLvgrJ3ZqeKugSPnY34cgIJJon5rIIv_zKRCuEeiN9EY1YMCGsM-QJEHWFA4Hg1MSyHwZCP4s9sT_d5UMU4rprGniHdb3YakRJBBNeajTzUoBrronpbDexAAgzvw2E55yQaxZsaqtnUCygP49SQZl2KCIV6M0Y/w640-h426/3B2A0438.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's a new experience seeing creosote branches reflected in water!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitWHtzX3na4smNoD1v8Hq2T92KXAJshm_h2mkn6f9Ov0gD16LGvAxFAFVjKrjInO7iw84BXXFuuJTD4o1SpqK33oQvPGv_-U5cBBll2lZBfGqcjKi0q915oHxFy_-wLWnXAXbZMZkzG2SMKarmaoD5cgFrq49IVbsm71RiM61Nh4seC53cPlXEjbhcPIE/s6537/3B2A0446small.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4358" data-original-width="6537" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitWHtzX3na4smNoD1v8Hq2T92KXAJshm_h2mkn6f9Ov0gD16LGvAxFAFVjKrjInO7iw84BXXFuuJTD4o1SpqK33oQvPGv_-U5cBBll2lZBfGqcjKi0q915oHxFy_-wLWnXAXbZMZkzG2SMKarmaoD5cgFrq49IVbsm71RiM61Nh4seC53cPlXEjbhcPIE/w640-h426/3B2A0446small.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I hike up to the high point to get this beautiful view of the Pinto Basin.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb_QujxJbKzazbkEfuTvvdgXOM79d4pAhQNhnA5Whf0a6w9-kkzE3N6SnIbutxhLwsxCMGxWiv8AiwiAbDBEb6xJyOb_tCLcTUUpxtil_c8B9PCUj8DbhEqwrMpk0uejT3V0FYM20p6FichsD_tsnF90HnkxFOT9YWzaGOafEPtg-nsEdw3ZI0WSkOMqo/s6286/3B2A0453small.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4191" data-original-width="6286" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb_QujxJbKzazbkEfuTvvdgXOM79d4pAhQNhnA5Whf0a6w9-kkzE3N6SnIbutxhLwsxCMGxWiv8AiwiAbDBEb6xJyOb_tCLcTUUpxtil_c8B9PCUj8DbhEqwrMpk0uejT3V0FYM20p6FichsD_tsnF90HnkxFOT9YWzaGOafEPtg-nsEdw3ZI0WSkOMqo/w640-h426/3B2A0453small.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I use my telephoto lens to get this view of the serpentine Pinto Basin Road.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQdSS97IJATMBTMsz7L4Iv6ALX_Ze_5CVM60M38baLgSePBshSBOnFJGrTIcOHr4oLEEWhIGOal47Rf_pFFsp3NNV5Syuf6kD-4zBCXVFCsdncG_2NC5MkFmdjvtP76JX4KzoWTUJu730SAs-8G2OsYg37bofHVs-cGaArrjaOZrhDJtjNQOcOyVCeCt8/s6553/3B2A0449small.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4369" data-original-width="6553" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQdSS97IJATMBTMsz7L4Iv6ALX_Ze_5CVM60M38baLgSePBshSBOnFJGrTIcOHr4oLEEWhIGOal47Rf_pFFsp3NNV5Syuf6kD-4zBCXVFCsdncG_2NC5MkFmdjvtP76JX4KzoWTUJu730SAs-8G2OsYg37bofHVs-cGaArrjaOZrhDJtjNQOcOyVCeCt8/w640-h426/3B2A0449small.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice view of the "dry" lake from the high point. Amazing!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg10OeSe0h28rYqAeFyUCcK7oz56PI8ibGwi0JM5s3Xbb2ue0hyactctZs-hFnf4cx8NliduRIz1aBNE0TLXm1z5SlaijbYTuegvxZ1ku3ePJ5U00uPfV6KvJjfRxuviuunhRyRkBP1jfO6aJxXMECTfSGidR8qu1EYxrBB_1kDJfzXoW7AU6zhuFhoGKM/s6720/3B2A0456small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg10OeSe0h28rYqAeFyUCcK7oz56PI8ibGwi0JM5s3Xbb2ue0hyactctZs-hFnf4cx8NliduRIz1aBNE0TLXm1z5SlaijbYTuegvxZ1ku3ePJ5U00uPfV6KvJjfRxuviuunhRyRkBP1jfO6aJxXMECTfSGidR8qu1EYxrBB_1kDJfzXoW7AU6zhuFhoGKM/w640-h426/3B2A0456small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilbm9_yCtxXbFCmqh4kc-WjEZEJNikd44hWewBFK11l_4B3pDMI3GOfb0KsoGT687NzZJTEgFtQbU5droSbH25JsnRUQWpYKu0iNfKDT6A4c5hzDMxvPraZ8Mi8SFa_orc47nuH7L-79NPjBZ2CsHkbeHZFRSg67OpxHofv4M08exaVgSkwKyPQVOMB38/s4032/IMG_5659%20copyBW.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilbm9_yCtxXbFCmqh4kc-WjEZEJNikd44hWewBFK11l_4B3pDMI3GOfb0KsoGT687NzZJTEgFtQbU5droSbH25JsnRUQWpYKu0iNfKDT6A4c5hzDMxvPraZ8Mi8SFa_orc47nuH7L-79NPjBZ2CsHkbeHZFRSg67OpxHofv4M08exaVgSkwKyPQVOMB38/w640-h480/IMG_5659%20copyBW.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I have a little time to kill so I prop my iPhone on a rock and take a selfie. I'm waiting for the full moon to rise (the first of 2024!). Problem is, the longer I wait, the cloudier it gets!! I finally decide not to wait any longer. If I leave now, I should be able to avoid hiking back in the dark.<br /></span><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDS5L6TpVPXnbUXB_UlsqXOjp4W4rD5DAVGG-6Jt4mA9gC2CaRkJvudua1VnqaIEKNhiBVppwsWL_IXoi5WaZaWsNxGi1eyAgvB9P_Xbf6D2e_yuMnL9uAqVJcEYjYVXu8Htr9o2cVtDvStRbMWgJAAbV5hubSX9G3uM9HgNEzrZORaaHXh1exA8Bg-SY/s6551/3B2A0462crop.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3764" data-original-width="6551" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDS5L6TpVPXnbUXB_UlsqXOjp4W4rD5DAVGG-6Jt4mA9gC2CaRkJvudua1VnqaIEKNhiBVppwsWL_IXoi5WaZaWsNxGi1eyAgvB9P_Xbf6D2e_yuMnL9uAqVJcEYjYVXu8Htr9o2cVtDvStRbMWgJAAbV5hubSX9G3uM9HgNEzrZORaaHXh1exA8Bg-SY/w640-h368/3B2A0462crop.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Desert Reflection</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqk2Ogqix_n4D7tO0i-wWAZrVmmM3LjMmK6VLkYdXF9HUwQmXBkAhffHFfbPcR8ON7zdPdPbTV4JMH0l9ghg_mNYEe4dHn3sMbKCkuG_03QKxNRW4KW0quNs3LClECTpFP8MKcDxCdybIgjYr9LnUOCkZFrfgKdTqUy08oYpntlbERD-lfZXYIO8Wpogw/s6408/3B2A0464small.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="6408" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqk2Ogqix_n4D7tO0i-wWAZrVmmM3LjMmK6VLkYdXF9HUwQmXBkAhffHFfbPcR8ON7zdPdPbTV4JMH0l9ghg_mNYEe4dHn3sMbKCkuG_03QKxNRW4KW0quNs3LClECTpFP8MKcDxCdybIgjYr9LnUOCkZFrfgKdTqUy08oYpntlbERD-lfZXYIO8Wpogw/w640-h426/3B2A0464small.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amazing how this bunch grass stands out in low light!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvK6wkfcWfwVyKaTQSO9KDU2KxFan7_5GXvpZhIRxyHMRr-8A2qOm2YBt3GVM3gyS340Kii2a-OG6bzxgG_n_OnASHjJLKaVFxfSl_-lSPauQWP66qnMbCVeELt1A7Fb51dvI0Dr-eW-bpzMRKk0WpPLFhJmt4hJ4-EpP3uan12IF3Cb4C9tHvaF9OLiE/s6425/3B2A0466small.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4283" data-original-width="6425" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvK6wkfcWfwVyKaTQSO9KDU2KxFan7_5GXvpZhIRxyHMRr-8A2qOm2YBt3GVM3gyS340Kii2a-OG6bzxgG_n_OnASHjJLKaVFxfSl_-lSPauQWP66qnMbCVeELt1A7Fb51dvI0Dr-eW-bpzMRKk0WpPLFhJmt4hJ4-EpP3uan12IF3Cb4C9tHvaF9OLiE/w640-h426/3B2A0466small.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last photo of the hike: Smoke Tree under a pretty sky.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Thanks for coming along on this interesting adventure. It's not often you find a hidden lake in the desert!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;">Linking with <a href="https://skyley.blogspot.com/2024/02/skywatch-friday-15-february-2024-edition.html">Skywatch Friday</a>.</span></div>Spare Parts and Picshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17836657200014402380noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277742182540823151.post-91858007546377183192024-02-01T10:48:00.000-08:002024-02-01T10:48:27.725-08:00The Hike Back (from Jabba Rock)<div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">It's a soggy day here in S. CA, the first punch of a two-punch storm that is predicted to bring a lot of rain to the area. But let me turn the clock back to November 11, 2023, and continue on from my last post. W</span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">e had managed to climb up to the top alcove on Jabba Rock (black circle). It was late afternoon and time to start our hike back to the cars. </span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">As usual, I was lagging behind. The beautiful sky and incredible rocks were calling to me, and I couldn't resist taking more photos.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIYD57F8Skp0NPAJ1YsBA4K67tiByQER5xyA-PBP4ro83WerMUTrbguqbHrOn14hQn0VmLPzUSu2mggCfh7NYC7G1xWzAUO6uFfjBwkIoC5rSZ5hObLy_bJIVmhPaAxXtBw-gHY7e97h1A9fQCPVWBf6_t4EQrDK8oWNSOlYgYnqeq5lC97E-new0Kjeg/s6720/3B2A0215small%20circle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIYD57F8Skp0NPAJ1YsBA4K67tiByQER5xyA-PBP4ro83WerMUTrbguqbHrOn14hQn0VmLPzUSu2mggCfh7NYC7G1xWzAUO6uFfjBwkIoC5rSZ5hObLy_bJIVmhPaAxXtBw-gHY7e97h1A9fQCPVWBf6_t4EQrDK8oWNSOlYgYnqeq5lC97E-new0Kjeg/w640-h426/3B2A0215small%20circle.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6qWIS8H3HxCXyoxdZwpQL-PdufYVUE2SHdtaxGLygiz4bHfyn0xc6ud40HupbPMmpYGHO4uUFLRH8XQ_igut5OZiagDEAkMhMgRpytJoac8ikQ59zi9OuhaNesV5jbvbYHsv5peOJrgrLvbZzKplDqLAhulVm6BJ8OyYxedyrHg82u1cefMXyfRD9Jbw/s6720/3B2A0232small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6qWIS8H3HxCXyoxdZwpQL-PdufYVUE2SHdtaxGLygiz4bHfyn0xc6ud40HupbPMmpYGHO4uUFLRH8XQ_igut5OZiagDEAkMhMgRpytJoac8ikQ59zi9OuhaNesV5jbvbYHsv5peOJrgrLvbZzKplDqLAhulVm6BJ8OyYxedyrHg82u1cefMXyfRD9Jbw/w640-h426/3B2A0232small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">One of my favorite photos from up on Jabba Rock. I love the late afternoon light on the rocks, and so lucky to have such a pretty sky. Even sure-footed Mitch (red shirt) is scooting down the rocks on his butt, which means steep going. Getting down steep rocks can often be trickier than getting up!<br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkWIH0NHXen-phXVYNt-jzF5dC6_ccEArIOzOj0y6_2aiBzLupNsziYHtJ2X3Skio5sqjlLMMBkgWydhW8NnqMDaUmtKsJZvp_7GPUo2EcbbRDRLrLsLUNbmdVxjAa-su6qrtkjvRnuBGjUTDl4a7LBYAtKB0X5tjuB1hj_-81pfWycxdA0VCBBC_CJl0/s6720/3B2A0233small.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkWIH0NHXen-phXVYNt-jzF5dC6_ccEArIOzOj0y6_2aiBzLupNsziYHtJ2X3Skio5sqjlLMMBkgWydhW8NnqMDaUmtKsJZvp_7GPUo2EcbbRDRLrLsLUNbmdVxjAa-su6qrtkjvRnuBGjUTDl4a7LBYAtKB0X5tjuB1hj_-81pfWycxdA0VCBBC_CJl0/w640-h426/3B2A0233small.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My colleagues down below (hard to see) are busy giving me advice on how to get down!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjisQGqUPgPw8uw6sUyDy-I7UIeIylcwxgJUpW3vzQJQjbI75JDFRP27W7jsEACt91aCuQJ0yk3KpW-EzSKaUsetGD-uDkyOzGooX6rN1Rx3GM3Xk_Pq0FWvq8SDFaTqeKRKx6ca3168h8P94eymG7crvRLPPDDOsQ0RdrJoXMZf6hCp_gwrz1k33Zeqzs/s6720/3B2A0238small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjisQGqUPgPw8uw6sUyDy-I7UIeIylcwxgJUpW3vzQJQjbI75JDFRP27W7jsEACt91aCuQJ0yk3KpW-EzSKaUsetGD-uDkyOzGooX6rN1Rx3GM3Xk_Pq0FWvq8SDFaTqeKRKx6ca3168h8P94eymG7crvRLPPDDOsQ0RdrJoXMZf6hCp_gwrz1k33Zeqzs/w640-h426/3B2A0238small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Yay, back on solid ground!! That mountain is the direction we are heading. Highway 62 (and our cars) is at the base of the mountain. Fairly easy hike back from here, and with any luck, we won't need our head lamps! The photos below are just my attempts at capturing the ever-changing sky and beautiful light on the distant mountains as we finish up our hike. </span></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSLnnjOJhLnY1SHKXjbWRX7aLlJqM51K-Cdhq2pGPTfATUb7vsUsP6LSQEc0M9yCHbFdIwC_68zhl_T0R5t4m0UUPl9UDhPNu_ZM4bc2CFkGTzWZLr3r4m0segaQShijsrE0LhU5i0D0bheSpaGz16cr3BIp3kzQleIECCDczhnUQnE_ApxdqydVp0Q44/s6536/3B2A0240small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4357" data-original-width="6536" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSLnnjOJhLnY1SHKXjbWRX7aLlJqM51K-Cdhq2pGPTfATUb7vsUsP6LSQEc0M9yCHbFdIwC_68zhl_T0R5t4m0UUPl9UDhPNu_ZM4bc2CFkGTzWZLr3r4m0segaQShijsrE0LhU5i0D0bheSpaGz16cr3BIp3kzQleIECCDczhnUQnE_ApxdqydVp0Q44/w640-h426/3B2A0240small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2EAObKf4QRO4d3ud78EDlLAPhBJEiG4mkco1BgfQrYLFdfDwOfi1_fKIg9WiKbhFqfngQ9ID8vmb_dKzsRuKB3kAS-W1NqRW7hi6vSnSfYXVFKABZ6IzrQ8I4RQrYSJxNBSepJDhc9t4_R-7BXQsydskwb7KzDz3xaHw8VmTTCurMUfd79-eQPAhvcgU/s6458/3B2A0241small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4305" data-original-width="6458" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2EAObKf4QRO4d3ud78EDlLAPhBJEiG4mkco1BgfQrYLFdfDwOfi1_fKIg9WiKbhFqfngQ9ID8vmb_dKzsRuKB3kAS-W1NqRW7hi6vSnSfYXVFKABZ6IzrQ8I4RQrYSJxNBSepJDhc9t4_R-7BXQsydskwb7KzDz3xaHw8VmTTCurMUfd79-eQPAhvcgU/w640-h426/3B2A0241small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc-2ULfXp7FUkx05emCM3DH0HGK2ZVUecF323IMIjh-CoFpXHMs6ksofO1t5IYMw9vO4h6-3Wag93rAgGolTbZ0Cxv3BrD7-8SmY657FUPL-DyeAL2n8kFYEYhbhtXZmBLLeJuLeVbsp2zwA8iKUnhGmmusghi1uPwde0VdtH58_KB5qgnU8g4-cQfeLU/s6720/3B2A0242small.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc-2ULfXp7FUkx05emCM3DH0HGK2ZVUecF323IMIjh-CoFpXHMs6ksofO1t5IYMw9vO4h6-3Wag93rAgGolTbZ0Cxv3BrD7-8SmY657FUPL-DyeAL2n8kFYEYhbhtXZmBLLeJuLeVbsp2zwA8iKUnhGmmusghi1uPwde0VdtH58_KB5qgnU8g4-cQfeLU/w640-h426/3B2A0242small.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last photo of the day!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Thanks for stopping by!!</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;">Linking with <a href="https://skyley.blogspot.com/2024/02/skywatch-friday-1-february-2024-edition.html">Skywatch Friday</a>.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>Spare Parts and Picshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17836657200014402380noreply@blogger.com45tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277742182540823151.post-50120211753695144132024-01-25T11:35:00.000-08:002024-01-25T11:35:08.437-08:00A Quick Tour of NE Joshua Tree<div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">My friend Roger has a couple buddies who live in the desert and hike often, but had somehow never hiked NE Joshua Tree. Mind boggling to me, since I hike this area often and it's my favorite place to explore. Anyhoo, I volunteered to be the tour guide for this hike. Of course, you can't see the entire area in a single hike (not even close!), but you can hit a few of the highlights.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgiXaBY66QkRxIPMhvebkjHWpne_-kdg5Q1sIHLKJVxJppMmaRy65gzPQrnlt6SAzTOINIYZSQi7qTz-Z_fH5lIiBo68gFax66gEWCI8ppWZmyakK4NZPLJOLgRXiBhsyj_Es9nsPMHXlmlnoPQWjcMVguk2O-KKb3Tg8uuUl3ioz0kdYPagoJE9TCXd4/s3555/IMG_5321.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2666" data-original-width="3555" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgiXaBY66QkRxIPMhvebkjHWpne_-kdg5Q1sIHLKJVxJppMmaRy65gzPQrnlt6SAzTOINIYZSQi7qTz-Z_fH5lIiBo68gFax66gEWCI8ppWZmyakK4NZPLJOLgRXiBhsyj_Es9nsPMHXlmlnoPQWjcMVguk2O-KKb3Tg8uuUl3ioz0kdYPagoJE9TCXd4/w640-h480/IMG_5321.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First stop: Scorpius Arch</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7cZB4YygSmrBRPwEhiuFPdjsAVysaZo6mBjpfcyj0y0EwFtVY741WnluC1ofThShVfixTEkbQ4LHl8ym2xzV6WZp-rbTH2lVv1p0E2cHUWIkC03zh5FXfrYxLw_qViCNDILfMFYA7wic9CVThsir4f_1q_u8pYqdsjde1GmvEIgOvgKErl64PapjVca8/s6720/3B2A0198%20small.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7cZB4YygSmrBRPwEhiuFPdjsAVysaZo6mBjpfcyj0y0EwFtVY741WnluC1ofThShVfixTEkbQ4LHl8ym2xzV6WZp-rbTH2lVv1p0E2cHUWIkC03zh5FXfrYxLw_qViCNDILfMFYA7wic9CVThsir4f_1q_u8pYqdsjde1GmvEIgOvgKErl64PapjVca8/w640-h426/3B2A0198%20small.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unnamed arch.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM0qdAINppmGcEd4FACOoGlbqRCwlEb00pq8gyN-gdmqhlb9tSr2kNVYqSnGH-4TySRm8mGJ9xXtR8dIEWSWqIhTM6p19vpMVVsqE2THljdSND_FarEj5rrNqGGDPd85cwQel7hLlBO4-BEonTg9BEgUs8-CTrkHzXN-xODx2NpLDsD383phREzEdCxlE/s6720/3B2A0211small.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM0qdAINppmGcEd4FACOoGlbqRCwlEb00pq8gyN-gdmqhlb9tSr2kNVYqSnGH-4TySRm8mGJ9xXtR8dIEWSWqIhTM6p19vpMVVsqE2THljdSND_FarEj5rrNqGGDPd85cwQel7hLlBO4-BEonTg9BEgUs8-CTrkHzXN-xODx2NpLDsD383phREzEdCxlE/w640-h426/3B2A0211small.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mystery Arch... one of my favorites!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_mK1-Ep8t09L4hF7DRQd1FQzu948zgZaT62JHbsNBSTcS6B-5Y3CJUp9Qj5Vs2XCPrs-U0tATsUmeoEVe4NYTP1OCAumRuinrOxaH3y8mwv4pSLI7c32qwE0oMmNvFVRkEpOxlrDHmicDD8AcokUFi3cEz-0ss2GreZgE06EdNCOx6EqMh8NomSnw4qo/s6720/3B2A0204small.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_mK1-Ep8t09L4hF7DRQd1FQzu948zgZaT62JHbsNBSTcS6B-5Y3CJUp9Qj5Vs2XCPrs-U0tATsUmeoEVe4NYTP1OCAumRuinrOxaH3y8mwv4pSLI7c32qwE0oMmNvFVRkEpOxlrDHmicDD8AcokUFi3cEz-0ss2GreZgE06EdNCOx6EqMh8NomSnw4qo/w640-h426/3B2A0204small.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mystery Arch</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrwbknkOZcr0FA1MYXmXO9_wa4N19Lxe-_C4HNFVYW1efpcxqz1JWJKIpF567IIts1Ihyphenhyphen526mFD-M51Q5m1mcsmzzzx0k5kMPLMalNYSIR5b_HeUkfMQoCqQpSO20nZR_IrjqMKtLhG-bbdYzW3cOqcQ7PK6NDdKoBGHPKR1I_h0zsWNzI-s_N6JLggos/s6720/3B2A0208BWsmall.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrwbknkOZcr0FA1MYXmXO9_wa4N19Lxe-_C4HNFVYW1efpcxqz1JWJKIpF567IIts1Ihyphenhyphen526mFD-M51Q5m1mcsmzzzx0k5kMPLMalNYSIR5b_HeUkfMQoCqQpSO20nZR_IrjqMKtLhG-bbdYzW3cOqcQ7PK6NDdKoBGHPKR1I_h0zsWNzI-s_N6JLggos/w640-h426/3B2A0208BWsmall.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Underneath Mystery Arch</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9eKe_lEwEBfduIVYeJRCNIJ2JO7RebAum7DIWUWbVF8oAnvAAX2QFwvr4beLqlVQ3yDq2Nsaf9t0q1pB_v-D9zdOpbSv_Ks5ojPXeuuGZhA54DVG8FjwTLvIV26Ak2K6Ghc9mw6Ba3f7x7VRZGvTiyTT0pR7Y0Cm4xGadBD8hV6gd8PQy3XcQy9WKrZk/s6720/3B2A0210%20small.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9eKe_lEwEBfduIVYeJRCNIJ2JO7RebAum7DIWUWbVF8oAnvAAX2QFwvr4beLqlVQ3yDq2Nsaf9t0q1pB_v-D9zdOpbSv_Ks5ojPXeuuGZhA54DVG8FjwTLvIV26Ak2K6Ghc9mw6Ba3f7x7VRZGvTiyTT0pR7Y0Cm4xGadBD8hV6gd8PQy3XcQy9WKrZk/w640-h426/3B2A0210%20small.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking out the other end of Mystery Arch</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8Mkd50n72CczWVpc4RwhvJXkkpeZHtGrAZJsddgQ92JRXQmOdXIoFOtenR8BLOhg8uS7thNk8DQDbjRgij8RWsEi0dkQUwLMdhxTdkLI3096W_ElTjI9xocFnj5o0oOiVVevIBYkOZa2EwFA7FmED4yv-4IIMkE7Qe5JWiGne-_KiX-Gu-xmIs5Pbbo/s1242/IMG_5367.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="930" data-original-width="1242" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8Mkd50n72CczWVpc4RwhvJXkkpeZHtGrAZJsddgQ92JRXQmOdXIoFOtenR8BLOhg8uS7thNk8DQDbjRgij8RWsEi0dkQUwLMdhxTdkLI3096W_ElTjI9xocFnj5o0oOiVVevIBYkOZa2EwFA7FmED4yv-4IIMkE7Qe5JWiGne-_KiX-Gu-xmIs5Pbbo/w640-h480/IMG_5367.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Motley crew: The five of us, with Mystery Arch in the background.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUy_OZdj7RN61CcfW3flZby_DUOs4cIgqDPXRvqeAChAJKOFO0GMUT6EWI2B8X8Gjkny2i_nr-hiWQoSROj7mlI9MwXAD8_wyYOxS7LUhY0hX2D9j6qmGk1l0aPDSoAvkZGMe7Dqh7izd6x-uHklItqC3IisASf33L0cj0m2W9NkrDK2wUO6KklvC871A/s6580/3B2A0199small.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4387" data-original-width="6580" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUy_OZdj7RN61CcfW3flZby_DUOs4cIgqDPXRvqeAChAJKOFO0GMUT6EWI2B8X8Gjkny2i_nr-hiWQoSROj7mlI9MwXAD8_wyYOxS7LUhY0hX2D9j6qmGk1l0aPDSoAvkZGMe7Dqh7izd6x-uHklItqC3IisASf33L0cj0m2W9NkrDK2wUO6KklvC871A/w640-h426/3B2A0199small.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another unnamed arch.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT-m06yMha0ul_5sOrMfk_oko3EuFUCqUvAPXPUeYCrOCPTFzPJ3L0x2Hhw9IAgp3967HdEn-laSl-6an9pdl1G3qPNm8U_wTa6RnTwHfnDxCzggXkK24QN0AiXqTaMcW57o7Phbd7PKng9WuDqXLv22M1nFO1hYZK4hdGyhcHSHnJqDP5zNZQrLffgV8/s4032/IMG_5324.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT-m06yMha0ul_5sOrMfk_oko3EuFUCqUvAPXPUeYCrOCPTFzPJ3L0x2Hhw9IAgp3967HdEn-laSl-6an9pdl1G3qPNm8U_wTa6RnTwHfnDxCzggXkK24QN0AiXqTaMcW57o7Phbd7PKng9WuDqXLv22M1nFO1hYZK4hdGyhcHSHnJqDP5zNZQrLffgV8/w480-h640/IMG_5324.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roger patiently waiting to be beamed up!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq_FWIYGi9dwIv0S9FDzVEM9x0ItBculZ05KKx3wXmsXJZvAuhS-o6-LxmTAnIk4OB9Xr9Ukn5CpJpm2UsOoRquFiC_qVgqhUTJnIr7MGGrS5wvnWnE1WcUKIf7E3VdvaSNwUMieTvjRmb3W8xBD3QwqckzKYWpULrLlDXBDGy4NSEVBSEK-lhTHOH-RE/s6720/3B2A0213mall.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq_FWIYGi9dwIv0S9FDzVEM9x0ItBculZ05KKx3wXmsXJZvAuhS-o6-LxmTAnIk4OB9Xr9Ukn5CpJpm2UsOoRquFiC_qVgqhUTJnIr7MGGrS5wvnWnE1WcUKIf7E3VdvaSNwUMieTvjRmb3W8xBD3QwqckzKYWpULrLlDXBDGy4NSEVBSEK-lhTHOH-RE/w640-h426/3B2A0213mall.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still another unnamed arch.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0OSLgNkAKxNPWbHR0uRtr7X68lRcSSL9hP9JCD3diF3mxjvD-Xptc1Jc0k3jhlKZHfATmpLFg5b8ArsvSAsJ7i5Webrcgm1u8WrCx15OddERJn8Rv8muhb83ysPFyUP71jgbYIIXEPTTVKE_HTUWynSrWrUBMJtLnM2gGbjgkr2AgW_yMVko3LVzZvF4/s4032/IMG_5343.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0OSLgNkAKxNPWbHR0uRtr7X68lRcSSL9hP9JCD3diF3mxjvD-Xptc1Jc0k3jhlKZHfATmpLFg5b8ArsvSAsJ7i5Webrcgm1u8WrCx15OddERJn8Rv8muhb83ysPFyUP71jgbYIIXEPTTVKE_HTUWynSrWrUBMJtLnM2gGbjgkr2AgW_yMVko3LVzZvF4/w640-h480/IMG_5343.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Local pictographs (dStretch enhanced)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjku8b__VqkxX0X9djFisBRWyX4Cjc0vKHxt3Fuiq5rfLQzl9-wnnWtSnWlfVG4SOap5sbAIxKxzU7YxJFi5POl_sfTYUgTE8iQWcSQn7zfqApgzYdQ2SiGdpYZmskAo1oqBk1-SGnbOTHIh9oNpxE5rPo83sOVZdF2qsPJDxK8DxPwcuqV_GoAESU3H3o/s4032/IMG_5346.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjku8b__VqkxX0X9djFisBRWyX4Cjc0vKHxt3Fuiq5rfLQzl9-wnnWtSnWlfVG4SOap5sbAIxKxzU7YxJFi5POl_sfTYUgTE8iQWcSQn7zfqApgzYdQ2SiGdpYZmskAo1oqBk1-SGnbOTHIh9oNpxE5rPo83sOVZdF2qsPJDxK8DxPwcuqV_GoAESU3H3o/w480-h640/IMG_5346.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hello desert friend!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgodLNZBhKjuCTQXJg8Yb5jBRoq41rS6K2xHrk2PBOnIOqszMZerbIJ7oFEj3qSOhgS2Xjpr3kPb82R5G-MwBUeoSKxAtLGOQq7uFMAQZPXy_1_or2fPbCE4AsRfj187glfK0LfW7NrVFErpI4zDxlHZvy2WDztufBM7vEvKM-B9eLpdUhU4erCCb1kQ28/s4032/IMG_5339.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgodLNZBhKjuCTQXJg8Yb5jBRoq41rS6K2xHrk2PBOnIOqszMZerbIJ7oFEj3qSOhgS2Xjpr3kPb82R5G-MwBUeoSKxAtLGOQq7uFMAQZPXy_1_or2fPbCE4AsRfj187glfK0LfW7NrVFErpI4zDxlHZvy2WDztufBM7vEvKM-B9eLpdUhU4erCCb1kQ28/w640-h480/IMG_5339.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ojo Oro Arch</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_uCHkWjM_t2fB9DP9T6eeWwA_ccZdFm8O4jhp44xngtO4ofqU1NHCv1VNwQFub47UWxpxnuVX1EqxJAPOTV2Sn2poQnliqnsxGCv4L1Ej9hcr2GoeWctjNfoVazgAESDLJPh4_wF-bZeb6V6AbOV_HhhO9leRodn5ARGxzpb7OEe_dmHGR9YHuLrl8I/s4032/IMG_5341.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_uCHkWjM_t2fB9DP9T6eeWwA_ccZdFm8O4jhp44xngtO4ofqU1NHCv1VNwQFub47UWxpxnuVX1EqxJAPOTV2Sn2poQnliqnsxGCv4L1Ej9hcr2GoeWctjNfoVazgAESDLJPh4_wF-bZeb6V6AbOV_HhhO9leRodn5ARGxzpb7OEe_dmHGR9YHuLrl8I/w640-h480/IMG_5341.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roger getting just the right angle on Ojo Oro!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi06m652VAICxHr22iZDZK911qkQsfbVkeKJIZs_9kSSeTmp4_t5p769kOjO3Gro9eZkQ-1G78EfHfYMLG1hONZaGiLVGW4sI0WlhxGvFA9EQwfiiYjMdqz-goUNyQ-iuACjcn6WJ5Qqa_BpgOYmNeoUyPwsyRobvvBJWwVPKzrzflFP83txdbNdXu0v0U/s800/IMG_6174.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi06m652VAICxHr22iZDZK911qkQsfbVkeKJIZs_9kSSeTmp4_t5p769kOjO3Gro9eZkQ-1G78EfHfYMLG1hONZaGiLVGW4sI0WlhxGvFA9EQwfiiYjMdqz-goUNyQ-iuACjcn6WJ5Qqa_BpgOYmNeoUyPwsyRobvvBJWwVPKzrzflFP83txdbNdXu0v0U/w640-h480/IMG_6174.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm enjoying some shade under another unnamed arch.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">We were running short of daylight, but fortunately had just enough time to go by one of my favorite rock formations: Jabba Rock.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG7Q_F8lddDBYH1r4JC4ZPiwSCatdRKgNLzILyfwt656oVA1v2lb4UuE6Z7JN1Ewfe0d8pEx6iZxOLROX1ueOuzbSeZ3rhvfgc2ef85cw4ZFmeDP6ZrI7HKCr9rz88znE1F3ZmijHJWfnuMkxn2RVVN9FRKXrJalVrAF6qQ3JOi1qwRjrGhTJkNRXJc7w/s6720/3B2A0214small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG7Q_F8lddDBYH1r4JC4ZPiwSCatdRKgNLzILyfwt656oVA1v2lb4UuE6Z7JN1Ewfe0d8pEx6iZxOLROX1ueOuzbSeZ3rhvfgc2ef85cw4ZFmeDP6ZrI7HKCr9rz88znE1F3ZmijHJWfnuMkxn2RVVN9FRKXrJalVrAF6qQ3JOi1qwRjrGhTJkNRXJc7w/w640-h426/3B2A0214small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDiIxXvyc7RdF7oSHzZeZhqiWpSURRDi45PF76bJXt8Nh8hy_320U_fTcFsaOfsCOn68qz4dNQnQZh5AGeWcm4vLFFhAhMHeacJp1HqQTVuyK6OSC5_FIgnauQpFt4-7PGNqKjeOFoIe0eVEY7Ry9g_45FwyWaDWGps9wBfNzXv0DHbhhiBl7QmxiOkro/s439/Jabba%20the%20Hutt.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="439" data-original-width="439" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDiIxXvyc7RdF7oSHzZeZhqiWpSURRDi45PF76bJXt8Nh8hy_320U_fTcFsaOfsCOn68qz4dNQnQZh5AGeWcm4vLFFhAhMHeacJp1HqQTVuyK6OSC5_FIgnauQpFt4-7PGNqKjeOFoIe0eVEY7Ry9g_45FwyWaDWGps9wBfNzXv0DHbhhiBl7QmxiOkro/w400-h400/Jabba%20the%20Hutt.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See the resemblance?</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFtsmnFdHJSJ4lXYmo2sdpbShI1TnHHUXK2T6dXlT2HSdI4yyY7LuQ4nJOhpgIu25IjyynFrWLDIYrL0XZ6qvuF256UNKykOnO8HvpMajCDSbpOi2I-xSTvPCqyQC3GlKUpHLtjdUHRMlK6UeoPkaZc7eS91-CDISmp962KRZgedv9BDJtzH9OEDIJMFI/s4792/3B2A0217crop.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3376" data-original-width="4792" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFtsmnFdHJSJ4lXYmo2sdpbShI1TnHHUXK2T6dXlT2HSdI4yyY7LuQ4nJOhpgIu25IjyynFrWLDIYrL0XZ6qvuF256UNKykOnO8HvpMajCDSbpOi2I-xSTvPCqyQC3GlKUpHLtjdUHRMlK6UeoPkaZc7eS91-CDISmp962KRZgedv9BDJtzH9OEDIJMFI/w640-h450/3B2A0217crop.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">There <b><i>is</i></b> a way to get up to that highest alcove, but it's been a few years since I've been up there, and I'm not getting any younger. Before I knew it, one of Roger's friends had scaled the rocks and made his way up. Can you spot him? Wow, he's got some serious rock climbing skills!</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMhHhGbbgyrdZ2zKL6r6-MbWiFXrYc_KNkiv0kvGnxq1LLFa-Yu8TQ14Zu_xQj-ixCh4eKM40PX1gZ2-eh6kohClZ7UC5riDr8AVSslhjZhOBPvs0USP89bII1v5GLUVJQL8so8b1I_MjqjNdgPb6s8X_SQ96YLtRIDvAFQgO1Rfiog9DEezYfJzRbWIM/s6592/3B2A0226small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4395" data-original-width="6592" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMhHhGbbgyrdZ2zKL6r6-MbWiFXrYc_KNkiv0kvGnxq1LLFa-Yu8TQ14Zu_xQj-ixCh4eKM40PX1gZ2-eh6kohClZ7UC5riDr8AVSslhjZhOBPvs0USP89bII1v5GLUVJQL8so8b1I_MjqjNdgPb6s8X_SQ96YLtRIDvAFQgO1Rfiog9DEezYfJzRbWIM/w640-h426/3B2A0226small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">After great difficulty, I did manage to "climb" (crawl) to the upper alcove. Scary, but oh so worth it. The alcove is big and roomy. It would actually be a good spot to spend the night (just don't attempt to climb down in the dark!). And the views... WOW!!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinlDMUjWjefE8VJxHzRisrwK6QGgHT7K1lThjpg3PRtK6tqVy0Dmp4-cwwsMPmgNlbsl8iMJOQt6HBPhrqqgh9umcFeDQ6_T4BoXy4z1tiHcpnHrzH-VUtWT3vxyhWeyiK73JapyN8PIi88Y-qzDIup7NOMSyad3DAG1NBxLaoVM5bdCx7kuAaRYJbj4w/s6346/3B2A0228BWsmall.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6346" data-original-width="4231" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinlDMUjWjefE8VJxHzRisrwK6QGgHT7K1lThjpg3PRtK6tqVy0Dmp4-cwwsMPmgNlbsl8iMJOQt6HBPhrqqgh9umcFeDQ6_T4BoXy4z1tiHcpnHrzH-VUtWT3vxyhWeyiK73JapyN8PIi88Y-qzDIup7NOMSyad3DAG1NBxLaoVM5bdCx7kuAaRYJbj4w/w426-h640/3B2A0228BWsmall.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Y3GTmIk3Fqs1KWtOS5skQFSkq1S2qyYEBpfm8Z6IfYg9TaMByU2BzAjHQ-GHT20juvIjFk6khFaQaJXjV0FLXrUdS9JYHC6vmv21TphH44oxWu5heaNHS9L8JeSjZdjPWpPKMG0kIAxYyuhed8JBM9kW5_L-a8T2KolIoIzrvWAFKRufg8pDxF6qQaA/s6434/3B2A0229small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4289" data-original-width="6434" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Y3GTmIk3Fqs1KWtOS5skQFSkq1S2qyYEBpfm8Z6IfYg9TaMByU2BzAjHQ-GHT20juvIjFk6khFaQaJXjV0FLXrUdS9JYHC6vmv21TphH44oxWu5heaNHS9L8JeSjZdjPWpPKMG0kIAxYyuhed8JBM9kW5_L-a8T2KolIoIzrvWAFKRufg8pDxF6qQaA/w640-h426/3B2A0229small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS-vYcyYAmnL7KLGEpyJEwIA9MjX3LXY-UyXq7DmucTgMD35u2W0ty0Go2FZBaW5PO4sndHzd3JzESrIFgb3P6zZrgThKZ_8tiFFxrfRQzJZXUO8-skL-tq_xKzTN56We2bgo-i4I7TnNZrcavwsXArnEGR94hhx3cH77U6wQLgcz0rIALmGaCI1h8CeU/s6582/3B2A0231small.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4388" data-original-width="6582" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS-vYcyYAmnL7KLGEpyJEwIA9MjX3LXY-UyXq7DmucTgMD35u2W0ty0Go2FZBaW5PO4sndHzd3JzESrIFgb3P6zZrgThKZ_8tiFFxrfRQzJZXUO8-skL-tq_xKzTN56We2bgo-i4I7TnNZrcavwsXArnEGR94hhx3cH77U6wQLgcz0rIALmGaCI1h8CeU/w640-h426/3B2A0231small.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Did I mention the VIEWS!!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Thus ends my "quick" tour of NE Joshua Tree. We are about out of daylight, and for some reason, none of my hiking partners are too excited about hiking back to the cars in the dark!π Now for the hard part: Trying to get down off Jabba Rock without falling. Check back next week to see if I'm able to make the descent and post pictures of the hike back to the cars!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Until then... thanks for stopping by,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">and stay safe and warm!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;">Linking with <a href="https://skyley.blogspot.com/2024/01/skywatch-friday-25-january-2024-edition.html">Skywatch Friday</a>.</span></div></div>Spare Parts and Picshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17836657200014402380noreply@blogger.com42tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277742182540823151.post-26135856134952124842024-01-18T11:28:00.000-08:002024-01-18T11:28:28.114-08:00A Nice Mix of Weather<div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">It's been a couple weeks since I've been out to the desert, but I did manage to hike in the local hills a couple times during the last week. We've been very lucky with our weather, especially when I look at the frigid conditions in other parts of the country and the world. I am indeed fortunate to live where I live, and I'm sending warm sunny thoughts to those of you suffering through cold, ice and snow. Hang in there!π₯Ά</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitCrWbRkEVwcMPEAEydDv6KUu0WdRm36wLRd-PRvRULeNKEf6HVAA_6APr0tLFpP9PKn_GXeEOD3H887FcaLwiRVDyWRmWP8Izk2VAxWE4n15LUA6iuBi-orZNeEJFEmwsi3guDltRc9jSax1pQ1A052PbW4eNDgeTPxjVHpYnSQ8D0NfHG6JdhPT8m4E/s4032/IMG_5506.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitCrWbRkEVwcMPEAEydDv6KUu0WdRm36wLRd-PRvRULeNKEf6HVAA_6APr0tLFpP9PKn_GXeEOD3H887FcaLwiRVDyWRmWP8Izk2VAxWE4n15LUA6iuBi-orZNeEJFEmwsi3guDltRc9jSax1pQ1A052PbW4eNDgeTPxjVHpYnSQ8D0NfHG6JdhPT8m4E/w640-h480/IMG_5506.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Toyon berries frame the view out towards the Pacific Ocean. That's Catalina Island in the haze.</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcCwRq7Zgyu5TYJjQq1L9CdJdnLp4kw5vV6-8zz72quuUtHZgckz-d_IsYGY83ycWzC18Wi0AYEfqZkhFUqaepPYgfCFYRnJ7IEBkHX9SEA3N02bq2a1Q6S2J3SfWpc619MtrJ7ikx3kBMHW9F0GrWYLGjKJiN0x2h8I1XEARwZALxct4nhOxUXFlv9CI/s4032/IMG_5497.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcCwRq7Zgyu5TYJjQq1L9CdJdnLp4kw5vV6-8zz72quuUtHZgckz-d_IsYGY83ycWzC18Wi0AYEfqZkhFUqaepPYgfCFYRnJ7IEBkHX9SEA3N02bq2a1Q6S2J3SfWpc619MtrJ7ikx3kBMHW9F0GrWYLGjKJiN0x2h8I1XEARwZALxct4nhOxUXFlv9CI/w480-h640/IMG_5497.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A beautiful day after an overnight rain.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHEtoGAFW_HXDQAZRY5vGICCVO1NJ8vmdVb7HqESyY4QGwQxadhe-ATPsMSZ_pOFd-6kXYa7HHcm2Eby2gwxltdmk7fyQ0reokuvqDBh57uJkZzlVFHFYDvMZ84hxKiaz3v8aOCf2tnX96nFgvm6iqBxMfR2dYLWHFmhioLUjKYIoYrVfFJUiiUG0YPWk/s3248/IMG_5480%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2436" data-original-width="3248" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHEtoGAFW_HXDQAZRY5vGICCVO1NJ8vmdVb7HqESyY4QGwQxadhe-ATPsMSZ_pOFd-6kXYa7HHcm2Eby2gwxltdmk7fyQ0reokuvqDBh57uJkZzlVFHFYDvMZ84hxKiaz3v8aOCf2tnX96nFgvm6iqBxMfR2dYLWHFmhioLUjKYIoYrVfFJUiiUG0YPWk/w640-h480/IMG_5480%20copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another view of Catalina Island, about 44 miles from where I'm standing.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDE3Flxjj5z5KlorcwU1yhsZQChkNTunfYjIcNkzUq8urhcwNJYSTIZK7PGmaZFo-S5PoGhqzuWGVlnBXRXycNJMZW_PtUFhOrIHI1LBGUfyvj6zx1NVa7omGRuZYdpmbpE12nt0vVXhyphenhypheniEgyIlPivyKWFe8ZQ0IHqm6AowHJjVjLCrEKudEYz_AKXUkc/s3703/IMG_5484.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2777" data-original-width="3703" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDE3Flxjj5z5KlorcwU1yhsZQChkNTunfYjIcNkzUq8urhcwNJYSTIZK7PGmaZFo-S5PoGhqzuWGVlnBXRXycNJMZW_PtUFhOrIHI1LBGUfyvj6zx1NVa7omGRuZYdpmbpE12nt0vVXhyphenhypheniEgyIlPivyKWFe8ZQ0IHqm6AowHJjVjLCrEKudEYz_AKXUkc/w640-h480/IMG_5484.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiking trails in the foreground; Saddleback Mountain behind.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSxBb8eLM5NGWH-mJNKVy7Lkr9l4F9VZiCj3rbonRp-_UyFkzruchTBRkoDAB1B7Cn66VUHoBK9Bzb-VUFTsvskf3nJ8s0Ci6NQKs-PRZ4nTeJHYO4nEAPglzJ0-V7fKhB1XVZpuRXUbjZLxLP_hkeOWyg5U_Sh7Z4vU8Vy-vsrFQ9rqxbgWSflrymbt4/s4032/IMG_5525.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSxBb8eLM5NGWH-mJNKVy7Lkr9l4F9VZiCj3rbonRp-_UyFkzruchTBRkoDAB1B7Cn66VUHoBK9Bzb-VUFTsvskf3nJ8s0Ci6NQKs-PRZ4nTeJHYO4nEAPglzJ0-V7fKhB1XVZpuRXUbjZLxLP_hkeOWyg5U_Sh7Z4vU8Vy-vsrFQ9rqxbgWSflrymbt4/w640-h480/IMG_5525.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left behind from the oil property days. I like the rusty and faded colors!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxOOp4xtdvPcRih5eJCEqz19Nq3Fw-4F7P9hy7iKmE5H2M7johZrzAdNnoxbKl58t3oUiOz0Ley2vb_D2ooj9C7iZZ9z4W7DgjDvMthb5fdCH_AhQepUygxjKhK1TXjbomhPo7sh7ZHoZngndFYOyvi2TB3uuW0v9ySjFmPpm92oGzh5qGGuDSEPINo00/s4032/20231231_221649983_iOS.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxOOp4xtdvPcRih5eJCEqz19Nq3Fw-4F7P9hy7iKmE5H2M7johZrzAdNnoxbKl58t3oUiOz0Ley2vb_D2ooj9C7iZZ9z4W7DgjDvMthb5fdCH_AhQepUygxjKhK1TXjbomhPo7sh7ZHoZngndFYOyvi2TB3uuW0v9ySjFmPpm92oGzh5qGGuDSEPINo00/w640-h480/20231231_221649983_iOS.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look closely for the big cranes in Long Beach Harbor (and Catalina Island in the background).</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfnuISOSaVZf79BoUUDdROvlQcg-V4Ui4UIryUD_MH7cRQEu04Vd9-n90o2auARHBV__WpOhHNOXLthgTCdfwYVee8NLc9Y1g1KP6SnZejEv6Zgp59EHKe7WvIgAreaU4QdUszr5IAbKhuRPQw1rFWlXQO83g05fltmu-qAhSqKgEjCFfiUfoA6Nw2I8k/s4032/IMG_5540.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfnuISOSaVZf79BoUUDdROvlQcg-V4Ui4UIryUD_MH7cRQEu04Vd9-n90o2auARHBV__WpOhHNOXLthgTCdfwYVee8NLc9Y1g1KP6SnZejEv6Zgp59EHKe7WvIgAreaU4QdUszr5IAbKhuRPQw1rFWlXQO83g05fltmu-qAhSqKgEjCFfiUfoA6Nw2I8k/w640-h480/IMG_5540.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A splash of color!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy0gyuMwvflMxg-ISWqgMRPcIObBuhgkMpTkZct_AhXnS3RG7W_4hiJ51nhBdDMBP_j8TGafw6XFh0ACiEMu_ukn7qO5BCWReief8hoLhTL_sN92x4YoJV6NaKx1EsL2MpZFGwmVTjfckIHQ_W1W_bA-cSpTxCbRc5ckAIIxqeNi7KsPSIprM11_liiCI/s4032/IMG_5513.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy0gyuMwvflMxg-ISWqgMRPcIObBuhgkMpTkZct_AhXnS3RG7W_4hiJ51nhBdDMBP_j8TGafw6XFh0ACiEMu_ukn7qO5BCWReief8hoLhTL_sN92x4YoJV6NaKx1EsL2MpZFGwmVTjfckIHQ_W1W_bA-cSpTxCbRc5ckAIIxqeNi7KsPSIprM11_liiCI/w480-h640/IMG_5513.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moonrise and hawk.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjPBRoGNreQ_4zYfZxBHWpKV594TwP7HsvKTswafc7jHs388G9xQOPgFcC9P6tId5wH1L7cv6qNLCxDtXzM-42L6MuNwmeTlw2n4aUYny_YLiHk9SzDcIIPnTBzPM8AGJtQ7wtHV7DAfgYyDv8EmkeIoenrX4kfD3ntKinfa0G2cU0ffcUsCbKsfsDxHo/s4032/IMG_5523.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjPBRoGNreQ_4zYfZxBHWpKV594TwP7HsvKTswafc7jHs388G9xQOPgFcC9P6tId5wH1L7cv6qNLCxDtXzM-42L6MuNwmeTlw2n4aUYny_YLiHk9SzDcIIPnTBzPM8AGJtQ7wtHV7DAfgYyDv8EmkeIoenrX4kfD3ntKinfa0G2cU0ffcUsCbKsfsDxHo/w640-h480/IMG_5523.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I was surprised to come across this guy (gopher snake) on a cool, cloudy day. But look how skinny he is! Likely forced out of hybernation to look for a meal. Hope he finds something to eat soon.<br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRN6q_N_SBJxAU6mWa1MbffLX_Ui8ZgmCvqoVweK9R3hu60crgqe_qlXqnXPwPj4G_jGOF_J6vw3NcxH0u1ibWHgfC6LQOPQzsKZobrz5brqfwUOphdlvs3porUszC08a8A1opfQn-Kb_DGRc4hxFLTJHWcDoRDvOmsJIZifuip7raNS383-EXBrlbscI/s4032/IMG_5529.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRN6q_N_SBJxAU6mWa1MbffLX_Ui8ZgmCvqoVweK9R3hu60crgqe_qlXqnXPwPj4G_jGOF_J6vw3NcxH0u1ibWHgfC6LQOPQzsKZobrz5brqfwUOphdlvs3porUszC08a8A1opfQn-Kb_DGRc4hxFLTJHWcDoRDvOmsJIZifuip7raNS383-EXBrlbscI/w480-h640/IMG_5529.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lilly taking a break on our walk home from Starbucks.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjp28ZdC7Jjg93GDoo1aX1qNa64YM5pYT1bifKNr9GVovKLGCXw00lJ9p_ayIPpNif4_TVyhFm4SX9Y09_w3WMZz1-AiQES9PZmUTDbS0gHwCt7pRx6_X9Pd46hdMQDwg4sg7gYUtQuEaKovq5OnZCjsDNgJrMrFteZ5sf8rEMyOWrxVPM8yZ2aGQxjM8/s2717/20231222_231021114_iOS.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1806" data-original-width="2717" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjp28ZdC7Jjg93GDoo1aX1qNa64YM5pYT1bifKNr9GVovKLGCXw00lJ9p_ayIPpNif4_TVyhFm4SX9Y09_w3WMZz1-AiQES9PZmUTDbS0gHwCt7pRx6_X9Pd46hdMQDwg4sg7gYUtQuEaKovq5OnZCjsDNgJrMrFteZ5sf8rEMyOWrxVPM8yZ2aGQxjM8/w640-h426/20231222_231021114_iOS.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good day, LA!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieYGW-_oXWRnea8h4tyKG2Jq7EFVzhygE5xntkAAmi4hVgokT7WhY1kSnpyffih1tnunoq40oUR4SaZbexPqwNHRqkSgsbMBw_O4d173zJWxhXW8KEvdo7-Nsrql2uKYggM7V7wskgGulC4F_PAhGIDk7b0eO8eD3ybWg-01J4dFIuZTrkDrAkLbsHzvY/s4032/IMG_5490.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieYGW-_oXWRnea8h4tyKG2Jq7EFVzhygE5xntkAAmi4hVgokT7WhY1kSnpyffih1tnunoq40oUR4SaZbexPqwNHRqkSgsbMBw_O4d173zJWxhXW8KEvdo7-Nsrql2uKYggM7V7wskgGulC4F_PAhGIDk7b0eO8eD3ybWg-01J4dFIuZTrkDrAkLbsHzvY/w640-h480/IMG_5490.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy the week ahead!!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;">Linking with <a href="https://skyley.blogspot.com/2024/01/skywatch-friday-18-january-2024-edition.html">Skywatch Friday</a>.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>Spare Parts and Picshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17836657200014402380noreply@blogger.com40tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277742182540823151.post-3670595002546793502024-01-11T11:18:00.000-08:002024-01-11T11:18:42.922-08:00Sheep Hole Dry Lake: The Hike Back<div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">So yes, I made it safely back to the car (in the dark, using a headlamp to avoid walking into a cactus, or worse). Last week I shared photos from my hike to the Sheep Hole Dry Lake, and how I badly underestimated the distance (and thus the hiking time), which is why the return hike (shared here) was mostly in the dark.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYjwcT4p5yZC0EN3i4cn5_inXDanYr8Co952XYrzFlcPFZhPJibYdBiobzFHqjgBadZKoH_AUt-K3Lmjss_oZoki62ai-ErXtImhSZil1QQ7wIgRB_u4rI4ep-2UhyphenhyphencygxgZdFLKTl7KkGgd3-xslN1WykANXJzffMX40kCWSoQ3mUELxLRzNGsBiKNUI/s6720/3B2A0155small.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYjwcT4p5yZC0EN3i4cn5_inXDanYr8Co952XYrzFlcPFZhPJibYdBiobzFHqjgBadZKoH_AUt-K3Lmjss_oZoki62ai-ErXtImhSZil1QQ7wIgRB_u4rI4ep-2UhyphenhyphencygxgZdFLKTl7KkGgd3-xslN1WykANXJzffMX40kCWSoQ3mUELxLRzNGsBiKNUI/w640-h426/3B2A0155small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">A friend told me the mountain above is called Duct Peak. My car is about 3.5 miles away, toward the left side of the mountain. I have about 15 minutes of daylight left, so a good chunk of my return hike will be in the dark. No worries, it's a straight shot. I'll check my GPS from time to time for navigation (since I won't be able to see any landmarks in the dark). As my granddaughter would say: "Papa, you've got this!!"</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWwbiaEqTnUz79uvS5h8D6vwiuZFGXEU3ArqbE_iVqgr2QfyflWzT3EeTSNhNxKYRuU1_poZIAN3M7RSiZ_uvzulhqIUPoCb4EibCOgTApQpFlUrA0pkhrPwIg_KQFgHebztUKfaE0eiz1LscrrCXq42aLWZu65KPBaXoZz9YPvbKrtdAXXIsJFd3l4cQ/s6720/3B2A0140small.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWwbiaEqTnUz79uvS5h8D6vwiuZFGXEU3ArqbE_iVqgr2QfyflWzT3EeTSNhNxKYRuU1_poZIAN3M7RSiZ_uvzulhqIUPoCb4EibCOgTApQpFlUrA0pkhrPwIg_KQFgHebztUKfaE0eiz1LscrrCXq42aLWZu65KPBaXoZz9YPvbKrtdAXXIsJFd3l4cQ/w640-h426/3B2A0140small.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interesting ring around the sun.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFLoPZpYarjw8pmLDJarmrm6KQw7s8CLIFy6Im_EN_heuhHBVfZcLQxfG2MMXAsopvLNw4i_KotHr_4nvO31J8jQaWX9CFXItX_btK2UPqOVQ-3kwgp5w5Kslf53aS1ZiLEeAZbScQKik8H185wL0vIOK5RTM9VhvU8CKXB-6oyL_cb2SZdBtG9G9HWCU/s6720/3B2A0153.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFLoPZpYarjw8pmLDJarmrm6KQw7s8CLIFy6Im_EN_heuhHBVfZcLQxfG2MMXAsopvLNw4i_KotHr_4nvO31J8jQaWX9CFXItX_btK2UPqOVQ-3kwgp5w5Kslf53aS1ZiLEeAZbScQKik8H185wL0vIOK5RTM9VhvU8CKXB-6oyL_cb2SZdBtG9G9HWCU/w640-h426/3B2A0153.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">And now for our word of the day (there will be a quiz later): PARHELION - A partial rainbow, often white in color, but sometimes quite colorful, looking like a detached piece of a rainbow (sometimes called a "sun dog"). Hopefully we all learned something new today!</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXwdl945gw_9QknCQNxeZufzZTjCVuCw_K4qPCtKP1DISHVxRn4mUZhfCoQh7Crfz0ifqvGeCzdgIvHN7VIfyMHFnFLYFLqB_OwzV3cJY8Zn4rZ2PvB6xne4EzyWSoKazDPpbuTtGyL6Q3A_2Rfjx9kKSx6Pg-rsheEdZqJR2NL6Jf1vImMLBHuTO_AHo/s3229/3B2A0150cropBW.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2432" data-original-width="3229" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXwdl945gw_9QknCQNxeZufzZTjCVuCw_K4qPCtKP1DISHVxRn4mUZhfCoQh7Crfz0ifqvGeCzdgIvHN7VIfyMHFnFLYFLqB_OwzV3cJY8Zn4rZ2PvB6xne4EzyWSoKazDPpbuTtGyL6Q3A_2Rfjx9kKSx6Pg-rsheEdZqJR2NL6Jf1vImMLBHuTO_AHo/w640-h482/3B2A0150cropBW.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Backlighting on these fuzzy creosote blooms caught my eye.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">OK, it's really time to quit messing around taking pictures and start the long hike back to the car...</span><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhokHsV-mxPlDIdTMe4qS8ybhJ2xQ16dzhRpAijCvAeUDOreeV60lpHeejUqIXCy2rosAEvBDKN89eQa2w6tzpqhWQj4-XkPldXmiQ1mr87-WnoBBo0XLp1MFs5YFD7MPHDTp0wKKu4J5VX7ob4sp0TsWnkOf7TyFcJnDslT5Yj46zlUcw1wxZSuFk6MCo/s6720/3B2A0169.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6720" data-original-width="4480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhokHsV-mxPlDIdTMe4qS8ybhJ2xQ16dzhRpAijCvAeUDOreeV60lpHeejUqIXCy2rosAEvBDKN89eQa2w6tzpqhWQj4-XkPldXmiQ1mr87-WnoBBo0XLp1MFs5YFD7MPHDTp0wKKu4J5VX7ob4sp0TsWnkOf7TyFcJnDslT5Yj46zlUcw1wxZSuFk6MCo/w426-h640/3B2A0169.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When your shadow gets this long, you know your daylight is limited!</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCMVQsli8Uh5FBFsQEpPVjS-G52VR1MHtUAPh20P4x4HwE1Nk9JB7bsexBekI1WxwM2yWj-3ldmL_KEyGUMrDciiN-2lE7QzVxwhvHX71Kd5u0WacMA1zJHnfZP3xjTLhoi895_-yFG7RvlOa6oQHcz-zpdY_rjGZrHYUaaWyIAX2pXpcp_iHijkJFZxw/s6720/3B2A0183small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCMVQsli8Uh5FBFsQEpPVjS-G52VR1MHtUAPh20P4x4HwE1Nk9JB7bsexBekI1WxwM2yWj-3ldmL_KEyGUMrDciiN-2lE7QzVxwhvHX71Kd5u0WacMA1zJHnfZP3xjTLhoi895_-yFG7RvlOa6oQHcz-zpdY_rjGZrHYUaaWyIAX2pXpcp_iHijkJFZxw/w640-h426/3B2A0183small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">"Mountain of gold": As the sun set and threw me into the shadows, this distant mountain was bathed in golden sunlight. It was an incredible sight!</span></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAp4YFJTHJl6ggwSZG8NuJ7zsrgWUo67SL9yrHi4wUUG_DApVV2_zC87BU0GgETKkimcIBf7CEbRYqAH5h2qJHWcPdNEdj2GdoeG32VeUmclB_nVqPoD4VR8f1KG8j9nWecFNBMuKtBENksZqkv1ImRFUXoVzA8kKpFQdKRWMzqExPrhRzRQ2CphBqqwM/s6720/3B2A0190small.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAp4YFJTHJl6ggwSZG8NuJ7zsrgWUo67SL9yrHi4wUUG_DApVV2_zC87BU0GgETKkimcIBf7CEbRYqAH5h2qJHWcPdNEdj2GdoeG32VeUmclB_nVqPoD4VR8f1KG8j9nWecFNBMuKtBENksZqkv1ImRFUXoVzA8kKpFQdKRWMzqExPrhRzRQ2CphBqqwM/w640-h426/3B2A0190small.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the opposite direction: Sunlight hitting Duct Peak.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Sv8OkgkH8yg4hCOfBtAR6_E0gOg7gh_2KY2_7WJPt3YB7gIWUJzbjknpDMJBKh5RLZv_lnbL7ZkjWivZK3KccXWWOFYCtpqDHUmHJeFbhHzv2zrHxgJmU07wMmOdDcJMrai1ZbaxaWzPetwUHzcqS461Vp7L-4rzfGmE5U0KNzPytapAhGEqr99g7jY/s6720/3B2A0194%20cropsmall.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3791" data-original-width="6720" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Sv8OkgkH8yg4hCOfBtAR6_E0gOg7gh_2KY2_7WJPt3YB7gIWUJzbjknpDMJBKh5RLZv_lnbL7ZkjWivZK3KccXWWOFYCtpqDHUmHJeFbhHzv2zrHxgJmU07wMmOdDcJMrai1ZbaxaWzPetwUHzcqS461Vp7L-4rzfGmE5U0KNzPytapAhGEqr99g7jY/w640-h362/3B2A0194%20cropsmall.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Just a few minutes later, my "mountain of gold" is no longer gold, but the sky is still gorgeous. I know what you're thinking: I should stop taking photos and focus on my hike back to the car, right? But this time of day (just before and just after sunset) is my favorite for photography. To get these photos, it requires that you hike back to your car in the dark. When I hike with friends, it drives them crazy!</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz731mtFEGALInfCA4HRfl8lYYfiHEb4My8UT1ucSUXSAJ-E8BOyUyzC7t-Q76nBd-ColuP1-r2dHyArdIxAwRTopTs3yQAwYgvF32IaE4WynceyApdKJZnZO1S6ZCa7tiLe4c4bqY4OFZJS23qIYeN2zNSg0qtPjI0aGbc88SPtqhsCbr1A1Pf4e6Wns/s6720/3B2A0195.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz731mtFEGALInfCA4HRfl8lYYfiHEb4My8UT1ucSUXSAJ-E8BOyUyzC7t-Q76nBd-ColuP1-r2dHyArdIxAwRTopTs3yQAwYgvF32IaE4WynceyApdKJZnZO1S6ZCa7tiLe4c4bqY4OFZJS23qIYeN2zNSg0qtPjI0aGbc88SPtqhsCbr1A1Pf4e6Wns/w640-h426/3B2A0195.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">6:22PM: Dark out, but the camera can pick up light.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTbqmUGO6PlzCKw2V8MofGEqQvnOnsUOrp5utGu1dZsGBQNyxvP-NGOFdQvlDVEIdjh39Y8EovKCLObnYkrgnDoYPHoF3Kw7lhlY2B3pcaAmcp64bw9vvlcQefM_5l5FazMrgos9mNAMfm54uoYnFG-oD7OLhPHkG_bD4aAG2WbEM7wL-kjDsmbORU87Y/s6720/3B2A0197v2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTbqmUGO6PlzCKw2V8MofGEqQvnOnsUOrp5utGu1dZsGBQNyxvP-NGOFdQvlDVEIdjh39Y8EovKCLObnYkrgnDoYPHoF3Kw7lhlY2B3pcaAmcp64bw9vvlcQefM_5l5FazMrgos9mNAMfm54uoYnFG-oD7OLhPHkG_bD4aAG2WbEM7wL-kjDsmbORU87Y/w640-h426/3B2A0197v2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last photo of the day (6:23PM): ISO 1000 (camera can see details that I can't see).</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Now it's time for the quiz (do I hear groans??): What's the fancy word for a partial rainbow?? Don't worry, I can't remember either. It's called a <b><i>parhelion</i></b> (pleural: parhelia). Seems like a good word for a bunch of skywatchers to be familiar withπ.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Thanks for dropping by!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;">Linking with <a href="https://skyley.blogspot.com/2024/01/skywatch-friday-11-january-2024-edition.html">Skywatch Friday</a>.</span></div>Spare Parts and Picshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17836657200014402380noreply@blogger.com48tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277742182540823151.post-5738054549599646212024-01-04T12:44:00.000-08:002024-01-04T12:44:33.613-08:00Sheep Hole Dry Lake<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> I broke an important rule of hiking. Maybe <i>the</i> most important rule: Once you tell someone where you are going to hike, <i>stick to the plan! </i>If you don't stick to the plan, how can someone find you if you have a problem or injury?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4wPU-YnutrmhytlNUE3RFHpLLFtKbWE34lddsGyx3IGKdnwKWN0W2pylHWuTWPKn3p9-ouTqJ1x4m1-9hFwG31BE5xA5LzHAmEJ0WRDtlxTv6wTssLINW_B03f5eoTNYDNqgXGDdGRV2lH_spodfH2qOxTzDOqBWd3QC2-0iKd7d8x-Ww7a9yV2jOuMM/s6720/3B2A0104small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4wPU-YnutrmhytlNUE3RFHpLLFtKbWE34lddsGyx3IGKdnwKWN0W2pylHWuTWPKn3p9-ouTqJ1x4m1-9hFwG31BE5xA5LzHAmEJ0WRDtlxTv6wTssLINW_B03f5eoTNYDNqgXGDdGRV2lH_spodfH2qOxTzDOqBWd3QC2-0iKd7d8x-Ww7a9yV2jOuMM/w640-h426/3B2A0104small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I had my solo hike all planned out with the route on my GPS phone app. My wife had a screenshot of my hike and knew exactly where I would be. However, driving east on Highway 62, I had a jaw-dropping moment: As I drove past the Sheephole Mountains, I saw this incredible carpet of yellow flowers stretching off into the horizon seemingly forever (above photo)! I've driven this way many, many times and never seen anything like it, and figured it must be due to the recent rain in the area.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLRZuZo_nt5HQwB8aM38nzQp4yahQ_NGYjD4PFl9c8PivFB2O7Mpi8D8R_ZetFLVKkzSJjNG5Wq2ZpUthHnWG09IdJuVCV009Q99AY-nw4VnSuy4ZtUtAq2D9ejbRk7VfiLMKMgg5zt_-GW7MfLy4TozladFxeAPfMvFZ1FM3upUiYLf-N9MUR9qovXvU/s6720/3B2A0094.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLRZuZo_nt5HQwB8aM38nzQp4yahQ_NGYjD4PFl9c8PivFB2O7Mpi8D8R_ZetFLVKkzSJjNG5Wq2ZpUthHnWG09IdJuVCV009Q99AY-nw4VnSuy4ZtUtAq2D9ejbRk7VfiLMKMgg5zt_-GW7MfLy4TozladFxeAPfMvFZ1FM3upUiYLf-N9MUR9qovXvU/w640-h426/3B2A0094.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Continuing on, I parked at the Wilderness sign off Highway 62.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnEvUp_vQ2xYsVDnoIkVrqzSPiMnE-CFNLhm6kP2Jiur_tCwkUxcFEOPYgrYdsC3pOVPV6sTiqcw1KAJKRv7nb8X8dR0Tv2gRlv0miE4AVbTQIMcbUjtiZe1vAiOAa9rnIhmH_QUniQCylt4Mj0BlXQOEA8Oxi0vBr3YvqXqXMiC0CJRQ7Ff5vYZQzSfw/s6720/3B2A0097.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnEvUp_vQ2xYsVDnoIkVrqzSPiMnE-CFNLhm6kP2Jiur_tCwkUxcFEOPYgrYdsC3pOVPV6sTiqcw1KAJKRv7nb8X8dR0Tv2gRlv0miE4AVbTQIMcbUjtiZe1vAiOAa9rnIhmH_QUniQCylt4Mj0BlXQOEA8Oxi0vBr3YvqXqXMiC0CJRQ7Ff5vYZQzSfw/w640-h426/3B2A0097.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I crossed the highway and started my planned hike (the one my wife had a copy of), heading south along the back side (east-facing side) of the Coxcomb Mountains. But those darn yellow flowers wouldn't stop nagging at me, and I felt like I was missing a huge opportunity by not going back to the yellow carpet of flowers I'd seen on the drive out. On impulse, I turned and started hiking back to the car with the intention of changing the plan. Cue the dun-dun-duuuun! sound effect. That's mistake #1.</span><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXUVUZ8xuz6wk5RHmNHKCAU2Wn4C6F3g1GPK9czjy8VOuF_MfewFnMoy5HaYrne3hq-7IGHW-EY0Yssb4HTez7HLgGPlwPd7stzQPthECTu6wIUBykhhv2kGB5Q5RLb5Dc0Oa__iA-Puely2HPWWVCikkkUGrUr9gA-ClbAAO1Ei18-TSSAKX5Bkd1b-I/s6611/3B2A0125small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4407" data-original-width="6611" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXUVUZ8xuz6wk5RHmNHKCAU2Wn4C6F3g1GPK9czjy8VOuF_MfewFnMoy5HaYrne3hq-7IGHW-EY0Yssb4HTez7HLgGPlwPd7stzQPthECTu6wIUBykhhv2kGB5Q5RLb5Dc0Oa__iA-Puely2HPWWVCikkkUGrUr9gA-ClbAAO1Ei18-TSSAKX5Bkd1b-I/w640-h426/3B2A0125small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">By the time I hiked back to the car and drove back to the yellow flowers, I had used up over an hour. I had about 3-4 hours of daylight left. My new plan (known only to me) was to make a quick hike out to the dry lake (the light colored area below the mountains in the photo above). It looks pretty close, right? I estimated about a mile or so (one way) of easy level hiking. Plenty of time. Again with the dun-dun-duuuuun! That was mistake #2.</span><br /><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf0Cinbf2bWQuXGLGyNcU6-gCjeyAUhq49RDXjxNA8_eIyG2wtWvF-hJzmimzYMrwmys_JYFHNyCKbS25nrtE-DcASM-6jaulUHh3bRJqYlVV4_NXEj_eqz2Y_IvZ37zVfVegUfpdsYMiezRqppGN5tT4-PKwdW0zsdRY-jn-erE0qWilTzK5eZnCLCBI/s6676/3B2A0118small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4451" data-original-width="6676" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf0Cinbf2bWQuXGLGyNcU6-gCjeyAUhq49RDXjxNA8_eIyG2wtWvF-hJzmimzYMrwmys_JYFHNyCKbS25nrtE-DcASM-6jaulUHh3bRJqYlVV4_NXEj_eqz2Y_IvZ37zVfVegUfpdsYMiezRqppGN5tT4-PKwdW0zsdRY-jn-erE0qWilTzK5eZnCLCBI/w640-h426/3B2A0118small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">If you remember nothing else from this post, remember this: <i>Distances are deceiving</i>. That's especially true in the desert. Of course, I knew that, but my brain didn't seem to be working on this particular day. Instead of leisurely hiking 2 miles round trip over a couple hours with plenty of time for photography, I ended up hiking 6.8 miles out and back to the dry lake, which took me 4 hours and 10 minutes. What appeared to be a flat, level hike was anything but. Critter burrows were everywhere. For every 10 steps I took, one foot would abruptly drop down into a burrow and throw me off balance, which made the hiking slow and difficult. I crossed multiple washes. There was a surprising amount of elevation loss to the dry lake, which means I would be hiking uphill on the way back to my car.</span><br /><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif8h1z6SKj-FovLqQI-YtJ45hHJ8Nxw97-vmNabZur396x4tHE7ZauuNPHCRswjyA9FqiFULV5PBKqtWdkFiQ3N0YrBYJAjp_wmYcK1BV2zhboJ6U7lx_TJWrWFM-mok1GoTvihag3zYbj7MkMTyZ7Wu9h9Tdp2AgzZuAT8jD_dCfIb86cSvpYE52kXfk/s6720/3B2A0109small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif8h1z6SKj-FovLqQI-YtJ45hHJ8Nxw97-vmNabZur396x4tHE7ZauuNPHCRswjyA9FqiFULV5PBKqtWdkFiQ3N0YrBYJAjp_wmYcK1BV2zhboJ6U7lx_TJWrWFM-mok1GoTvihag3zYbj7MkMTyZ7Wu9h9Tdp2AgzZuAT8jD_dCfIb86cSvpYE52kXfk/w640-h426/3B2A0109small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">But the good news? Oh, what a wonderful hike! The flowers!! The sunset!!! The absolute solitude made it a hike I won't soon forget. Did I mention the flowers?</span><br /><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsTbGwwElLJ85l4t-YKDYsQSpk6q_MwQohjKd1wm8qxXqOnFDUM0sV8xnh7O6Fe-FwHHFdDa2_im3Up2rRfqoqPBogIuL8LpHvLLjPLXuNuDLu5UWLpDt8qf8zRB4BS5WdkOfLMJNO_pjox7376V5x56uxKw9atMbF8OdJHfvV8bqjupapaodc2gVNOts/s4480/3B2A0121crop%20Hummingbird%20Moth%20caterpillar.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="4480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsTbGwwElLJ85l4t-YKDYsQSpk6q_MwQohjKd1wm8qxXqOnFDUM0sV8xnh7O6Fe-FwHHFdDa2_im3Up2rRfqoqPBogIuL8LpHvLLjPLXuNuDLu5UWLpDt8qf8zRB4BS5WdkOfLMJNO_pjox7376V5x56uxKw9atMbF8OdJHfvV8bqjupapaodc2gVNOts/w640-h640/3B2A0121crop%20Hummingbird%20Moth%20caterpillar.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This caterpillar will develop into a hummingbird moth.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJn5J3qQNioWPzl-YuxAEmLrAHYAG7iYJXPPyv1TWonHCzUvjxxTE6weMHfyzY5v6lPLddWNfwPh7y7CnvnNa0OITXHgqeFIVTmUwXJr7leaWXcLMR9_IC8_sbo848nPMBUfETH5WqLd_B0QAe1L_aH8AW_brzKliwxm90dkEjeJsrRsQxzbicB1fTR28/s6720/3B2A0131small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJn5J3qQNioWPzl-YuxAEmLrAHYAG7iYJXPPyv1TWonHCzUvjxxTE6weMHfyzY5v6lPLddWNfwPh7y7CnvnNa0OITXHgqeFIVTmUwXJr7leaWXcLMR9_IC8_sbo848nPMBUfETH5WqLd_B0QAe1L_aH8AW_brzKliwxm90dkEjeJsrRsQxzbicB1fTR28/w640-h426/3B2A0131small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Just gorgeous. The yellow clumps of flowers (I believe they are called Cinchweed) reflecting the late afternoon light, with the Sheephole Mountains in the background. I did my best not to step on flowers. I'm sure it added extra miles to my hike as I zigzagged toward the dry lake like a drunken sailor.<br /></span><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOm0MXcRppQP_wMf_Zp9Cb2MlT1KlgyWfwp8-Ejssjyf7JM7bVNt9yzkkEtkZHtNABlx3an6kSrWZRhaxDb425v6Em2ogLqVw_-FcPLByDmCrgor2UA6jvS7e0ReT8ZpxnWE1EtLl4qvhetW-Ir4TMk5c0FecZJ3wn2rw0XQL5oTN7yEP4rCS4w_lJESc/s6604/3B2A0111.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4403" data-original-width="6604" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOm0MXcRppQP_wMf_Zp9Cb2MlT1KlgyWfwp8-Ejssjyf7JM7bVNt9yzkkEtkZHtNABlx3an6kSrWZRhaxDb425v6Em2ogLqVw_-FcPLByDmCrgor2UA6jvS7e0ReT8ZpxnWE1EtLl4qvhetW-Ir4TMk5c0FecZJ3wn2rw0XQL5oTN7yEP4rCS4w_lJESc/w640-h426/3B2A0111.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">The desert turned yellow (or perhaps yellow-orange, depending upon the light)! Sharing this one to show how extensive the Cinchweed bloom was on this day. This is looking S/SW, towards Clark's Pass. This entire area was covered!<br /></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcAba7XwSCb6YksBrl7MVC-eOKkGAR6V2wmspwIMu6dAGCrMT5ttUlmpxqJNHLrQ8oMTkyAUpShpby3unjC1TfKs01J-oLpYAniduk7t9N9Oi4BcJPhXTQ1MHPDayD9hZdSuD3ecRxNowAGYAy4y75J-b9VQiK9wqjMuXIKjpdb7OddZCEKQrtSe5JMw8/s6720/3B2A0130small.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcAba7XwSCb6YksBrl7MVC-eOKkGAR6V2wmspwIMu6dAGCrMT5ttUlmpxqJNHLrQ8oMTkyAUpShpby3unjC1TfKs01J-oLpYAniduk7t9N9Oi4BcJPhXTQ1MHPDayD9hZdSuD3ecRxNowAGYAy4y75J-b9VQiK9wqjMuXIKjpdb7OddZCEKQrtSe5JMw8/w640-h426/3B2A0130small.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Are we there yet??! It's taking <i>much</i> longer than I thought it would!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQq6xvxSBdLnp_hK8CbT-iDhvH1Ovp_TKyJuPVbhgxvFdo0-6RVSXMV_NfUi4z_dGEuA13C_fjxVpq__gmdKQDS4l0M416Ini_rdl9P_0vFWu_iR_3kb4VzxyHD41z2zkBcZDv81pmAtqLivheyZiY87-m19bHMd6gldaepWb1Oo_AUcy5joHxWjI7LJo/s4032/IMG_5228.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQq6xvxSBdLnp_hK8CbT-iDhvH1Ovp_TKyJuPVbhgxvFdo0-6RVSXMV_NfUi4z_dGEuA13C_fjxVpq__gmdKQDS4l0M416Ini_rdl9P_0vFWu_iR_3kb4VzxyHD41z2zkBcZDv81pmAtqLivheyZiY87-m19bHMd6gldaepWb1Oo_AUcy5joHxWjI7LJo/w480-h640/IMG_5228.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looks like an old tobacco tin (Prince Albert?) next to a Cinchweed plant.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7fycOVuH9yc_NnKy2EbWhjTJYMZX0vNYxIkvExAFqYBUBrKVOu4WyyjJMf3Y4j0TVk8ug4vT3bl8siqnk6h12jbStB3G6XOvThHvXlniyMsYfu4LEEyujMVmFgIL4PDJ1VC3l-p8O0xCvTBKCrmDZuUuvoHZdEroqSDCP29y6CTaTsH0errf3TbOwoA8/s6681/3B2A0136small.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4454" data-original-width="6681" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7fycOVuH9yc_NnKy2EbWhjTJYMZX0vNYxIkvExAFqYBUBrKVOu4WyyjJMf3Y4j0TVk8ug4vT3bl8siqnk6h12jbStB3G6XOvThHvXlniyMsYfu4LEEyujMVmFgIL4PDJ1VC3l-p8O0xCvTBKCrmDZuUuvoHZdEroqSDCP29y6CTaTsH0errf3TbOwoA8/w640-h426/3B2A0136small.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally!!! I make it to the dry lake. It would be amazing to see this after a heavy rain!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBA66rfkeYn5JaLUHJD4kt2k4UgMGdEEKdoq5YKXQ2nNyvWlGZ3HsgoatzJxWSt5G2YEqGa3_uqJJ-NXkucxOpX6ZiuGB2453FhNrefJFXN5DsShsPue4DkVp43FIX945osB7ul-Fr1oFu4di5uEXfMP_XLi6R8nxe1-jOP6j7I_ArOGlCCO0i4fTp1oM/s6720/3B2A0139small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBA66rfkeYn5JaLUHJD4kt2k4UgMGdEEKdoq5YKXQ2nNyvWlGZ3HsgoatzJxWSt5G2YEqGa3_uqJJ-NXkucxOpX6ZiuGB2453FhNrefJFXN5DsShsPue4DkVp43FIX945osB7ul-Fr1oFu4di5uEXfMP_XLi6R8nxe1-jOP6j7I_ArOGlCCO0i4fTp1oM/w640-h426/3B2A0139small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfrwMmaZBzgaqxyB76f-AZjfNBjkrmZTFbrqIYXjX5FdN3YACuUqFwX7nNOc0n8vJEDLMfBZTlIRyTVvwZ4pSocMhMtIDaym00hry3lAY5aMg3EGOdosw1MF9xwbGdJeUFJ3Wa-HtUpiEeYlMMDs5OCILkXOQWJofRfVUkj3rkcKiva9hB1Up1_LKnaGc/s6720/3B2A0148BWcropsmall%20Alone.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3609" data-original-width="6720" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfrwMmaZBzgaqxyB76f-AZjfNBjkrmZTFbrqIYXjX5FdN3YACuUqFwX7nNOc0n8vJEDLMfBZTlIRyTVvwZ4pSocMhMtIDaym00hry3lAY5aMg3EGOdosw1MF9xwbGdJeUFJ3Wa-HtUpiEeYlMMDs5OCILkXOQWJofRfVUkj3rkcKiva9hB1Up1_LKnaGc/w640-h344/3B2A0148BWcropsmall%20Alone.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sense of openness, solitude, and absolute quite are incredible!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibTlfvWYQ0nSOGAnGIqd6OFwBnYJ4KqS-wGaNtf0t_Fx96PCHef_HhxankCLbUZhgUx75Ci2k9aRwMzZCzS5xtjm0Uqfa76MXnydwL-rj2HViHv5EoRcm6pIStIypES15C965mRlUYytTXzV-6sfuGDZmYQ6gU_bfLkka0ckPI_dZ2eyEbAvBeeafFXFk/s4032/20231013_234902133_iOS%20copyBW%20sunglasses.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibTlfvWYQ0nSOGAnGIqd6OFwBnYJ4KqS-wGaNtf0t_Fx96PCHef_HhxankCLbUZhgUx75Ci2k9aRwMzZCzS5xtjm0Uqfa76MXnydwL-rj2HViHv5EoRcm6pIStIypES15C965mRlUYytTXzV-6sfuGDZmYQ6gU_bfLkka0ckPI_dZ2eyEbAvBeeafFXFk/w640-h480/20231013_234902133_iOS%20copyBW%20sunglasses.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Time to take off the pack, have a snack, drink some water and take a selfie!<br /><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkZZf18uTjS_wsmDImjLO0ZUrvbDob6qi3rLhMq3sGmM-p-BXQMHmKSLfOPiQe7AVBp2I_ZAQOgHREIZJcImOPcTStZejhlZU4UO-Pz5mkFzQUAOxpKbUkBggRwRd_HX6Zl89T3EWyQW9_XciP1FwUTgf85TJMLJfilnY1dYoMHYV5fp5JBn_pZ1PWGuU/s4032/20231013_234902133_iOS%20copy%20Parametric%20Properties.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkZZf18uTjS_wsmDImjLO0ZUrvbDob6qi3rLhMq3sGmM-p-BXQMHmKSLfOPiQe7AVBp2I_ZAQOgHREIZJcImOPcTStZejhlZU4UO-Pz5mkFzQUAOxpKbUkBggRwRd_HX6Zl89T3EWyQW9_XciP1FwUTgf85TJMLJfilnY1dYoMHYV5fp5JBn_pZ1PWGuU/w640-h480/20231013_234902133_iOS%20copy%20Parametric%20Properties.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">This is called "parametric properties" in PhotoShop. I call it "having fun on the lake bed!"<br /></span><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Hiking is slow in the open desert, where you have to pick your way around cacti and creosote. It was 4:40pm and the sun was setting as I left the lake bed. It was 3.5 miles back to the car and I had about 30 minutes or so of twilight left. After that, it would be dark. It was painfully obvious I would be hiking the last couple miles in the dark. Thankfully I had a fully-charged headlamp in my pack and a GPS route to follow on my phone.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I'll finish up this post next week with some beautiful desert skies as seen on my hike back to the car.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Thanks for stopping by and sharing this adventure with me!!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;">Linking with <a href="https://skyley.blogspot.com/2024/01/skywatch-friday-4-january-2024-edition.html">Skywatch Friday</a>.</span></div>Spare Parts and Picshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17836657200014402380noreply@blogger.com44tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277742182540823151.post-63529142945623393502023-12-28T11:59:00.000-08:002023-12-28T11:59:58.648-08:00Ready or Not...<div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">... Here comes 2024!! I vaguely recall this time last year, thinking what a tough year 2022 had been, and that there was no way to go but up for 2023. My expectations were high, and if I'm honest, I think 2023 only partly met my expectations. It seems as if humanity is still on a self destructive pathway, and in some ways, getting even worse.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeUG39CWFSnlQX_Y7P-jkmvNVbhVRvqSHlt8fs8EtaXfycMTGf7cGVYNrEpCyBERoiscorDMWuU23o3JsNWGeCFOHwjd08rlt6k8roLBVOLavm4Vfi2fGhrneMqJGhYqmrydADo9Oc9ZHZxqUD_hBlU94n1nT5EC5uXKV9g9a27q11LoeCdx7jCK2m8eY/s5616/IMG_1971ecomboSmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3744" data-original-width="5616" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeUG39CWFSnlQX_Y7P-jkmvNVbhVRvqSHlt8fs8EtaXfycMTGf7cGVYNrEpCyBERoiscorDMWuU23o3JsNWGeCFOHwjd08rlt6k8roLBVOLavm4Vfi2fGhrneMqJGhYqmrydADo9Oc9ZHZxqUD_hBlU94n1nT5EC5uXKV9g9a27q11LoeCdx7jCK2m8eY/w640-h426/IMG_1971ecomboSmall.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">But as we fly into 2024, I'm hopeful it will be a great year, or at least a better year. It will take time.<br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8MGFVvyfejpm-YrxWgViYNSdIOYbaqFa9oINiTAywsYQRq2irMiiH8Xj4e-4PF7z3zcJmnoZurWxDVvDbDNku0583JuYtUk_Snp2K56lNlBixg8dYlEPJ4zs2ql1xJX0YQcp-EYMrQf6z-3lSMgirkbSvmhczf4xKeZfVE1sE9NzxItRHnD3BjzKE4f4/s2958/IMG_9280combo%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2958" data-original-width="2448" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8MGFVvyfejpm-YrxWgViYNSdIOYbaqFa9oINiTAywsYQRq2irMiiH8Xj4e-4PF7z3zcJmnoZurWxDVvDbDNku0583JuYtUk_Snp2K56lNlBixg8dYlEPJ4zs2ql1xJX0YQcp-EYMrQf6z-3lSMgirkbSvmhczf4xKeZfVE1sE9NzxItRHnD3BjzKE4f4/w530-h640/IMG_9280combo%20copy.jpg" width="530" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">In the meantime, I'll keep looking up. Keep appreciating our daily sunrises and sunsets, and being thankful for all I have.</span><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUyR3Y_WAYupMAGJCMyFEUR17BTDCtl4twXNx-_BAx7Y6gbAH4QhUi9fibZHcwybvCfagsv3wmIc5cQNkd_Air5_3GlUEh2lvkOtcZcO1CVpz9ZI4Z-Bnp6zMueza8R0wKPnkIE2qw0T_GBV31OMDeHrSXpfn50B7y6vVYhpNnVpp9BviF18PdMnusvtw/s5616/IMG_1714moon%20Edit%20small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3744" data-original-width="5616" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUyR3Y_WAYupMAGJCMyFEUR17BTDCtl4twXNx-_BAx7Y6gbAH4QhUi9fibZHcwybvCfagsv3wmIc5cQNkd_Air5_3GlUEh2lvkOtcZcO1CVpz9ZI4Z-Bnp6zMueza8R0wKPnkIE2qw0T_GBV31OMDeHrSXpfn50B7y6vVYhpNnVpp9BviF18PdMnusvtw/w640-h426/IMG_1714moon%20Edit%20small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiub-fYMaDzx_jMvCiR5369aWfgzv8E0BHEyGencNwtc8izYzWZC3B6_aKDNGdU9bsG6zCUnKiqIOY0o_2ZXOixIuKbLpt5tspCnnFyr_KjRTJDJu_iYUNshAY7eecL2jMU0zkb4tVfHcwbJGjY6_Y21mR3fdpCHbj7bEJzMsTaDVmizmr310TMy6fh9zI/s5616/IMG_1949%20copy%20small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3744" data-original-width="5616" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiub-fYMaDzx_jMvCiR5369aWfgzv8E0BHEyGencNwtc8izYzWZC3B6_aKDNGdU9bsG6zCUnKiqIOY0o_2ZXOixIuKbLpt5tspCnnFyr_KjRTJDJu_iYUNshAY7eecL2jMU0zkb4tVfHcwbJGjY6_Y21mR3fdpCHbj7bEJzMsTaDVmizmr310TMy6fh9zI/w640-h426/IMG_1949%20copy%20small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF3zpFyRBHkFxx0RStAyAc0snwSsFIAnudAnyrXWlpdpQikEhvvRiVyMqBFACiwyZNxJW9AGoSwUrFDSqLN9Db2be52K2RE0M3nD3bgzqUDF2RFBRLgRO05CR2oc7f2GKqilpICpBiamvo_Qdh8M22HIfsQ9hT7fxrvM-zwT1Rh04P8XdeEes7cVy149Q/s2857/IMG_1995comboBWcrop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1834" data-original-width="2857" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF3zpFyRBHkFxx0RStAyAc0snwSsFIAnudAnyrXWlpdpQikEhvvRiVyMqBFACiwyZNxJW9AGoSwUrFDSqLN9Db2be52K2RE0M3nD3bgzqUDF2RFBRLgRO05CR2oc7f2GKqilpICpBiamvo_Qdh8M22HIfsQ9hT7fxrvM-zwT1Rh04P8XdeEes7cVy149Q/w640-h410/IMG_1995comboBWcrop.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Thanks for stopping by, and wishing you a very happy & healthy 2024!!</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;">Linking with</span> <a href="https://skyley.blogspot.com/2023/12/skywatch-friday-28-december-2023-edition.html">Skywatch Friday</a>.</div></div>Spare Parts and Picshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17836657200014402380noreply@blogger.com49tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277742182540823151.post-72340622353606161142023-12-21T11:35:00.000-08:002023-12-21T12:43:24.508-08:00Under Desert Skies<div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">We had finish up a longish hike, and as is our custom, got camp chairs out of the car to sit and relax. But the sky was gorgeous and kept calling to me, so not much sitting going on. It struck me as kind of comical that I hauled my heavy camera and two lenses all over heck and back, only to get my best shots of the day from the parking lot!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH2huHw2zmnmbP8jTz1pFCb3L9Xy-pjCL-28NO-p4ScCfujzNCg1qH8XvGOxcZZk7jx7hHDfMD86xQXZtOKYl8l6TdyuIH0gI_igkIErEwX1Xlv4gKyyY7Kz2NwuYQ8gQRDNN9IxkUKD0Oq4JXB-v5Cr6nsnoCZ12UEwCVr6W4jsJwyK38G4WUH-h74B0/s6720/3B2A0077small.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH2huHw2zmnmbP8jTz1pFCb3L9Xy-pjCL-28NO-p4ScCfujzNCg1qH8XvGOxcZZk7jx7hHDfMD86xQXZtOKYl8l6TdyuIH0gI_igkIErEwX1Xlv4gKyyY7Kz2NwuYQ8gQRDNN9IxkUKD0Oq4JXB-v5Cr6nsnoCZ12UEwCVr6W4jsJwyK38G4WUH-h74B0/w640-h426/3B2A0077small.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last light on the boulders.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixsHknuy9YIqNBt1bq1jP1oc7SNntsavaAkMXKIod4f18Px9yLEItXLsHBhNwYDkkVVX1mbhZNsbJIZgRJbgCA1fs2SFJJ8JR32LfYVTpx3bCWnjoP6hSlu4UQT-RC7JnNeJ9YET89mCC3veeQ89pl3ttm3rqZoyB7I0qDw4FDEjdoPRRJph22O-EXLNg/s6720/3B2A0078small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixsHknuy9YIqNBt1bq1jP1oc7SNntsavaAkMXKIod4f18Px9yLEItXLsHBhNwYDkkVVX1mbhZNsbJIZgRJbgCA1fs2SFJJ8JR32LfYVTpx3bCWnjoP6hSlu4UQT-RC7JnNeJ9YET89mCC3veeQ89pl3ttm3rqZoyB7I0qDw4FDEjdoPRRJph22O-EXLNg/w640-h426/3B2A0078small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyaQUSGYHmjdP-WF4yT0O70dCveCYtiLgUGCUvtgaYkep4ebkqiREL5z1147Ur3lCHGvMUdhIXzubxqRgkbgrAIIgIgS7Kok8VXaAMMXSGdzkYb3flTefFMGjtO8ShUnE6kqptq6YzD4EnpkH_95BGZggN1B9t-Q6RSHC1_bqlvr78Ax23Yay_y_Gm-58/s6039/3B2A0080small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6039" data-original-width="4480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyaQUSGYHmjdP-WF4yT0O70dCveCYtiLgUGCUvtgaYkep4ebkqiREL5z1147Ur3lCHGvMUdhIXzubxqRgkbgrAIIgIgS7Kok8VXaAMMXSGdzkYb3flTefFMGjtO8ShUnE6kqptq6YzD4EnpkH_95BGZggN1B9t-Q6RSHC1_bqlvr78Ax23Yay_y_Gm-58/w474-h640/3B2A0080small.jpg" width="474" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRKxSKLY3XPZoUjar3FuMhTmsvs1_KB0lXAi0MmSq8CF8sNRiVtzD4rPRVIGAsXHwwoaozYl7PBhwyf0UBqFs5Nzo99YzfUMry0icJRSxh7HfeGeIFY14n5XYrePD4UX-PKsrpWKJL4oyVW1RBDHnO_HdRp9FIbQw301AxXWzv3CXCQ9kVWk77ZAWjXRM/s6720/3B2A0081small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRKxSKLY3XPZoUjar3FuMhTmsvs1_KB0lXAi0MmSq8CF8sNRiVtzD4rPRVIGAsXHwwoaozYl7PBhwyf0UBqFs5Nzo99YzfUMry0icJRSxh7HfeGeIFY14n5XYrePD4UX-PKsrpWKJL4oyVW1RBDHnO_HdRp9FIbQw301AxXWzv3CXCQ9kVWk77ZAWjXRM/w640-h426/3B2A0081small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvxW6mbVo3iScv-SCO2sfJpUIyqZio2YA8L0OcUlSHVGnqxkVYN8-WCevu_SldOFRxEabWXbNFkxb64uaCeTD5JV1V5qOs_-Fb_LW3NBxH8732owtQ_QUQcO2RKS8i5LLJAu1jPxrcJAwHuwRtWbV4tSlAr6TbEZ1LyfTijDLa8kf0v1mzedOnhHBjtTI/s1764/3B2A0086crop.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1412" data-original-width="1764" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvxW6mbVo3iScv-SCO2sfJpUIyqZio2YA8L0OcUlSHVGnqxkVYN8-WCevu_SldOFRxEabWXbNFkxb64uaCeTD5JV1V5qOs_-Fb_LW3NBxH8732owtQ_QUQcO2RKS8i5LLJAu1jPxrcJAwHuwRtWbV4tSlAr6TbEZ1LyfTijDLa8kf0v1mzedOnhHBjtTI/w640-h512/3B2A0086crop.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjASjUZ4votk7lFkSRRABtiUntM9v7PGbuccH6CpvreMdPUOVHnQedSPQnLRbQ-erIR8aW8jxWzt44Q7A936cywWEJFFQ2WexHt-3RU_A9IQW2CkCVzFusEsgDv1PHb8q_BcRJpIOyEIL3TswEjZm_-zfiopyFhw0ocPpIkqjaiwJzldubbn9lYJgLJce0/s5283/3B2A0084crop.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4385" data-original-width="5283" height="532" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjASjUZ4votk7lFkSRRABtiUntM9v7PGbuccH6CpvreMdPUOVHnQedSPQnLRbQ-erIR8aW8jxWzt44Q7A936cywWEJFFQ2WexHt-3RU_A9IQW2CkCVzFusEsgDv1PHb8q_BcRJpIOyEIL3TswEjZm_-zfiopyFhw0ocPpIkqjaiwJzldubbn9lYJgLJce0/w640-h532/3B2A0084crop.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">As if the beautiful skies weren't enough to get us out of our chairs, we had the moon pushing up through the clouds in the eastern sky. Wow!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5NRrZKDL2GZbyy44QPvCtU_MPMpmtDK6hwMssZm7GqVyPlL4OyLysVXuVEK5L66U9sMsPZNEQIffUTjMRIsf5n8k2IyoyyO5_W8o8VDxJTJ6J6lls1-hzdpATcVrrsf59kDgfImFIItqbNkurtRrhcPqmDoJ_gw2xPBye86hsxGh1GVpkJyM-WiHcb_g/s6720/3B2A0090small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5NRrZKDL2GZbyy44QPvCtU_MPMpmtDK6hwMssZm7GqVyPlL4OyLysVXuVEK5L66U9sMsPZNEQIffUTjMRIsf5n8k2IyoyyO5_W8o8VDxJTJ6J6lls1-hzdpATcVrrsf59kDgfImFIItqbNkurtRrhcPqmDoJ_gw2xPBye86hsxGh1GVpkJyM-WiHcb_g/w640-h426/3B2A0090small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;">Looking west. North, south, east, west... didn't matter. Sky was beautiful in every direction!</div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA9VGYh-EUXvBlxlh3lAD0JjgxK-y6lbXJWjuOaI1RWqGtESPGKM2jk6MbbO8_9Tu-gC8-Cwol8Nx8kuNuDWQ5kurZHj8V7lDkNWVAow3g05s_qsYKk6F4_Kfln3JKxmj1hdG-0_S-VDsl-NGSTk34MJhMs0Sp70ydXQ_S5ni1jB3bmSuEj4dP1Qsid1I/s3780/IMG_5180.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3780" data-original-width="2835" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA9VGYh-EUXvBlxlh3lAD0JjgxK-y6lbXJWjuOaI1RWqGtESPGKM2jk6MbbO8_9Tu-gC8-Cwol8Nx8kuNuDWQ5kurZHj8V7lDkNWVAow3g05s_qsYKk6F4_Kfln3JKxmj1hdG-0_S-VDsl-NGSTk34MJhMs0Sp70ydXQ_S5ni1jB3bmSuEj4dP1Qsid1I/w480-h640/IMG_5180.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birds were an added bonus!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMdinzcuEVJZNJ0UmAMvuOsV8Up7ojnoo0cK5RrwVRbVifz4bsxA5EdJNSWfMQbg5SIAm2TZhxMwaRh6IZWEt2F5FhIIkws39TQOcKSCYnpAN-zdxpqNyduyLi2K0ZSJHq5QqnmPXzarNbbYY0A3mK8u_5VTygLbfEL2eaaiUgMEZnAS_Ukr5-irzDg3Q/s4032/IMG_5183.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMdinzcuEVJZNJ0UmAMvuOsV8Up7ojnoo0cK5RrwVRbVifz4bsxA5EdJNSWfMQbg5SIAm2TZhxMwaRh6IZWEt2F5FhIIkws39TQOcKSCYnpAN-zdxpqNyduyLi2K0ZSJHq5QqnmPXzarNbbYY0A3mK8u_5VTygLbfEL2eaaiUgMEZnAS_Ukr5-irzDg3Q/w640-h480/IMG_5183.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilef0tB87ZPUODkvfwtoqPYAWZMSChyCVNL1Z1G5RiotKOBxb6785F0edBvFcd6XhgckXl4gOmyrCeNhSDzUUyTFfCByuZ77pHGDLhvWuTf2vg-HpuKlEymssg2j4RMjca4uxk_lV-GMmxKR4BRPETitZvL80YYWvciH_CjvXUUaEZ0mrakmKm9SkZ7aw/s4032/IMG_5184.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilef0tB87ZPUODkvfwtoqPYAWZMSChyCVNL1Z1G5RiotKOBxb6785F0edBvFcd6XhgckXl4gOmyrCeNhSDzUUyTFfCByuZ77pHGDLhvWuTf2vg-HpuKlEymssg2j4RMjca4uxk_lV-GMmxKR4BRPETitZvL80YYWvciH_CjvXUUaEZ0mrakmKm9SkZ7aw/w480-h640/IMG_5184.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Travis with that pesky moon on his shoulder!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">(All photos taken from the "Keys West" parking lot after finishing the hike.)</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Wishing you the <span style="color: red;">happiest of holidays!!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Linking with <a href="https://skyley.blogspot.com/2023/12/skywatch-friday-2023-winter-solstice.html">Skywatch Friday</a>.</span></div>Spare Parts and Picshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17836657200014402380noreply@blogger.com41tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277742182540823151.post-15901641170298039102023-12-14T12:10:00.000-08:002023-12-14T12:10:19.914-08:00A Classic Beach Sunset!<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I was comfortably kicking back in our motel room when I heard the ding of an incoming text message. It was from my wife (who was out walking the dog): "You need to come out and look at the sky." The sky had been overcast earlier, and I figured the sunset would be dull and gray, but my wife is not one to exaggerate. Overcoming the inertia that had set in, I headed out the door. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdIjoYBkaUsm5EGGb0BFi9_6ObA2xpCbFGGUHujNlMxELeyL9XqJn32m042Ldk9QVLpX733fkdiW6QlbnRbQz2Gxv9XjHefb-zNJiyEbr4PVO355e_qw9919xpLm7eTh-4DIvAdm6KmrhtqwHa1O4mhk3MkBedYFPjm16Hez7fYZoWfV3xKV4RcR2Frrc/s4032/IMG_4843.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdIjoYBkaUsm5EGGb0BFi9_6ObA2xpCbFGGUHujNlMxELeyL9XqJn32m042Ldk9QVLpX733fkdiW6QlbnRbQz2Gxv9XjHefb-zNJiyEbr4PVO355e_qw9919xpLm7eTh-4DIvAdm6KmrhtqwHa1O4mhk3MkBedYFPjm16Hez7fYZoWfV3xKV4RcR2Frrc/w640-h480/IMG_4843.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My wife walking the dog. Now that's a nice sky!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMy97744-n4ohBBCRi6zDV5sTDjhFPZoa3T-LUdGW8GXYRr1-wicURkCQ0eJJV5J9smYsUDJ2mFVmZb8MFQFZdaqP3sSFc5zsqhedG1Tqr8fex0WURZE7cGqVZtcOU0j5FvOrsQiniG3I_EuGZwRAlg-NBhbIBtr64PN58s0xKhQ185j57k5uA6wt61KY/s4032/IMG_4847.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMy97744-n4ohBBCRi6zDV5sTDjhFPZoa3T-LUdGW8GXYRr1-wicURkCQ0eJJV5J9smYsUDJ2mFVmZb8MFQFZdaqP3sSFc5zsqhedG1Tqr8fex0WURZE7cGqVZtcOU0j5FvOrsQiniG3I_EuGZwRAlg-NBhbIBtr64PN58s0xKhQ185j57k5uA6wt61KY/w640-h480/IMG_4847.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of people were out watching the sun drop into the Pacific!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWmd9KeFQRnf8WQI2AUc9ouZRYRpTXWQYyV3mZR3cU-f84xv7aTe74jdGcIpR0rIew-B4v6d0DMPOmZq8r8itLvZOf3Ayv2559wVOrLvmzIk4qhJ6uYA0SOYciUZdQi_RqW9TFHyUCKHo_e3_Rqb_xsjGUTxs7jiSUooLfqSUOLwzEPS552sN4hJOqg1g/s4032/IMG_4850.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWmd9KeFQRnf8WQI2AUc9ouZRYRpTXWQYyV3mZR3cU-f84xv7aTe74jdGcIpR0rIew-B4v6d0DMPOmZq8r8itLvZOf3Ayv2559wVOrLvmzIk4qhJ6uYA0SOYciUZdQi_RqW9TFHyUCKHo_e3_Rqb_xsjGUTxs7jiSUooLfqSUOLwzEPS552sN4hJOqg1g/w640-h480/IMG_4850.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRJ-Qi7wpg2wIVJhFKlC3R4OJBMvT9Vp2DPXFs2H2X3gRZa6NV7B3APELOJjhFCHpMKgRMiNRCMDNR6tayC0P-a7oY88gygegd4qfJrRRzb5RWY2SOQb3MS-q9hAkpQd-_N5lm_Xaj3qK6HZMRA0QYZZ7CwfIcTSXEOMkGpGkbdVHDayhcPSz23Ph7dMs/s4032/IMG_4853.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRJ-Qi7wpg2wIVJhFKlC3R4OJBMvT9Vp2DPXFs2H2X3gRZa6NV7B3APELOJjhFCHpMKgRMiNRCMDNR6tayC0P-a7oY88gygegd4qfJrRRzb5RWY2SOQb3MS-q9hAkpQd-_N5lm_Xaj3qK6HZMRA0QYZZ7CwfIcTSXEOMkGpGkbdVHDayhcPSz23Ph7dMs/w640-h480/IMG_4853.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A photographer hard at work...</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI00Rh7iHS25twxmAgKCwic8X9_E6t8TDNalcVP9ei_DNVE1oR5SNhJrzfRYSbVQlSSKcnbX67hDQmUGrfCIlLRtJYdEpItWc3y39PqRQO2HOJzlnR1WrQiO7NflPzBkb-9pEWXmJH7PzQspScn_qud9PHevhtCpSwq2th47KpK7ETDi1TP-3mWFdRQ6o/s2734/IMG_4851%20crop.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2734" data-original-width="2734" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI00Rh7iHS25twxmAgKCwic8X9_E6t8TDNalcVP9ei_DNVE1oR5SNhJrzfRYSbVQlSSKcnbX67hDQmUGrfCIlLRtJYdEpItWc3y39PqRQO2HOJzlnR1WrQiO7NflPzBkb-9pEWXmJH7PzQspScn_qud9PHevhtCpSwq2th47KpK7ETDi1TP-3mWFdRQ6o/w640-h640/IMG_4851%20crop.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... with his girlfriend waiting for him.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlgVHmxyXfiNTADVC8o8UgezwnP74wPAs-_NCGpmHj9bejpSCggM_BDHxFRa7aSR-QXbR0-Vt3cFq5hpMM2wEuxTLH5fSmEvhfeaMzC4kMlMcEubl_8Clc_4kEuhStn5ehPEggCl6rwDn3emHf6EH5kzJ30ofXYXtohK6Tgz3YSXQLveBxsoTkwtrIUNc/s3999/IMG_4873.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2999" data-original-width="3999" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlgVHmxyXfiNTADVC8o8UgezwnP74wPAs-_NCGpmHj9bejpSCggM_BDHxFRa7aSR-QXbR0-Vt3cFq5hpMM2wEuxTLH5fSmEvhfeaMzC4kMlMcEubl_8Clc_4kEuhStn5ehPEggCl6rwDn3emHf6EH5kzJ30ofXYXtohK6Tgz3YSXQLveBxsoTkwtrIUNc/w640-h480/IMG_4873.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTz7skl0fJId_j4wsTY0rchjrggUhub38hQWvJm7M_Qi7ZDRI7wx7E90ZYN-FSFY_HtdoUNwpKJfQ16nnwRY1SlI7kS85Qg_K5PAZvp0CtgvVG27wNqS5GPXmugBe0Pxum2hxZOAdinPfIiyXg4gx_1DVDWSVoqsoYWug85YxnXo5GcwUjSEqC1C443rI/s4032/IMG_4878.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTz7skl0fJId_j4wsTY0rchjrggUhub38hQWvJm7M_Qi7ZDRI7wx7E90ZYN-FSFY_HtdoUNwpKJfQ16nnwRY1SlI7kS85Qg_K5PAZvp0CtgvVG27wNqS5GPXmugBe0Pxum2hxZOAdinPfIiyXg4gx_1DVDWSVoqsoYWug85YxnXo5GcwUjSEqC1C443rI/w640-h480/IMG_4878.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBbhf_wPEQJ61nMN9OkOgN_d0DQhJqjPMybdrNGuU-l5ZPsuXUeckdPoIT5lilMprqqDBWpQmoaz8LQfmYY5dZritRmZLdxfgtBLa7akbqkpXjWYlKhVoF9yStgImbCs-sEbl2ZBDklc8Lv0DvS_qQ19bXqr6iySgJWiw47Hj2gFo8-TF0Cjejg7GraJc/s3728/IMG_4881crop.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2796" data-original-width="3728" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBbhf_wPEQJ61nMN9OkOgN_d0DQhJqjPMybdrNGuU-l5ZPsuXUeckdPoIT5lilMprqqDBWpQmoaz8LQfmYY5dZritRmZLdxfgtBLa7akbqkpXjWYlKhVoF9yStgImbCs-sEbl2ZBDklc8Lv0DvS_qQ19bXqr6iySgJWiw47Hj2gFo8-TF0Cjejg7GraJc/w640-h480/IMG_4881crop.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIWlqUERiAyLYUEOJHX0TiPbNvluM7A3MMnB-bnPn2AO5EtrrLvsBs0KTATymTK1LglBZsQ85rjlRz51wnYjnm3t8TAeoErZaF8FfgVcFaTfPtyJncsnPwvI3WMyLOI3_lwpR_AmXGYDlo9hT9sNpWI9fPIB7s8ORYue4RFJRkmy6guJqm_b-Cy-AwXrM/s3623/IMG_4888crop.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2717" data-original-width="3623" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIWlqUERiAyLYUEOJHX0TiPbNvluM7A3MMnB-bnPn2AO5EtrrLvsBs0KTATymTK1LglBZsQ85rjlRz51wnYjnm3t8TAeoErZaF8FfgVcFaTfPtyJncsnPwvI3WMyLOI3_lwpR_AmXGYDlo9hT9sNpWI9fPIB7s8ORYue4RFJRkmy6guJqm_b-Cy-AwXrM/w640-h480/IMG_4888crop.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The end of a perfect day!</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=bW7f2FEzmFk&si=o4RMZKwgVJwu2Iv1">Our Shangri La</a></div><div style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large; text-align: center;">Thanks for stopping by!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Linking with </span><a href="https://skyley.blogspot.com/2023/12/skywatch-friday-14-december-20223.html" style="font-family: georgia;">Skywatch Friday</a><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">.</span></span></div></div>Spare Parts and Picshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17836657200014402380noreply@blogger.com46tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277742182540823151.post-23019110048322530092023-12-07T12:15:00.000-08:002023-12-07T12:15:08.949-08:00Cave of the White Orbs<div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">This hike was near perfection: A location with abundant cultural artifacts, beautiful desert scenery, and gorgeous skies. What more could I possibly ask for?! It had been a couple years since my last visit to this site and I was anxious to see it again. I was hiking with three trusted friends (who I knew would not share location information) who have logged more hiking hours in Joshua Tree National Park than anyone I know. Even after thousands of hours of hiking time, none of them had ever seen this site.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf0pbAUinNjdv7fVRpA_xXSwHIkFRkdXyci1zeo8lkBkYtiC7yH1g0IgBhyphenhyphentKkKLsf0el0HGLsXxRky_OxdjlBWMhP_gkyizrwdfpBHCuBEfVKgq1tWwh-AhCJnd7djB4MrwLeod8hzKx3ekqg0Zisstprw959MRgxWFdMLwdt3xYSHqKk_OJ7heBlEas/s6720/3B2A0057small.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf0pbAUinNjdv7fVRpA_xXSwHIkFRkdXyci1zeo8lkBkYtiC7yH1g0IgBhyphenhyphentKkKLsf0el0HGLsXxRky_OxdjlBWMhP_gkyizrwdfpBHCuBEfVKgq1tWwh-AhCJnd7djB4MrwLeod8hzKx3ekqg0Zisstprw959MRgxWFdMLwdt3xYSHqKk_OJ7heBlEas/w640-h426/3B2A0057small.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty skies and a perfect day for a hike in the desert!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkHegcWDG6ot48LRUdKPp2bZRvfi9G5i-Uv-S1PgHSBSrlqPtGHlinhkhmb2Cg2JcFjGgMZKQZLSfLaV-Tn8voSf2lh8N2u4-HfOmsi64llYvgT-7r3KqTs1_5OCWSVRuY8vKq3JYR79jZsvO7yVDHYQ_4LBnkwCybvdcmZIwNQ7FJfe44CjAI-jpmU6w/s6720/3B2A0061small.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkHegcWDG6ot48LRUdKPp2bZRvfi9G5i-Uv-S1PgHSBSrlqPtGHlinhkhmb2Cg2JcFjGgMZKQZLSfLaV-Tn8voSf2lh8N2u4-HfOmsi64llYvgT-7r3KqTs1_5OCWSVRuY8vKq3JYR79jZsvO7yVDHYQ_4LBnkwCybvdcmZIwNQ7FJfe44CjAI-jpmU6w/w640-h426/3B2A0061small.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow blooming Cinchweed carpeting the ground. </td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvmdEQzu2C1-_WIWgZ-6WyLqXy2dfuyTvtkUS6mcH2MBx7AcR5H02GbRP_dImBwIK2EGFEVw2rhvFEMq8bdYVyCKNA5dmnIxr2-tcuXrjSXI7jr8jZ78bd2VmKPEwz5VNA_9u_nqbX0z-kSzkIcwDrABj_JACfr6a_QM8wN7LjgKu_oaDT1QMCu938dMs/s4032/IMG_5120.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvmdEQzu2C1-_WIWgZ-6WyLqXy2dfuyTvtkUS6mcH2MBx7AcR5H02GbRP_dImBwIK2EGFEVw2rhvFEMq8bdYVyCKNA5dmnIxr2-tcuXrjSXI7jr8jZ78bd2VmKPEwz5VNA_9u_nqbX0z-kSzkIcwDrABj_JACfr6a_QM8wN7LjgKu_oaDT1QMCu938dMs/w480-h640/IMG_5120.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">An amazing find! A fellow hiker had found this obsidian arrowhead on his last hike in the area. We made a short diversion to see if we could find it again. Arrowheads are extremely rare in Joshua Tree, and obsidian is not native to the area, so this is a very special find. This one has a little section broken off where my finger is pointing.</span></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiudMxaAdoe7W_oolKDJ6c3UiUQ7wpZ_Dc9nptb8k3oEr3rv8t4_GOD9vUSoZtuFE7rrPzCmG6Yws9CGpzgCBvPTYNWXaE77IByOxsDDyfWqYH8DCnAJm4bkU2NpVChy35rIbw6gAeWGQiLdvOPfZdHtBsi8RfQBk6Xx7ogWsQIuXz-n7koIJWmys4YlCA/s4032/IMG_5136.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiudMxaAdoe7W_oolKDJ6c3UiUQ7wpZ_Dc9nptb8k3oEr3rv8t4_GOD9vUSoZtuFE7rrPzCmG6Yws9CGpzgCBvPTYNWXaE77IByOxsDDyfWqYH8DCnAJm4bkU2NpVChy35rIbw6gAeWGQiLdvOPfZdHtBsi8RfQBk6Xx7ogWsQIuXz-n7koIJWmys4YlCA/w480-h640/IMG_5136.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More Cinchweed under a pretty sky.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIoYm6lw1uxjlfBvqNN5hIHghkjB_KvlMG-yzUgPmAbOSFBOU3Wh40rmKug_SO6ZFfDGApmrq75Cc9wx9Sku2Pn3zd10u5rS9mVsjjjWnhfffcyoMyRLp_2B-2_pxriZKSzoH27cjMBHCh5cUWrsDztjLzLThwtPEmHQCjYf4u0DNXIzWtnr1CYfDUEgI/s3532/IMG_5144%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3532" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIoYm6lw1uxjlfBvqNN5hIHghkjB_KvlMG-yzUgPmAbOSFBOU3Wh40rmKug_SO6ZFfDGApmrq75Cc9wx9Sku2Pn3zd10u5rS9mVsjjjWnhfffcyoMyRLp_2B-2_pxriZKSzoH27cjMBHCh5cUWrsDztjLzLThwtPEmHQCjYf4u0DNXIzWtnr1CYfDUEgI/w548-h640/IMG_5144%20copy.jpg" width="548" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Pottery sherds are often seen at this site. This is the largest piece we found on this hike. Based on the gently sloping curve, it must have been part of a very large piece of pottery (perhaps an olla).</span><br /><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Hk9nuyqxKhWvHQZD9mQs2LXQq5Y-JGAjPB8k02ytPUBBRlhGu5Z9B8Vgzmpqaa3B88He-7koJvxj0sRfwBM4-rODSfeR2OpC21W_2quJTbz-9WvG2hlmNErpocdA5rSxnNGCkES-BLP1uuR9-H67_FzAJXGh889qLId_HFMpvPFZD24Vx9HgpGjEjj8/s4032/IMG_5147.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Hk9nuyqxKhWvHQZD9mQs2LXQq5Y-JGAjPB8k02ytPUBBRlhGu5Z9B8Vgzmpqaa3B88He-7koJvxj0sRfwBM4-rODSfeR2OpC21W_2quJTbz-9WvG2hlmNErpocdA5rSxnNGCkES-BLP1uuR9-H67_FzAJXGh889qLId_HFMpvPFZD24Vx9HgpGjEjj8/w480-h640/IMG_5147.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Ah, there it is!!! On my last hike to this site, I looked ALL OVER for this grinding slick and never found it. It's on a large boulder inside a shelter. On this hike, I stumbled across it totally by accident! I wonder what type of food preparation went on here? There are actually two very visible slicks on this boulder (see below). Amazing to think about how much grinding must have occurred over the years to smooth out the rocks like this!</span><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvzzSU4J44OOPbWo2aN93IGS6uHV-J-ohEL_Hy7ewiCLp8tuPD3p-oyEv3tFXQzR34G7f1VFS2MRo4R_8XIMdQ9MEYjplaIh-RSuRYVDdiIiuFoT6OoKxKlfTT7Mn9sK7CBFzt6PK9kyBX_EwoMysq-TfpKExbfjCjG4vLl40ijO1V2BGvlOD15aIQo4Q/s5616/IMG_5255small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3744" data-original-width="5616" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvzzSU4J44OOPbWo2aN93IGS6uHV-J-ohEL_Hy7ewiCLp8tuPD3p-oyEv3tFXQzR34G7f1VFS2MRo4R_8XIMdQ9MEYjplaIh-RSuRYVDdiIiuFoT6OoKxKlfTT7Mn9sK7CBFzt6PK9kyBX_EwoMysq-TfpKExbfjCjG4vLl40ijO1V2BGvlOD15aIQo4Q/w640-h426/IMG_5255small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUIomMzJ39kFyptrLwWZd2wiL3LwUyvSKelde4WfIdeHwkYxg0W4ZGnCcBvoPvKn-rGTnByjKXxQjSs0qhKjoVPaSmQlU9PnRd8J8m6miGXLzcvNAmbxXlHxjVCjAGU6tp5qhNLMMFn_vtoT0KwwGQo1xAir_bifey7OSSgTAPnPJ9tXW2rzEa2_aPJMs/s4032/IMG_5142.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUIomMzJ39kFyptrLwWZd2wiL3LwUyvSKelde4WfIdeHwkYxg0W4ZGnCcBvoPvKn-rGTnByjKXxQjSs0qhKjoVPaSmQlU9PnRd8J8m6miGXLzcvNAmbxXlHxjVCjAGU6tp5qhNLMMFn_vtoT0KwwGQo1xAir_bifey7OSSgTAPnPJ9tXW2rzEa2_aPJMs/w640-h480/IMG_5142.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I consider this area to be one large site, likely a seasonal site used by Native Americans many times over the years. Within this site, there are three rock art locations that I've come across (and likely others that have escaped me). The photo above (using dStretch to enhance color) is one I call "Children's Cave". It has a very small opening (too small for an adult) with pictographs inside, including what look like fingerprints and handprints. The handprints are quite small.</span><br /><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij8zm7oii472ae-KDh4hX16mbYrAYAdTnQd90l5MXw8G3gPSJny6O6L1rc4SVksNXwa9K9Etp485zO2-faskOUSU4bVAsjRMRzds7oGb2wtpDCQxHGql-F5GkGekUJSqQVoPm1aXFiDIjxm3xhtbA9FWZioAAe1pbQhOyGH3w0Ej-zRHM6M79T6hca-8g/s4032/IMG_5140.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij8zm7oii472ae-KDh4hX16mbYrAYAdTnQd90l5MXw8G3gPSJny6O6L1rc4SVksNXwa9K9Etp485zO2-faskOUSU4bVAsjRMRzds7oGb2wtpDCQxHGql-F5GkGekUJSqQVoPm1aXFiDIjxm3xhtbA9FWZioAAe1pbQhOyGH3w0Ej-zRHM6M79T6hca-8g/w300-h400/IMG_5140.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;">Roger next to "Children's Cave". Dstretch does funny things to peoples skin!</div></span><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ9VXxJoXz6RaavvqTwR0xSPxaELMwZIb-SSKJ9t0SjfsFLbpz2hGVJ-EBjDJOTsm3YV7BoELWzfPV3gPXEkeVfzh44eRKGJ19YjbO4p2zDtW-ObvtccH6FGMvYiraEzNB50Q0ATRmjuV9ILx7mvfVmW2rlUWIiFc0n5rMBughbeyFvbkKqv9FkA74HcU/s3464/IMG_5149%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3464" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ9VXxJoXz6RaavvqTwR0xSPxaELMwZIb-SSKJ9t0SjfsFLbpz2hGVJ-EBjDJOTsm3YV7BoELWzfPV3gPXEkeVfzh44eRKGJ19YjbO4p2zDtW-ObvtccH6FGMvYiraEzNB50Q0ATRmjuV9ILx7mvfVmW2rlUWIiFc0n5rMBughbeyFvbkKqv9FkA74HcU/w558-h640/IMG_5149%20copy.jpg" width="558" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Star within a sun.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Close to "Children's Cave" is a second pannel with some really interesting pictographs (photos above and below). </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrn9qG8hftWlNuHG1VpG9E7h3QeUtxmkQ4WoloVXSum2VmQWnJliTgJT1FZ0XiwEg_oCKmLGH9eAaxdlLURz6Y-PwdUrmXMm3vFE0WSJ-Jd484OgVQ9zKf17H9Iu10DgBZ8tE6CUcAY62qcpl14FdVjfm0HdhRRfY95vBgEBgTILJ4gI2yt2vQfrAIkQ4/s4032/IMG_5155%20blend.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrn9qG8hftWlNuHG1VpG9E7h3QeUtxmkQ4WoloVXSum2VmQWnJliTgJT1FZ0XiwEg_oCKmLGH9eAaxdlLURz6Y-PwdUrmXMm3vFE0WSJ-Jd484OgVQ9zKf17H9Iu10DgBZ8tE6CUcAY62qcpl14FdVjfm0HdhRRfY95vBgEBgTILJ4gI2yt2vQfrAIkQ4/w640-h480/IMG_5155%20blend.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Saving the best for last, we head over to the Cave of the White Orbs.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6dIJMuvD3jkg8-6ykbBbVDUhokKqhMNb8dYF9saohF1hNYGoyPbO_TWgUoUzWtP_7JPIbRyc8WKg6DPeHXoRkC62jUg_vVl7FVEz_pEo4e96GZ25E0-P54BR3O4H-e9pbDtkO5v1Z9P38wHBwdZ69AwX6s7ehiSYvAd4hq5LhSW5OReNep3KBaZUzF9s/s4032/IMG_5161.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6dIJMuvD3jkg8-6ykbBbVDUhokKqhMNb8dYF9saohF1hNYGoyPbO_TWgUoUzWtP_7JPIbRyc8WKg6DPeHXoRkC62jUg_vVl7FVEz_pEo4e96GZ25E0-P54BR3O4H-e9pbDtkO5v1Z9P38wHBwdZ69AwX6s7ehiSYvAd4hq5LhSW5OReNep3KBaZUzF9s/w640-h480/IMG_5161.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Getting into the cave is not easy, especially for old farts (of which I am one!). Here's Mitch & Roger (in the shadows), checking things out. Not only is it cramped, but it's dark, making it hard to photograph.</span><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVhMzqBMI2xq2qmLwqFLe1NwKH4Fj_dzr7aUmnLsBs8cWLGt5O0HaQJwsX7HbDTz7LCMooYOReF4vIm_mou-hV4R2TkCUIEIXqWGoWkSABimzvk5BeN611gT6MBRzoYBJCrY0ax97BM85TA6B8MQw5Kfs3kYDdHN1I80yZW3iBzZsGIaADB_QJXoaiPwU/s4032/IMG_5167.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVhMzqBMI2xq2qmLwqFLe1NwKH4Fj_dzr7aUmnLsBs8cWLGt5O0HaQJwsX7HbDTz7LCMooYOReF4vIm_mou-hV4R2TkCUIEIXqWGoWkSABimzvk5BeN611gT6MBRzoYBJCrY0ax97BM85TA6B8MQw5Kfs3kYDdHN1I80yZW3iBzZsGIaADB_QJXoaiPwU/w480-h640/IMG_5167.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0qeAs3XAPbvnzMfQoC0ijl-lFkrVCJCdlvKAR4PWOsTqvu_zOPYsHNxIdpR087sycqhHh6MdXiq76uLGrpHdVsO7IELtt4kLZuPTom3g0WZTbVxieqlhF3hGN2FJTSIIIvTx9zwKS-Ewb8zfbZatMCfHOlsui6u03H2q_qSucj2m8yWidpUpozR6DNI/s4032/IMG_5169.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0qeAs3XAPbvnzMfQoC0ijl-lFkrVCJCdlvKAR4PWOsTqvu_zOPYsHNxIdpR087sycqhHh6MdXiq76uLGrpHdVsO7IELtt4kLZuPTom3g0WZTbVxieqlhF3hGN2FJTSIIIvTx9zwKS-Ewb8zfbZatMCfHOlsui6u03H2q_qSucj2m8yWidpUpozR6DNI/w640-h480/IMG_5169.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvockNwg9h1Vp4wTX10RtdrZ7-1dgVnvVIqpjTMEiCsN0cP9Y9zqx7ijgTvycuBQGyk4YCV9w2-7aqvUV14HCQ48wZGoKbY9PNGLqaHOhi0WSBEnJxercDQhudxlJRHVnUBocXu3028za1fyFOIUWpls1BteXmxOuW_z4LGfN6MBkK4shUiKpQIXOkCV8/s4032/IMG_5173.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvockNwg9h1Vp4wTX10RtdrZ7-1dgVnvVIqpjTMEiCsN0cP9Y9zqx7ijgTvycuBQGyk4YCV9w2-7aqvUV14HCQ48wZGoKbY9PNGLqaHOhi0WSBEnJxercDQhudxlJRHVnUBocXu3028za1fyFOIUWpls1BteXmxOuW_z4LGfN6MBkK4shUiKpQIXOkCV8/w640-h480/IMG_5173.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTVzKew92IqJZVm2wncpEg6V0uWGCb-Am2pY3xbNA7p6kjwsmffk2CzbCmAPUtCLPBlVwuoRQPfOoamPUu3y7KQ6HWHDkTpRjKfbtF3Loc522lxJTvi2JS4NVzNa58oTbHHpXh45ikRrlNijdugCopOHQlfeQOWWEPRtif42VydyVJu5SgQHnjrGHhKKo/s4032/IMG_5179.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTVzKew92IqJZVm2wncpEg6V0uWGCb-Am2pY3xbNA7p6kjwsmffk2CzbCmAPUtCLPBlVwuoRQPfOoamPUu3y7KQ6HWHDkTpRjKfbtF3Loc522lxJTvi2JS4NVzNa58oTbHHpXh45ikRrlNijdugCopOHQlfeQOWWEPRtif42VydyVJu5SgQHnjrGHhKKo/w640-h480/IMG_5179.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">The inside of this small cave-like area is full of interesting and unique pictographs, but it's the hanging orbs that steal the show! Interesting that two of the orbs are solid white, and the other two are outlined on the inside with red pigment. After seeing this site, you're left with a sense of awe. You can't help but wonder what it all means, but to guess at the meaning feels like it somehow trivializes the work done by the People who created these pictographs all those years ago.</span><br /><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6TsxkqqfK1Ggl4dN0Q4ayHxswYOWtv4BHlq-wT8kycrQs3LC2CzLW6scvI_vAU2pK9bkftCnqpmS7FfiIZRc-a6m5Cgdir3VeC2FF4G59rOmfeC5YavNjrIVgABUkvYTqYSqRnaF3YrbV5n6ZBOA3y7BavSMFLKKvRXOiVv6_LiQSlq7xUYY-fm4MeS8/s1600/IMG_5793.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6TsxkqqfK1Ggl4dN0Q4ayHxswYOWtv4BHlq-wT8kycrQs3LC2CzLW6scvI_vAU2pK9bkftCnqpmS7FfiIZRc-a6m5Cgdir3VeC2FF4G59rOmfeC5YavNjrIVgABUkvYTqYSqRnaF3YrbV5n6ZBOA3y7BavSMFLKKvRXOiVv6_LiQSlq7xUYY-fm4MeS8/w640-h480/IMG_5793.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mitch & I hiking back. Note: This photo is nowhere near the actual site.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf04cohT_hMGJYXT07eswxhpA6uQy8M_FD9d5yXwO5sZhiKSPwckfVK1I9W-AM8FPDGOYa6dYwpVUyBrTRG7rVe5c3psX_TpWSP5bm5sW5GIoED5ZqfVjARNUhgARUonpFg_xw6cLJwApu2k16tvSJOHpyzoogZd7W6iuAbArXXJsk_MvLeiBAVD4g-4o/s6602/3B2A0074small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4401" data-original-width="6602" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf04cohT_hMGJYXT07eswxhpA6uQy8M_FD9d5yXwO5sZhiKSPwckfVK1I9W-AM8FPDGOYa6dYwpVUyBrTRG7rVe5c3psX_TpWSP5bm5sW5GIoED5ZqfVjARNUhgARUonpFg_xw6cLJwApu2k16tvSJOHpyzoogZd7W6iuAbArXXJsk_MvLeiBAVD4g-4o/w640-h426/3B2A0074small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">**<i>Please respect cultural sites. Look and photograph, but don't touch. Leave pottery sherds and similar artifacts as and where you find them.</i>**</div></div><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Thanks for stopping by!!</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">Linking with <a href="https://skyley.blogspot.com/2023/12/skywatch-friday-7-december-2023-edition.html">Skywatch Friday</a>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div>Spare Parts and Picshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17836657200014402380noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277742182540823151.post-21500173273167959952023-11-30T11:12:00.000-08:002023-11-30T11:12:24.672-08:00Sunset Cliffs Park, San Diego<div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">"Hoβ² dad": A non-surfer who frequents surfing beaches and pretends to be a surfer. </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw5z9QNbcFq4-IogDRwZTGd6a8geAGcjOCc6r3rJtlFs9IWHteLzCYmTG-QgsVkRc1BbDWNCABbBqi2rPVPz9LTbjYROT2txSYdeUPkdz_2E0KEfpWzQEnAB_AhDsBSFcB6lA_428GX6C8vwpjMhmEHChHFWoPrOAIrKYUdE9kVNcjIFVGG4Rmp7Tn3So/s3024/IMG_4841crop.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw5z9QNbcFq4-IogDRwZTGd6a8geAGcjOCc6r3rJtlFs9IWHteLzCYmTG-QgsVkRc1BbDWNCABbBqi2rPVPz9LTbjYROT2txSYdeUPkdz_2E0KEfpWzQEnAB_AhDsBSFcB6lA_428GX6C8vwpjMhmEHChHFWoPrOAIrKYUdE9kVNcjIFVGG4Rmp7Tn3So/w640-h640/IMG_4841crop.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Under 99 gazillion sold!!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPL4jEd99UxzCSiXpK7kXqJS9XnfllonYELA83Xkg_e4vgGCODVBuV9oyv7Nwuaaf9K1KRM9of98EXbtO4wpRCuz6ujr5lOUTM5761VZq_TMkfrb15O8XjoKHrzdIFzaNyo9-xPyOLxoqthbCFsm0SiCcTlosGM7SM3bd2i7yOCTuEBHlq5VpG77lSNIM/s2654/IMG_E4838.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2654" data-original-width="2423" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPL4jEd99UxzCSiXpK7kXqJS9XnfllonYELA83Xkg_e4vgGCODVBuV9oyv7Nwuaaf9K1KRM9of98EXbtO4wpRCuz6ujr5lOUTM5761VZq_TMkfrb15O8XjoKHrzdIFzaNyo9-xPyOLxoqthbCFsm0SiCcTlosGM7SM3bd2i7yOCTuEBHlq5VpG77lSNIM/w584-h640/IMG_E4838.JPG" width="584" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sticker van!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">On my last post, I mentioned Ocean Beach is a fun, quirky place. The above two photos gives you a flavor of this cool little beach town! We had barely scratched the surface before we decided to go check out something on the map called "Sunset Cliffs" (a very short drive from Ocean Beach).</span><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfy25giwgLdb-bOtlaD_cD56oGqfvh20tZRoJUrk7yKfMXuBZPGlZq1KoEbTFh25VJ7zagN0uMP_wJTE4W4RfkPiQ4doU_jzLOKldOkt5qBZluige2Fd28irRkaaNhdLGQinkN_S1vk_sNlXjeHNgVEP6LBBJ-UfBSbRd_xQBAN7ZeqRFE1C1PQSwXV3c/s3998/IMG_4800small.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2998" data-original-width="3998" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfy25giwgLdb-bOtlaD_cD56oGqfvh20tZRoJUrk7yKfMXuBZPGlZq1KoEbTFh25VJ7zagN0uMP_wJTE4W4RfkPiQ4doU_jzLOKldOkt5qBZluige2Fd28irRkaaNhdLGQinkN_S1vk_sNlXjeHNgVEP6LBBJ-UfBSbRd_xQBAN7ZeqRFE1C1PQSwXV3c/w640-h480/IMG_4800small.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset Cliffs: Looking north.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsAodLROj4sMwiVbNeDistCE1bUf3uHdsoqVviZSnw09s8I_br9R71M3PPAne9vQ9Ok-bC5RRS7gWCSNYjifPRqcJxeo0Yd6RHNMBpVBbrGDIvpPlPlmeqOJVTrttwk5zRGRry9Q9ZRdHyqRThOi5fEow0c9NEb09jRC5muGsZwm14Ak_QL8YjqJnatWk/s4032/IMG_4804.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsAodLROj4sMwiVbNeDistCE1bUf3uHdsoqVviZSnw09s8I_br9R71M3PPAne9vQ9Ok-bC5RRS7gWCSNYjifPRqcJxeo0Yd6RHNMBpVBbrGDIvpPlPlmeqOJVTrttwk5zRGRry9Q9ZRdHyqRThOi5fEow0c9NEb09jRC5muGsZwm14Ak_QL8YjqJnatWk/w480-h640/IMG_4804.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking south.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Sunset Cliffs extend quite a distance down the beach. It was mid-day and cloudy, but I can totally imagine how beautiful it must be here during a beautiful sunset. You could spend the better part of a day hiking and exploring the cliffs, both up on top and down below on the beach (best to go during low tide). You will see arches, caves, Rum Runner Cove, Smuggler's Cove, and multiple lookout points. I really wanted to see and explore Sunset Cliffs Cave, which has a large circular opening to the sky, but you need a good low tide to get into the cave. The tide was high for us, so nothing doing.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCM5FwtzqhyEbQ6R1PPAPlqlVPThzt8F0nAvkxhbS7PhLfGOOCejnVvXuQpcvceOeG8KK_PYSuja_p0GGxaQ8Z8fI-pB8_lj1R59E1n893rItcfb74cgCN0MqaC2A_GvR8ZydadWalJRccn0ZRthz-TA23HObjzlROE_KX3C4n2N0sooUcY45uhymsy9k/s1000/Sunset-Cliffs-Sea-Caves-The%20UCSD%20Gardian.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1000" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCM5FwtzqhyEbQ6R1PPAPlqlVPThzt8F0nAvkxhbS7PhLfGOOCejnVvXuQpcvceOeG8KK_PYSuja_p0GGxaQ8Z8fI-pB8_lj1R59E1n893rItcfb74cgCN0MqaC2A_GvR8ZydadWalJRccn0ZRthz-TA23HObjzlROE_KX3C4n2N0sooUcY45uhymsy9k/w640-h368/Sunset-Cliffs-Sea-Caves-The%20UCSD%20Gardian.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: UCSD Gardian</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Sunset Cliffs Cave: I only wish this was my photo! What an amazing cave. When the tide comes in, you could float in here on a kayak (or swim in, which would be extremely dangerous). You can walk in during a good low tide, but you better make sure you don't stay long, and get out before the tide rises!</span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgndN_Bwgc0FhqPCOJgyl44AmjtPbtmrj2KtmvHBSzNdwxL_ov1t_N7vQ_Oe7aTsSQRHBTn0V99XgNtBwHvykiS_4CtofaaW-qh7NX9Q3VkjZu8JKUPi_8lRFUAZHe8Q682ukiXr-ex28W8cgSutcE65aqJpmdznClRQYECZmD-jr_UqAApE_8AAV8BdqI/s3871/IMG_4815.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2903" data-original-width="3871" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgndN_Bwgc0FhqPCOJgyl44AmjtPbtmrj2KtmvHBSzNdwxL_ov1t_N7vQ_Oe7aTsSQRHBTn0V99XgNtBwHvykiS_4CtofaaW-qh7NX9Q3VkjZu8JKUPi_8lRFUAZHe8Q682ukiXr-ex28W8cgSutcE65aqJpmdznClRQYECZmD-jr_UqAApE_8AAV8BdqI/w640-h480/IMG_4815.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ocean has done a beautiful job eroding the sandstone into interesting shapes!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuT28r4e-vVkyeKOvJqrB26QAL7fPG-Zfya1_flJO1_Adu31vVC5vFt4mOeUSKfLkaimY5nrvqeAZLtLgoMFKlvdGcw7WmcWmUtVGXmw6GnZabhdq-u3qjX3nw7sfSjOpxG88YAw7EYilZIwehkUI4LC9nX9h98741ebkeuv2ZrQVI6awW6XKGFFMtm3o/s4032/IMG_4816.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuT28r4e-vVkyeKOvJqrB26QAL7fPG-Zfya1_flJO1_Adu31vVC5vFt4mOeUSKfLkaimY5nrvqeAZLtLgoMFKlvdGcw7WmcWmUtVGXmw6GnZabhdq-u3qjX3nw7sfSjOpxG88YAw7EYilZIwehkUI4LC9nX9h98741ebkeuv2ZrQVI6awW6XKGFFMtm3o/w640-h480/IMG_4816.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3G_x_HrUmvgcysI42j27L0NlOG3d4RzMwWYdiCLkO-ouyz3gVrTybh7z-_XvwSdhSpd2xcu_KLT0VJVzuGqTqi6qp4ggvu_LKGb0duuWtXmuajAF5_A4LBeyGYvVQlt1gJVFFP1zFIYm2A3bW06oT-KoGTiigmLUsan_6yyYMIBBLZPOAo52X4KRZwtM/s4032/IMG_4819.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3G_x_HrUmvgcysI42j27L0NlOG3d4RzMwWYdiCLkO-ouyz3gVrTybh7z-_XvwSdhSpd2xcu_KLT0VJVzuGqTqi6qp4ggvu_LKGb0duuWtXmuajAF5_A4LBeyGYvVQlt1gJVFFP1zFIYm2A3bW06oT-KoGTiigmLUsan_6yyYMIBBLZPOAo52X4KRZwtM/w480-h640/IMG_4819.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnuIqDyMqnrjN6dxvO0Gh82r-oB1ZDOL_Vji5ruGDVi9u5-91YJ7u3wVhIsbVNq9k4U8UxZUK4pzwVRhYmO63mivd49u8_FGxHGgcq3IVUSW4Hu9yJB7ZnFfrPG_cAggbKSiSQlIkmIrymKAfaplRg9tFWWe6ADpW73N9drCrKS9tl0CLTD2rbHu-vju4/s4032/IMG_4835.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnuIqDyMqnrjN6dxvO0Gh82r-oB1ZDOL_Vji5ruGDVi9u5-91YJ7u3wVhIsbVNq9k4U8UxZUK4pzwVRhYmO63mivd49u8_FGxHGgcq3IVUSW4Hu9yJB7ZnFfrPG_cAggbKSiSQlIkmIrymKAfaplRg9tFWWe6ADpW73N9drCrKS9tl0CLTD2rbHu-vju4/w640-h480/IMG_4835.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We even managed to get the dog in the picture, although we couldn't get her to smile!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Time to head back to town for some dinner. Maybe a burger at Hodads?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Thanks for stopping by!!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Linking with <a href="https://skyley.blogspot.com/2023/11/skywatch-friday-30-november-2013-edition.html">Skywatch Friday</a>.</span></div></div>Spare Parts and Picshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17836657200014402380noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277742182540823151.post-35347334896343597302023-11-16T11:46:00.000-08:002023-11-16T11:46:23.992-08:00Ocean Beach, CA<div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Google describes Ocean Beach (San Diego) as "a vibrant, bohemian neighborhood, with a classic SoCal beach vibe." I think that's pretty accurate. It feels old school: Older homes, unique stores and restaurants, and dripping with personality. It's like the big money developers have somehow missed this slice of beach heaven, and that's exactly why we wanted to spend a few days here.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqFUldbMANz8Fi7wIu_Z7MkWGqabtHyV_lAf5SW3dzPde2eoMv6vi_UAtytJQDaavQ3kQ7LIc-0mCcn-NOFbM5ISsK7ej34wvHCTP-rWRl9LrgTFgSOR1ugb6-9WnbW8v-TN55bu0DLyjXI6TDsyFPCD5i8Z12t1M_17bwYp-fWv5KFf7jG5Ny9hQashg/s4032/IMG_4735.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqFUldbMANz8Fi7wIu_Z7MkWGqabtHyV_lAf5SW3dzPde2eoMv6vi_UAtytJQDaavQ3kQ7LIc-0mCcn-NOFbM5ISsK7ej34wvHCTP-rWRl9LrgTFgSOR1ugb6-9WnbW8v-TN55bu0DLyjXI6TDsyFPCD5i8Z12t1M_17bwYp-fWv5KFf7jG5Ny9hQashg/w640-h480/IMG_4735.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">We stayed at the Ocean Villa Inn. Nothing fancy... It's your basic motel, although pretty rundown, but it had two important things going for it: [1] Location (right on the beach) and [2] dog friendly. On one side of the motel is Dog Beach, so this place (and actually the whole town) is like taking your dog on vacation! Dogs seem to be welcome everywhere. In the photo above, you can see my wife holding our dog, a rescue that had joined our family only a few weeks prior.</span><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaAPKEQOBrx23LhG0WfCBQATKOM-qQGv_wBJs_aEWjRZYLg1Nd2tCapk_IB54BFJFQ2jVDBZ_4fz9csyYF5kEroJlUkwHM4n9gEMS6f9ZHOGaSrCS1VptXjdGw7FkTgvcEjA50GEZIYIUr84HzRUSEjAbEEJuTNqHs8XfOs3R4eDFH64HH4O_wt4T0B8w/s3900/IMG_4757small.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2925" data-original-width="3900" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaAPKEQOBrx23LhG0WfCBQATKOM-qQGv_wBJs_aEWjRZYLg1Nd2tCapk_IB54BFJFQ2jVDBZ_4fz9csyYF5kEroJlUkwHM4n9gEMS6f9ZHOGaSrCS1VptXjdGw7FkTgvcEjA50GEZIYIUr84HzRUSEjAbEEJuTNqHs8XfOs3R4eDFH64HH4O_wt4T0B8w/w640-h480/IMG_4757small.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For this post, Lilly & I will take you on a walk to Ocean Beach Pier.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWc2jk_y15BTRzQuehys6v_nDRcWQA17GWiF1Y8hnDhqkX80MEyr3VMosxi5oY3hm9fdjVUVJmCiOGb8Xy9b759y1SSNdNW_f1MKKzW3Yn9MqGRSqNpKuMFcUsPK-P7FN5LV2rI2oRWqgtDA-r7OPxWA3KbT2kttWfujhtyAnAQ23xda8K51562fSo3m4/s2972/IMG_4760.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2972" data-original-width="2972" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWc2jk_y15BTRzQuehys6v_nDRcWQA17GWiF1Y8hnDhqkX80MEyr3VMosxi5oY3hm9fdjVUVJmCiOGb8Xy9b759y1SSNdNW_f1MKKzW3Yn9MqGRSqNpKuMFcUsPK-P7FN5LV2rI2oRWqgtDA-r7OPxWA3KbT2kttWfujhtyAnAQ23xda8K51562fSo3m4/w640-h640/IMG_4760.JPG" width="640" /></a></div></div><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhERNxP7vLL8w0lHJgYkareZkk2Liz6_sRm9yCXThPcVbMZk6YNVA4eJ1L8NHnaL9xNIUdQtnCjUfTRUG70U42iki_Tq4Z4FnsF79Ap-A8XXUK8NvYpk-7IDFRsHdlPJdYwG1qwZ_S1YRdlZ5PMcrjj7wCTbmZrOqT-2CnBw6oppLq-KioNnw13bAQ1fzI/s721/Screenshot%202023-11-12%20112556.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="636" data-original-width="721" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhERNxP7vLL8w0lHJgYkareZkk2Liz6_sRm9yCXThPcVbMZk6YNVA4eJ1L8NHnaL9xNIUdQtnCjUfTRUG70U42iki_Tq4Z4FnsF79Ap-A8XXUK8NvYpk-7IDFRsHdlPJdYwG1qwZ_S1YRdlZ5PMcrjj7wCTbmZrOqT-2CnBw6oppLq-KioNnw13bAQ1fzI/w400-h353/Screenshot%202023-11-12%20112556.png" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">From our motel, it was a nice walk down the beach to the pier. I think I recall reading that Ocean Beach Pier is the longest concrete pier in California. Or maybe in the US? Anyway, it's long and has an unusual "T" shape. </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm2lw9UwafG0lqmFN5wDxWmM_S1Gh_5WnK2M3Y1P9RDgfSt76hSuLetg55g_fifz1m9p2ZZdvQ5d1iOI8tpgDa7HDFvcA-1-9k3mxRTc960bbsRJnE2jIyBweUI8gPg66xlJS96Api7qmotueZAqZP19CwKV7sq9Ne1Y6dGTNIZWrCUSpt5St4ujinHi4/s3808/IMG_4756small.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2856" data-original-width="3808" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm2lw9UwafG0lqmFN5wDxWmM_S1Gh_5WnK2M3Y1P9RDgfSt76hSuLetg55g_fifz1m9p2ZZdvQ5d1iOI8tpgDa7HDFvcA-1-9k3mxRTc960bbsRJnE2jIyBweUI8gPg66xlJS96Api7qmotueZAqZP19CwKV7sq9Ne1Y6dGTNIZWrCUSpt5St4ujinHi4/w640-h480/IMG_4756small.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the pier, looking at the left side of the "T"</td></tr></tbody></table><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRk4Zb-cXdn1gHNMxJJSgwL2tIMtqoDby75L77l5wI_nVEz0zOJVeiz-y4yVrjB-kHipPoYQOXEP2vm3CTbd3dlRgt_OZDncz848v2MCU30UJJFxag02DObKjTFxjztJhALOQAwPvgy83V2lDLl8hu9Q32IkMONTgcIqJp40s9KYhFZ-IvoyP_bmefvwk/s4032/IMG_4749.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRk4Zb-cXdn1gHNMxJJSgwL2tIMtqoDby75L77l5wI_nVEz0zOJVeiz-y4yVrjB-kHipPoYQOXEP2vm3CTbd3dlRgt_OZDncz848v2MCU30UJJFxag02DObKjTFxjztJhALOQAwPvgy83V2lDLl8hu9Q32IkMONTgcIqJp40s9KYhFZ-IvoyP_bmefvwk/w640-h480/IMG_4749.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">About half way out on the pier was one of those wonderful old seafood restaurants. This one looked like it had been here a long time and weathered many a storm. The perfect spot to enjoy fish & chips and a cold one, but we had already eaten, so I settled for a photo of the view out one of the restaurant windows.</span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkrCRYRnEwd9OY77hAa1JX4zcqYRqgB1TImaxpjkzPw9v1p_1AInI5KQThgY0IB9C2-f9ABovGIRjAlv4tkCNiCW3VBu2IpgG8MJxUBEsbAvhE-au70RDWtqm0zkWknfW5affPtEcyJWgr033k1A3MpDu_AxU1Gb3UIf_sIpkhq0tMu17aacw98-fFAwA/s4032/IMG_4755.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkrCRYRnEwd9OY77hAa1JX4zcqYRqgB1TImaxpjkzPw9v1p_1AInI5KQThgY0IB9C2-f9ABovGIRjAlv4tkCNiCW3VBu2IpgG8MJxUBEsbAvhE-au70RDWtqm0zkWknfW5affPtEcyJWgr033k1A3MpDu_AxU1Gb3UIf_sIpkhq0tMu17aacw98-fFAwA/w480-h640/IMG_4755.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo opp outside of the restaurant. Watch out, Lilly!!</td></tr></tbody></table><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjwjP8Bx2MHqBiL1SezECJ7xR4yhHxDpYUzRFGBmUbnd3qmppDFihdiTUkZjclQoyNMrEprx4kVBgWxWvgfoAow1dQS-n3R7joJv543D6sqHEXF-6Jcq8icD4YqR1QiUlP8sSTLuA57bLrtxZxC-D7MSpPQxoVB_UiSea_RN_8qZtrQFQ-JV74yNOhwq8/s4032/IMG_4770.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjwjP8Bx2MHqBiL1SezECJ7xR4yhHxDpYUzRFGBmUbnd3qmppDFihdiTUkZjclQoyNMrEprx4kVBgWxWvgfoAow1dQS-n3R7joJv543D6sqHEXF-6Jcq8icD4YqR1QiUlP8sSTLuA57bLrtxZxC-D7MSpPQxoVB_UiSea_RN_8qZtrQFQ-JV74yNOhwq8/w480-h640/IMG_4770.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I don't recall what we were laughing at, but I know we were having fun!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOl0EpAaIQcI96-DhZFRjHLyHEf0zc3EH9LeXfuN2m9TwWKDaivDJzQogVD69aBCaCF2R2rKBV_aybsNoMMFH8awkAZF8OOjUmdORLZtyzwrdk7LLry7wM1JM3C8H2Ub1I08_SZjusOTOBeu4SS5gA_gPBi3ObNfsiTvqcMoutcZaFdXXZNgfD4vGkQpc/s3794/IMG_4773.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2446" data-original-width="3794" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOl0EpAaIQcI96-DhZFRjHLyHEf0zc3EH9LeXfuN2m9TwWKDaivDJzQogVD69aBCaCF2R2rKBV_aybsNoMMFH8awkAZF8OOjUmdORLZtyzwrdk7LLry7wM1JM3C8H2Ub1I08_SZjusOTOBeu4SS5gA_gPBi3ObNfsiTvqcMoutcZaFdXXZNgfD4vGkQpc/w640-h412/IMG_4773.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Classic SoCal beach vibe!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxM0G7YtbiX9tBfff81q5pKZRLDKqFaSdp1aX_hIGae9cJ8xBqQJsxPe78gdZSUTNTB_biYmSZvGR2wTcE3vTYEMR9OlglzaR3AsMzIJxAxjCenufWt4D3vYrhSi5st3rVkAEMekNVF3uCtDFad_NZ-4ol2MK33cK99OsTmuQPA8qSg-g3yhFt6yH_qLo/s4032/IMG_4775.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxM0G7YtbiX9tBfff81q5pKZRLDKqFaSdp1aX_hIGae9cJ8xBqQJsxPe78gdZSUTNTB_biYmSZvGR2wTcE3vTYEMR9OlglzaR3AsMzIJxAxjCenufWt4D3vYrhSi5st3rVkAEMekNVF3uCtDFad_NZ-4ol2MK33cK99OsTmuQPA8qSg-g3yhFt6yH_qLo/w640-h480/IMG_4775.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the locals. Might be a vendor, packed up his wares and done for the day.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2s0Eqxo0FJADgSD3a0yTTK3llIB5DfUkrpPb1cVJ25sp96hMh19yzvT0McKEOS8dSnnJY3N2KRK6WHnDFsp2ON8uOKb9rL_8tRETxQ1MMprWe-f5U_oN6rDrsUHVuz1W3wE13b163ph_poKZ6i19POATdK98itehekHvJV6sNMyorj8rbeiMGGntTHqY/s4032/IMG_4778%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2456" data-original-width="4032" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2s0Eqxo0FJADgSD3a0yTTK3llIB5DfUkrpPb1cVJ25sp96hMh19yzvT0McKEOS8dSnnJY3N2KRK6WHnDFsp2ON8uOKb9rL_8tRETxQ1MMprWe-f5U_oN6rDrsUHVuz1W3wE13b163ph_poKZ6i19POATdK98itehekHvJV6sNMyorj8rbeiMGGntTHqY/w640-h390/IMG_4778%20copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-small; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-z9po753xSS8Lcha3-AXGkghGEU39fRE1TGM8d5yG58rVh3U1UvJIvGANHPPAsTUfeRNk2FbTyqb08BrDoNappwXTf2w2TbrnkRN3BUgFB-eqFQjzXLDqI_nvkMykm3t0jsmbU8_Bfkw2GazlJuXVT_lNkWIe6-KctcA4u9l7t5ToFmhw08NrXOUQi4/s4032/IMG_4798.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-z9po753xSS8Lcha3-AXGkghGEU39fRE1TGM8d5yG58rVh3U1UvJIvGANHPPAsTUfeRNk2FbTyqb08BrDoNappwXTf2w2TbrnkRN3BUgFB-eqFQjzXLDqI_nvkMykm3t0jsmbU8_Bfkw2GazlJuXVT_lNkWIe6-KctcA4u9l7t5ToFmhw08NrXOUQi4/w640-h480/IMG_4798.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">The beautiful sunset over the ocean already had me on skywatch overload, but facing away from the beach I was also being treated to a gorgeous moonrise!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2z-UgkAJejNQeQD-2SEcPn9LHDe-r-1js4eogYxnxFSUA4Gfo5MLtCU6J2dyjb3ZvP9LZGiSJ98XmtwwSnMdsGy2r7ct5q_GEgqUZ5eBNILiH_i4-OzKG1TIQIhdvTgApOktd88zOw0P4vYpGnPRn2sH4Bj9DHjHdfiVznZmFCOa67JgCY4vS_pDr-VM/s4032/IMG_4793.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2z-UgkAJejNQeQD-2SEcPn9LHDe-r-1js4eogYxnxFSUA4Gfo5MLtCU6J2dyjb3ZvP9LZGiSJ98XmtwwSnMdsGy2r7ct5q_GEgqUZ5eBNILiH_i4-OzKG1TIQIhdvTgApOktd88zOw0P4vYpGnPRn2sH4Bj9DHjHdfiVznZmFCOa67JgCY4vS_pDr-VM/w480-h640/IMG_4793.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Thanks for stopping by!!</span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Linking with <a href="http://skyley.blogspot.com/2023/11/skywatch-friday-16-november-2023-edition.html">Skywatch Friday</a>.</div>Spare Parts and Picshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17836657200014402380noreply@blogger.com42tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277742182540823151.post-57251426166296545802023-11-09T12:53:00.000-08:002023-11-09T12:53:36.475-08:00Joshua Tree Sunset<div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Sometimes a Joshua Tree and a pretty sunset is all you need. On this particular day I was looking for a simple sunset hike. No, not even a hike... More of a stroll. I won't mention the specific location where I took said stroll, although it's near a common tourist stop. It never disappoints. I always come away with some pretty shots and a good feeling!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6WQyBcGBKndWkoRLdNpJTXObxI9kNzUhyaQy_ZhrzlTR-Qn83J_KUdNsuA6lcd5nSZaGo8aEsb70WvmX6dAC9-eM2p6kQHv0P0KfjWfoqPolKeRQY8NnU3-Y39_FMrz9_L96ELzEmlNsWHuGgPuUMJtEqKO6Z2O6A4HA5pyE0l-PBNbPhmL9jbrlfPF0/s6720/3B2A9016_1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6WQyBcGBKndWkoRLdNpJTXObxI9kNzUhyaQy_ZhrzlTR-Qn83J_KUdNsuA6lcd5nSZaGo8aEsb70WvmX6dAC9-eM2p6kQHv0P0KfjWfoqPolKeRQY8NnU3-Y39_FMrz9_L96ELzEmlNsWHuGgPuUMJtEqKO6Z2O6A4HA5pyE0l-PBNbPhmL9jbrlfPF0/w640-h426/3B2A9016_1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX3Ds6mr68YM3cGiM2T30PB2iQixrjTZOV25QvgoNKcvmZHCU8gU0ru7TpQvgGtcz94aIy9Uq1ZloM_R9D3No9H9FD_KuL184g7ITWClPwP4l8XbWXJPvhyGWpJ3JpVcYDStoyshxdYTRFdueaApaHZVK9PwerNPd1Ry_2kDdLMBrzZ2HrkRQF7OPXhf4/s6720/3B2A9019_4small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX3Ds6mr68YM3cGiM2T30PB2iQixrjTZOV25QvgoNKcvmZHCU8gU0ru7TpQvgGtcz94aIy9Uq1ZloM_R9D3No9H9FD_KuL184g7ITWClPwP4l8XbWXJPvhyGWpJ3JpVcYDStoyshxdYTRFdueaApaHZVK9PwerNPd1Ry_2kDdLMBrzZ2HrkRQF7OPXhf4/w640-h426/3B2A9019_4small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoSXaKwX6p45R7dUMaWGb55ytB3w69wzxmL-APxjQ-Ke7WBT5GjlgqRZug03iqr6dK7srzaIUo1ZmxReEJ6-hglxxtwdZP6imHfKek68F-AuuurdcznIiud7JEKDlPlG0KuJMXw5-URbVQ5NWiz08_loBiAJkYRZ0kSoAxNu3mfmh1QOWqS-Y6_B69Ado/s6720/3B2A9023_8small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoSXaKwX6p45R7dUMaWGb55ytB3w69wzxmL-APxjQ-Ke7WBT5GjlgqRZug03iqr6dK7srzaIUo1ZmxReEJ6-hglxxtwdZP6imHfKek68F-AuuurdcznIiud7JEKDlPlG0KuJMXw5-URbVQ5NWiz08_loBiAJkYRZ0kSoAxNu3mfmh1QOWqS-Y6_B69Ado/w640-h426/3B2A9023_8small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsT3BgD6nKqUBiqffyQpMP7L9DpwyA3K4vv2ft8spt7-yR2-w1Ufn6D9td7kQYxgLPRG7GMQcGGqQYQnklCTOnxEzdF3oiU8IUN4MgCTBNJMqXCzf0lURa-Qa99vPK6k-pFfIiLYTCBMB9b3EaUjd5XdivHlbfjzRLUCnmyz3pJ2LfZsqYYM34PxiU6Q4/s6720/3B2A9037small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6720" data-original-width="4480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsT3BgD6nKqUBiqffyQpMP7L9DpwyA3K4vv2ft8spt7-yR2-w1Ufn6D9td7kQYxgLPRG7GMQcGGqQYQnklCTOnxEzdF3oiU8IUN4MgCTBNJMqXCzf0lURa-Qa99vPK6k-pFfIiLYTCBMB9b3EaUjd5XdivHlbfjzRLUCnmyz3pJ2LfZsqYYM34PxiU6Q4/w426-h640/3B2A9037small.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoIyWC6UNnIteOXmLSVPm0kRxo5nmsxM2NmqBV4iKnbTxJ0uw7CRDCmaS8U59HiEBUdOlO7RzwoGftjzLebwQPSnURm3_B0ZTt31AGz3P5H71ImCPxFTWIpwKz8KIZKFR8iuWnVfgDyopzQSWnSunfcERZEIDiqDSBYQHa9ftH_kMw1kPZcSh38zYeUcc/s6720/3B2A9035small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3PKkPHVsrJpv77rwCdQYU5WanbU1NXDCz_4XYzN3l2enWVW07S4cdG-bjTlPpAAMugbmu-qOkfaEML00mT7_jnxVeEKzBkw5Chmnhj0uYdRSeBlCydNC0XOOQWL86aPLft2-FcuunLnE4eU-U501ntMEBGiuLx3kRTYsPjAz8otiPj2BYlTbOwkzavRQ/s6373/3B2A9029small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4179" data-original-width="6373" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3PKkPHVsrJpv77rwCdQYU5WanbU1NXDCz_4XYzN3l2enWVW07S4cdG-bjTlPpAAMugbmu-qOkfaEML00mT7_jnxVeEKzBkw5Chmnhj0uYdRSeBlCydNC0XOOQWL86aPLft2-FcuunLnE4eU-U501ntMEBGiuLx3kRTYsPjAz8otiPj2BYlTbOwkzavRQ/w640-h420/3B2A9029small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw2fFRNPS5TlX5bi47IGgEC8iBSlbvJNf2v1z1k_27aITHNo-MokfJhpkdx8Y0JoMloBG_xBn-2u3RphnCwPn_IIHqM-uNT08PIthv5UopM0LWRJU3gEquF9cMnmB54bto1vfZI96CHYa2YKP16B69wa0dZMt6DKRFq1zr72-EKbg-MNr5h4WKtH78TIg/s6720/3B2A9027small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw2fFRNPS5TlX5bi47IGgEC8iBSlbvJNf2v1z1k_27aITHNo-MokfJhpkdx8Y0JoMloBG_xBn-2u3RphnCwPn_IIHqM-uNT08PIthv5UopM0LWRJU3gEquF9cMnmB54bto1vfZI96CHYa2YKP16B69wa0dZMt6DKRFq1zr72-EKbg-MNr5h4WKtH78TIg/w640-h426/3B2A9027small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvpVZJvqIH3HrTJW0kKpd-L7E4laKGL_s5gCGdjt0s3UE-ZaLASH6bjXnpm0LfIlYZFEinoCSCFht--af8wg17brvXFxCwD0n7x9WkAHNVsKPmxKuTToSxFhuQwJuJYPsQV1lEtxgLDH4aXzve2p6-p_vUE8UCBQEAxvEfyjbMb6KVPw57by1iwGzxnWM/s4139/3B2A9044cropsmall.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4139" data-original-width="3697" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvpVZJvqIH3HrTJW0kKpd-L7E4laKGL_s5gCGdjt0s3UE-ZaLASH6bjXnpm0LfIlYZFEinoCSCFht--af8wg17brvXFxCwD0n7x9WkAHNVsKPmxKuTToSxFhuQwJuJYPsQV1lEtxgLDH4aXzve2p6-p_vUE8UCBQEAxvEfyjbMb6KVPw57by1iwGzxnWM/w572-h640/3B2A9044cropsmall.jpg" width="572" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span>Linking with <a href="http://skyley.blogspot.com/2023/11/skywatch-friday-9-november-2023.html">Skywatch Friday</a>.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Hope you've been able to get out and enjoy some pretty skies. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Thanks for stopping by!!</span></div>Spare Parts and Picshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17836657200014402380noreply@blogger.com40tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277742182540823151.post-69981933957516242002023-11-02T11:46:00.000-07:002023-11-02T11:46:38.637-07:00The Pumpkin King<div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyRGNX6sTvoeESqe2WkCOGr2CWnMm-oQrjEKJABeML9VP10kqv4tJZex-MQuOm6P3DHPKXRHr6skPkeFhVYS8H4pxiEdadmQDzDFBzXVxeFJakdsU2P0DTfwP5xrnDgA41TZVrKps11Cyi6RjEI0DaoDjUqj7Yj0FXG9DOpzyM0wh_HwaRwXB4Z0FknGc/s4032/20231030_181628239_iOSbw.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyRGNX6sTvoeESqe2WkCOGr2CWnMm-oQrjEKJABeML9VP10kqv4tJZex-MQuOm6P3DHPKXRHr6skPkeFhVYS8H4pxiEdadmQDzDFBzXVxeFJakdsU2P0DTfwP5xrnDgA41TZVrKps11Cyi6RjEI0DaoDjUqj7Yj0FXG9DOpzyM0wh_HwaRwXB4Z0FknGc/w480-h640/20231030_181628239_iOSbw.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large; text-align: center;">My favorite neighborhood Halloween decoration. This Jack Skellington statue stands about 12-14' tall. Very impressive!</div><div style="font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6H8AzAo-eoDnat1f7GWrr7hk09f4mF1AvlyUeGMJUpR9F1LMEg-OkozUufaJGO3S4BDb2-SFpvsJuX_8v17DujgQvySgLjH7t2mpjuy0pYmvlUrgcMxZ3jkidOQruGs2YzJJWW5Vl9upyv_SQ-3Z0eE51Sg2XLwMqkAwjUHaToENwX30BZ5yWweo_Dy0/s980/nightmare-before-christmas-quotes-1666708410.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="980" data-original-width="980" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6H8AzAo-eoDnat1f7GWrr7hk09f4mF1AvlyUeGMJUpR9F1LMEg-OkozUufaJGO3S4BDb2-SFpvsJuX_8v17DujgQvySgLjH7t2mpjuy0pYmvlUrgcMxZ3jkidOQruGs2YzJJWW5Vl9upyv_SQ-3Z0eE51Sg2XLwMqkAwjUHaToENwX30BZ5yWweo_Dy0/w640-h640/nightmare-before-christmas-quotes-1666708410.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;">If you celebrate Halloween, I hope you had a good one!</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Linking with <a href="https://skyley.blogspot.com/2023/11/skywatch-friday-2-november-2023-edition.html">Skywatch Friday</a>.</span></div><p></p>Spare Parts and Picshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17836657200014402380noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277742182540823151.post-87802848447830960412023-10-26T12:18:00.000-07:002023-10-26T12:18:07.154-07:00A Fluffy Cloud Kind of Day<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> It's been a quiet week, with no travel out to the desert. The weather has been wonderful. We went from a hot weekend, with highs in the 90's, to very comfortable mid-70s starting on Monday. Today the sky is blue with big, fluffy clouds. The sky was calling to me, and I couldn't resist going out!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1z2YVO9mC8bT4ElDlOFPM1R5Ms6M7lPCPteO9gu6uEF71pZReIjDBspgGlhL77anQhKrBassZoyMqu3cp9cYE1ExaL3J2mLQVTcs5BtDuTo2K623RUnZswGU8cUyr91hA0gUBABlWVvIKkJNP5et2G8s2jwZuiRGoj6n3hqFsH-43dOkm6GeMH5cKNgY/s4032/20231023_182245821_iOS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1z2YVO9mC8bT4ElDlOFPM1R5Ms6M7lPCPteO9gu6uEF71pZReIjDBspgGlhL77anQhKrBassZoyMqu3cp9cYE1ExaL3J2mLQVTcs5BtDuTo2K623RUnZswGU8cUyr91hA0gUBABlWVvIKkJNP5et2G8s2jwZuiRGoj6n3hqFsH-43dOkm6GeMH5cKNgY/w640-h480/20231023_182245821_iOS.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglL25VzKSiN9P8L68l7x-0fdkHuVM-xdU7ECCnNMqOpM3fcsBEPWbHh4oLhFUp37ACIg4VImAgQEpEV1m23rbJKVnPYbqOLpyY1mjabp9xE7eIEpTAVMPtZiMGBNx6XfmeexJH5p2aRgEJ8t2iq56XSvzVGZfTEKrEcBlONUrY1cqJvrE1JHe7jKVpK_E/s4032/20231023_182354578_iOS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglL25VzKSiN9P8L68l7x-0fdkHuVM-xdU7ECCnNMqOpM3fcsBEPWbHh4oLhFUp37ACIg4VImAgQEpEV1m23rbJKVnPYbqOLpyY1mjabp9xE7eIEpTAVMPtZiMGBNx6XfmeexJH5p2aRgEJ8t2iq56XSvzVGZfTEKrEcBlONUrY1cqJvrE1JHe7jKVpK_E/w480-h640/20231023_182354578_iOS.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6n4f3auR0tz_uNpC54kiYto2oKYzKEFIHqFQ0l_uqwKzaZpxZlV0VqE8TJX0rCED54GlVmMNvUdWbLuhHDw-eUYz5ohTvrfD1eJDeLRVOrSZ8Ykj9yeSLcL70Vlvo51vhDWJV7SVOgvl1q5-3a2YmBYtbJOOB_DEqJojIelLtTTf0v4Hk_HEftSdGB2E/s4032/20231023_190537783_iOS.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6n4f3auR0tz_uNpC54kiYto2oKYzKEFIHqFQ0l_uqwKzaZpxZlV0VqE8TJX0rCED54GlVmMNvUdWbLuhHDw-eUYz5ohTvrfD1eJDeLRVOrSZ8Ykj9yeSLcL70Vlvo51vhDWJV7SVOgvl1q5-3a2YmBYtbJOOB_DEqJojIelLtTTf0v4Hk_HEftSdGB2E/w640-h480/20231023_190537783_iOS.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old rusty valve left behind on what used to be oil property.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Ma887BOpfTBLqR5udV1-c8ofidJ8hib-72UOTKZMSAiimo1yk404f1fSQUyHVQhKJ50Y2-ITQn7YaO_KEeqCi6FEsiXK1X1hMgUNN12R-KuXU8tp6VNqRjjWF79BNwQQplxsh1gvzClg42x8xXCFNxxT-BDblVFfBZm1q1raeJiCOGeJNML0ylpTA18/s4032/20231023_190648201_iOS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Ma887BOpfTBLqR5udV1-c8ofidJ8hib-72UOTKZMSAiimo1yk404f1fSQUyHVQhKJ50Y2-ITQn7YaO_KEeqCi6FEsiXK1X1hMgUNN12R-KuXU8tp6VNqRjjWF79BNwQQplxsh1gvzClg42x8xXCFNxxT-BDblVFfBZm1q1raeJiCOGeJNML0ylpTA18/w640-h480/20231023_190648201_iOS.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6qj5YR0pzpSHrGQMfHD2_JNvNz4vxmevPAclsHQ8GKxThZF8U4sVJlRiXZZqev_mFDjsJ9HfwVnVTTS9Aqxc2bDi2iyQrRplyNXIwryT-LGrIP1lYLPQotNOWWZ0Zn7u67UbJOCOKzyhIfDR2tG9Cx34V4dmT7Y6P_BZ98E8mzak7t-UAMwxT8hCjK4A/s4032/20231023_193758054_iOS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6qj5YR0pzpSHrGQMfHD2_JNvNz4vxmevPAclsHQ8GKxThZF8U4sVJlRiXZZqev_mFDjsJ9HfwVnVTTS9Aqxc2bDi2iyQrRplyNXIwryT-LGrIP1lYLPQotNOWWZ0Zn7u67UbJOCOKzyhIfDR2tG9Cx34V4dmT7Y6P_BZ98E8mzak7t-UAMwxT8hCjK4A/w480-h640/20231023_193758054_iOS.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Later on, I took my granddaughter to soccer practice. There are some trails behind the soccer field that are great for hiking, so I try to get in a little exercise during part of her practice. I was finishing up my hike a little after sunset when I noticed this gorgeous sky. I took these photos, then went back and watched the last half hour of her practice.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7lrF7i3CcRHwo9H8nHFYgUsYrpIOCcgnNo-tdYw1McDmpiHPBFoBXaqBFfr4WsZaod5gZ8xjDY-HNM00mLtGMe1b3_msX79A1iowYxTkyO8sp4HvoUWvWoAdq1PIOHOBA5sbtDUAd4Jp49GRvxbJV9xcG2JeTNnFdyl9tv2NjZzGs7zobL0n4GST5fcg/s4032/20231013_011745057_iOS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7lrF7i3CcRHwo9H8nHFYgUsYrpIOCcgnNo-tdYw1McDmpiHPBFoBXaqBFfr4WsZaod5gZ8xjDY-HNM00mLtGMe1b3_msX79A1iowYxTkyO8sp4HvoUWvWoAdq1PIOHOBA5sbtDUAd4Jp49GRvxbJV9xcG2JeTNnFdyl9tv2NjZzGs7zobL0n4GST5fcg/w640-h480/20231013_011745057_iOS.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiui0LWfnOdDYIk4evgRmN-38JGX6AKxXRYCqjCD8IS3cqC97UK7I9qPEZ4r9ObqtqrvtGG8yHfeNe3Nhr6VL1PWlK24T58_Ihddsnp6JBE_994-S4_r4x_kJhWPdcMA-acH7kDtZ-Hcm_gBucaTlr_elkReyEcuuTbi-8lq1iSe11aO7okupUxF4Z9ZIA/s4032/20231013_013916470_iOS.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiui0LWfnOdDYIk4evgRmN-38JGX6AKxXRYCqjCD8IS3cqC97UK7I9qPEZ4r9ObqtqrvtGG8yHfeNe3Nhr6VL1PWlK24T58_Ihddsnp6JBE_994-S4_r4x_kJhWPdcMA-acH7kDtZ-Hcm_gBucaTlr_elkReyEcuuTbi-8lq1iSe11aO7okupUxF4Z9ZIA/w480-h640/20231013_013916470_iOS.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's St. Jude Hospital (Fullerton, CA) up on the hill.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Linking with <a href="https://skyley.blogspot.com/2023/10/skywatch-friday-26-october-2023-edition.html">Skywatch Friday</a>.</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Thanks for stopping by!!</span></div></div>Spare Parts and Picshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17836657200014402380noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277742182540823151.post-21847279627113982802023-10-19T11:03:00.000-07:002023-10-19T11:03:19.096-07:00Along the Boy Scout Trail<div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">One end of Boy Scout Trail (Indian Cove trailhead) is at about 2800', while the other end of the trail (Keys West trailhead) is at about 4100' in elevation. From one end to the other is about 7.5 miles. Smart money says to start your hike at the high trailhead so most of your hiking will be flat or downhill. Problem is, if you hike all the way down to Indian Cove, your car is now 7.5 miles and 1300' away! I don't know about you, but my old joints no longer have the ability to hike 15 miles.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">If I hike out the door from my desert house, I can intersect the Boy Scout Trail in about 2 miles. On this particular day, I invited Mitch and Roger to meet me at the house so we could hike UP the BST. I know, we're doing it the hard way, but our plan was to hike only about half the trail, which would put us in an area with nice views and pretty desert scenery, and no worries about having to circle back for someones car.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0cClFvTJtUvudlgRiopvBtPP-l845nODiUa7bR65mi4wSbOGFwZZextMJtvIQ65kvTV9MBGgZjCf7LzwoMEuhbMWIU5EqlPDxHrYH0cOnMxNLlBulQMqmglPDGVP1u886nTg7SPk983xduC2VXHqUQCUchvbgUbWOFDwSuwbRjJDzNs-mTeWttnavaYQ/s4032/20230226_153956745_iOS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0cClFvTJtUvudlgRiopvBtPP-l845nODiUa7bR65mi4wSbOGFwZZextMJtvIQ65kvTV9MBGgZjCf7LzwoMEuhbMWIU5EqlPDxHrYH0cOnMxNLlBulQMqmglPDGVP1u886nTg7SPk983xduC2VXHqUQCUchvbgUbWOFDwSuwbRjJDzNs-mTeWttnavaYQ/w640-h480/20230226_153956745_iOS.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">We did this hike back in February. I couldn't resist stopping on the drive out to the desert for this photo of a light dusting of snow on the ground. It didn't last long!</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmTbIphMbSzSiLYtmXiSfyUKqLCos1JHGA2iqSj_RBpGbwJSCoNL9ZVDClldPOyiSBq8x-Z-Sfl45u46vbiP2r7_ogPpdeVMTtiMB_XLz0HSOuy4MzGAA9DszNAt76GSJXuenQuKgt2vLZSyTyO-tl7TKxgqSdjQ1PvruJzsm1GCpUcGyb_cp3q0zsYyo/s4032/20230226_220908710_iOS.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmTbIphMbSzSiLYtmXiSfyUKqLCos1JHGA2iqSj_RBpGbwJSCoNL9ZVDClldPOyiSBq8x-Z-Sfl45u46vbiP2r7_ogPpdeVMTtiMB_XLz0HSOuy4MzGAA9DszNAt76GSJXuenQuKgt2vLZSyTyO-tl7TKxgqSdjQ1PvruJzsm1GCpUcGyb_cp3q0zsYyo/w480-h640/20230226_220908710_iOS.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">The hike up BST. Photo by Mitch. Roger (front) brought a friend. </span><br style="text-align: left;" /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Fh9OSdYW-zQvwtocr5F37q8Za-a37Wiufvj3eP_ac85hHGj_mwAJ7Sqclv2ijw7SMN-viFy4Ul7QOw-flkQNkMMuQjtsesExdkV5XoEM6THTlrD7zaO3ePa3RschtzvcWjghaas0OZg8CkEbWl71OLQiP52bsyyj3Qk2ldX3bR5VSo_PIuiQWnVUGag/s4032/20230226_233818317_iOS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Fh9OSdYW-zQvwtocr5F37q8Za-a37Wiufvj3eP_ac85hHGj_mwAJ7Sqclv2ijw7SMN-viFy4Ul7QOw-flkQNkMMuQjtsesExdkV5XoEM6THTlrD7zaO3ePa3RschtzvcWjghaas0OZg8CkEbWl71OLQiP52bsyyj3Qk2ldX3bR5VSo_PIuiQWnVUGag/w640-h480/20230226_233818317_iOS.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mitch doing his best to clear a boulder off the trail (without success)!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc3j8Kt-hUcnp1N8_TzTu9A99SOFDMAbSYkxbLj87vm60RX3pxdkQl8bpSh4MXiT0YpBzunNt2KgNIv5gZYC21mYUGzalgGLJ09FaIEitiwpA-VM8HMtFQtObBM8_q7_zsbc72lfDYI_8Y81l4brJII5pisssp5KkjFxU7ASC8HKkWpwtlF5XXkG2B6JM/s4032/20230226_225502629_iOS.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc3j8Kt-hUcnp1N8_TzTu9A99SOFDMAbSYkxbLj87vm60RX3pxdkQl8bpSh4MXiT0YpBzunNt2KgNIv5gZYC21mYUGzalgGLJ09FaIEitiwpA-VM8HMtFQtObBM8_q7_zsbc72lfDYI_8Y81l4brJII5pisssp5KkjFxU7ASC8HKkWpwtlF5XXkG2B6JM/w480-h640/20230226_225502629_iOS.heic" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Water pockets along the trail from recent rain.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWFNjBL5TFTdxwPWEpJYKOGXdGaJmQFFl5jY7jpDZ_HiqkOasUyV544EQNgZmAw04j_MI1lBpQNf1Tt_ctmPxJybQVyAVi_hEexhQMC9kbw5FOvq8dEWSXfTZblASJVLXM9fmpLLSAFB8VijzGpDJcGdprNS6XEhkfiIpVnQVF1RH9tcStGOMuuLe-XrY/s6720/3B2A8431_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWFNjBL5TFTdxwPWEpJYKOGXdGaJmQFFl5jY7jpDZ_HiqkOasUyV544EQNgZmAw04j_MI1lBpQNf1Tt_ctmPxJybQVyAVi_hEexhQMC9kbw5FOvq8dEWSXfTZblASJVLXM9fmpLLSAFB8VijzGpDJcGdprNS6XEhkfiIpVnQVF1RH9tcStGOMuuLe-XrY/w640-h426/3B2A8431_2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As we get to higher elevation, things get scenic!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwG8793SjbVCvo6sDbJz6G_XNJZcd-anIT8fAmMB7flsjvGewmUaCC9GMy44v5ak5yeEJZXlssq3UkG_NsTQmaRRCHw0zhZI6_bfJIBStr5vSlS_2ha8Tlt-FQ87FB5oQZsSjFsMZsJz38wtBdccmfhnuDsCq4yq6sU35AjDCUUfDNGLuOdgSLXMmJOQ4/s6720/3B2A8432_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwG8793SjbVCvo6sDbJz6G_XNJZcd-anIT8fAmMB7flsjvGewmUaCC9GMy44v5ak5yeEJZXlssq3UkG_NsTQmaRRCHw0zhZI6_bfJIBStr5vSlS_2ha8Tlt-FQ87FB5oQZsSjFsMZsJz38wtBdccmfhnuDsCq4yq6sU35AjDCUUfDNGLuOdgSLXMmJOQ4/w640-h426/3B2A8432_3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjokweb-sVA3RzmoGrHhXUkAWPUojkc9jnGt3Dz31huOdPCOooU6h8HrRylJsg0w4wKq_g_BFfUa6tpqYWVkdWbssGiWHeOzq1Gn_pWl6NTxtycYqixDEde-DW3isdKFB8iapIMP4JMis1_L_5Nxd7jBoTLSMBWztwMiH4HDRBl5bY6Q1PQaMlqh_nmASU/s6720/3B2A8433_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjokweb-sVA3RzmoGrHhXUkAWPUojkc9jnGt3Dz31huOdPCOooU6h8HrRylJsg0w4wKq_g_BFfUa6tpqYWVkdWbssGiWHeOzq1Gn_pWl6NTxtycYqixDEde-DW3isdKFB8iapIMP4JMis1_L_5Nxd7jBoTLSMBWztwMiH4HDRBl5bY6Q1PQaMlqh_nmASU/w640-h426/3B2A8433_4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Jqo5IzyC_Qwna_6_ujvZPMlLflNcMAGyFyM4RA9lsDk0rW6MjazkJGZ9QEEX_sFydg9ZJPipD0UmtGuJ3bPVRRx5VjYwp8_gV5ip9JRFjNvaToWAW0ntEFsli7pNEUZ0BQenfs3d4E58ZO1An78lGE0exYtYl60Z7i_cR2PaSon1Yu67FgniBtXlwP4/s6720/3B2A8434_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Jqo5IzyC_Qwna_6_ujvZPMlLflNcMAGyFyM4RA9lsDk0rW6MjazkJGZ9QEEX_sFydg9ZJPipD0UmtGuJ3bPVRRx5VjYwp8_gV5ip9JRFjNvaToWAW0ntEFsli7pNEUZ0BQenfs3d4E58ZO1An78lGE0exYtYl60Z7i_cR2PaSon1Yu67FgniBtXlwP4/w640-h426/3B2A8434_5.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I don't recall what Roger was pointing out. </td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi56eBDMCjnVLR22tJnTAqXnRBA-_CePHXyAyoe82kQ6EYL8awiEuagubpArPuof8pY8jqYCZxNBLjIWawJ0x8a3UUFYmJu3JrL-wprfevm3YzEYKffWSBPkjMLfK7thRC7zgPNdrUB-2xGKYm7yVC6Z52PJCgILC-Ntk8p0Wtq8z2CCWmLTxsFBU7jfF8/s6632/3B2A8438_9small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4421" data-original-width="6632" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi56eBDMCjnVLR22tJnTAqXnRBA-_CePHXyAyoe82kQ6EYL8awiEuagubpArPuof8pY8jqYCZxNBLjIWawJ0x8a3UUFYmJu3JrL-wprfevm3YzEYKffWSBPkjMLfK7thRC7zgPNdrUB-2xGKYm7yVC6Z52PJCgILC-Ntk8p0Wtq8z2CCWmLTxsFBU7jfF8/w640-h426/3B2A8438_9small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi62GZivGlOx-yda1hi5Jgjs67ijFh3IVi0_IQTMAlzj3T3-htEml_B1vhsOwtgoUylJG3BJHY420vbIdBivjvlL1muuXzliDjM5Z7E20WAmCrG36B2T20bIepAm85XORvDPTjDO7NXePSneuH69eaZ7mgIYYi3jsIMSo68-kuhLK94c5dKfuhIJyBtCNw/s6433/3B2A8439_10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4289" data-original-width="6433" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi62GZivGlOx-yda1hi5Jgjs67ijFh3IVi0_IQTMAlzj3T3-htEml_B1vhsOwtgoUylJG3BJHY420vbIdBivjvlL1muuXzliDjM5Z7E20WAmCrG36B2T20bIepAm85XORvDPTjDO7NXePSneuH69eaZ7mgIYYi3jsIMSo68-kuhLK94c5dKfuhIJyBtCNw/w640-h426/3B2A8439_10.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some wonderful views from this part of the Boy Scout Trail!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1w2HbulbqYsB9kSs20K1qDF2VrmsN-5xxcKLaMJ1Ah9mcBlre-h3thD3JLenxVopwyltXZAS2kBKyrdMtk2nw9cvTt99VlAksHABcNAHFfmA0eShY5CNl8PGrt8lOJ7YeNtF6L0mzy0msfFPm5xuvM-UAvc9jKP2l4vb2UYetzGANTH_CkGizX08b2qw/s6455/3B2A8442_13small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4303" data-original-width="6455" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1w2HbulbqYsB9kSs20K1qDF2VrmsN-5xxcKLaMJ1Ah9mcBlre-h3thD3JLenxVopwyltXZAS2kBKyrdMtk2nw9cvTt99VlAksHABcNAHFfmA0eShY5CNl8PGrt8lOJ7YeNtF6L0mzy0msfFPm5xuvM-UAvc9jKP2l4vb2UYetzGANTH_CkGizX08b2qw/w640-h426/3B2A8442_13small.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my favorite rock formations along this stretch of the trail.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiOG8bIl_sujNTtMewCWUnLfIOlyXDpdQChy7d1HjL68VY4tJ65P8_3SYDhGaR6pTRjPMn_8uX0vkkUhyphenhyphen4V1kmRKZ3RsU162pLDQMi-bU60pwKRANa8J1telbNrZIu9d_lsxLPEhXcpW6CZuH9vSI1JO9f6NunNWoC9VdG_4Da1deviaDdarzN63vZNY4/s6720/3B2A8440_11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiOG8bIl_sujNTtMewCWUnLfIOlyXDpdQChy7d1HjL68VY4tJ65P8_3SYDhGaR6pTRjPMn_8uX0vkkUhyphenhyphen4V1kmRKZ3RsU162pLDQMi-bU60pwKRANa8J1telbNrZIu9d_lsxLPEhXcpW6CZuH9vSI1JO9f6NunNWoC9VdG_4Da1deviaDdarzN63vZNY4/w640-h426/3B2A8440_11.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">As we were hiking back down the trail in the late afternoon sun, a young solo hiker blew by us like we were standing still (in reality, we pretty much were standing still!). The old folks just moved to the side of the trail to let her pass. I think were were all thinking the same thing: Oh, to be young again!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Thanks for stopping by!!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;">Linking with <a href="https://skyley.blogspot.com/2023/10/skywatch-friday-19-october-2023-edition.html">Skywatch Friday</a>.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>Spare Parts and Picshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17836657200014402380noreply@blogger.com42tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277742182540823151.post-8859471254382351602023-10-12T12:01:00.000-07:002023-10-12T12:01:28.857-07:00Mymine Mine<div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Mitch & I had chosen this day for a hike. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a scorching hot day with high winds. I didn't want to cancel, so I mentioned a short, easy hike that has been on my "to do" list for quite a while, and Mitch gave it the thumbs up. The hike involved a little up hill scrambling to a small mine site that I had read about over at my friend Elliot's blog <a href="https://cali49.com/jtnp/2018/3/30/mymine-joshua-tree-national-park">here</a>. Even in the heat, it should be doable, and like I said, it's a short hike. And if we get a good sunset, we will be well positoned to photograph it!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrYIf1vIJBavHgO7GJhxHExsJu4ptBrpkywjQCAx5ntWObahMpLz6XaMs4n6MmZ-EjPJP_9nIPNLuuEMRjgkRICW0QbDKhebXyFeu2lDtVHTPr340O2bNLrToUVaXSGtNuzAvGRXUb1HkkmgqDamKCMpZTG9ZiNFvmADVB0YCBIjJqB8vkwTQRVg3sZ5w/s1478/Mymine+-+Joshua+Tree+NP+04%20Elliot.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="979" data-original-width="1478" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrYIf1vIJBavHgO7GJhxHExsJu4ptBrpkywjQCAx5ntWObahMpLz6XaMs4n6MmZ-EjPJP_9nIPNLuuEMRjgkRICW0QbDKhebXyFeu2lDtVHTPr340O2bNLrToUVaXSGtNuzAvGRXUb1HkkmgqDamKCMpZTG9ZiNFvmADVB0YCBIjJqB8vkwTQRVg3sZ5w/w640-h424/Mymine+-+Joshua+Tree+NP+04%20Elliot.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Turns out the little uphill scramble was more challenging than I thought, especially on a blazing hot day! (photo credit: </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://cali49.com/jtnp">https://cali49.com/jtnp</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">)</span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOqNdJs5sh_C7whLRP02-lURXXF9xxYBoSH1IgqzQrCVcfmgPaERcc__HwSuUfmhr6OREbG00n91yrMTRLJudNSeMMXZ-lYxXDpPQzHglPSFpUWKbfLrPsc93cNw1tSU4uqV3G1dbZg4283WGLJlJv4nkSPJTaka5S2CgTFdk0PuJz6UJWkT1R5ks_Rtg/s5147/3B2A9327cropsmall.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3212" data-original-width="5147" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOqNdJs5sh_C7whLRP02-lURXXF9xxYBoSH1IgqzQrCVcfmgPaERcc__HwSuUfmhr6OREbG00n91yrMTRLJudNSeMMXZ-lYxXDpPQzHglPSFpUWKbfLrPsc93cNw1tSU4uqV3G1dbZg4283WGLJlJv4nkSPJTaka5S2CgTFdk0PuJz6UJWkT1R5ks_Rtg/w640-h400/3B2A9327cropsmall.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Nice view of the main road as it leads deeper into Joshua Tree National Park. Likely because of the heat and the wind, the Park was nearly empty.<br /></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0PryHDhcfBr7r6s7AIdJvY8xDeCeG35WK-ZGqzTnod8ugM7XcumJKIbWXFRs2qa997mQxIzXrOobUenyqNUlg8onzHmRWozvM5oJJHxMmdn4he4ThP3Zro-lXOoSm5PY7V_IQVx02mO631TMaxtAKzpVOucLqdEvvfhDssWh_Noadkt_UdPZqaPwwcIM/s6720/3B2A9331small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0PryHDhcfBr7r6s7AIdJvY8xDeCeG35WK-ZGqzTnod8ugM7XcumJKIbWXFRs2qa997mQxIzXrOobUenyqNUlg8onzHmRWozvM5oJJHxMmdn4he4ThP3Zro-lXOoSm5PY7V_IQVx02mO631TMaxtAKzpVOucLqdEvvfhDssWh_Noadkt_UdPZqaPwwcIM/w640-h426/3B2A9331small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Reaching the top of the hill, this is the view NW. The sky looks like a white-out because the wind is blowing dust and sand into the air. Look closely and you can see some signs of mining activity. That's Mitch on the left.</span><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_YOeUN0Sf6hMEWk5IC_6mX7KXCP_uaqYKKeoTs5Vew_yJoNzfdGRnhsBw_SQjxxHf6m0CTVoK-DpT2r0xPruDPxgznEAgNiIslg2uzyTSyE9HZWRLcSnL9RF8q5prY_5kisi1L54dmdPIF_UTmSwzvLbBi6ixXTlCe09KQIud3hXAzirpii2KO2gX8xE/s5243/3B2A9330%20bad%20hair%20day.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3495" data-original-width="5243" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_YOeUN0Sf6hMEWk5IC_6mX7KXCP_uaqYKKeoTs5Vew_yJoNzfdGRnhsBw_SQjxxHf6m0CTVoK-DpT2r0xPruDPxgznEAgNiIslg2uzyTSyE9HZWRLcSnL9RF8q5prY_5kisi1L54dmdPIF_UTmSwzvLbBi6ixXTlCe09KQIud3hXAzirpii2KO2gX8xE/w640-h426/3B2A9330%20bad%20hair%20day.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">An unusual sight: Mitch appears to be texting! Turns out this is one of the few locations in all of JTNP where you can get cell service. Also of note is Mitch's hair. No, he doesn't comb it in a forward sweep! This just gives you a sense of how hard the wind was blowing.</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidv2k-pCx8Qq9XTGUSTkxUIfFjhegSK3C79y52q8cshoVe1Hyat1QwmjI5tyDXBOyc_hlV0MWKEsFpeKSY56a87scpMekpXADyQxkgaGY0MlnGpR7ZJB4A1IEmgaymTvmAp07-6DdE7s-yoTkBivN0Go5m85uFl4PZ-Jc7qfwQAUfz9N0BZ866mmMHwPM/s4032/IMG_4596.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidv2k-pCx8Qq9XTGUSTkxUIfFjhegSK3C79y52q8cshoVe1Hyat1QwmjI5tyDXBOyc_hlV0MWKEsFpeKSY56a87scpMekpXADyQxkgaGY0MlnGpR7ZJB4A1IEmgaymTvmAp07-6DdE7s-yoTkBivN0Go5m85uFl4PZ-Jc7qfwQAUfz9N0BZ866mmMHwPM/w640-h480/IMG_4596.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of wood debris at the Mymine site. It's thought that this is the remains of a miner's cabin.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifksxFTVYNzkb0bwynX0ocIlO02fsq0jLcNGNBsK5MwXvmplIj5kmfo9OnU_CYv967L1h3SvoB1hljPwxe-wxtRd4oP06p58hKrTUH6TxIcE1GKPedt6LzLVS4B6YII9gfPhTYY7Ypg7YboJinsHazSkwYre5o92WaDxEVJinzWWFtuqC25EHiP_EiPGI/s4032/IMG_4602.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifksxFTVYNzkb0bwynX0ocIlO02fsq0jLcNGNBsK5MwXvmplIj5kmfo9OnU_CYv967L1h3SvoB1hljPwxe-wxtRd4oP06p58hKrTUH6TxIcE1GKPedt6LzLVS4B6YII9gfPhTYY7Ypg7YboJinsHazSkwYre5o92WaDxEVJinzWWFtuqC25EHiP_EiPGI/w480-h640/IMG_4602.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Interesting old ore cart tracks with the opening to Mymine mine in the background. Elliot mentions in his post that historically significant mining equipment, including an old are cart that was sitting on these tracks, was stolen back in the 70's or early 80's. That's really too bad. How cool would it be to see the original ore cart sitting on these tracks, just as the miners left it!? He also mentions that a 1967 survey reports the cabin at this site was in good shape, with tools and supplies stored inside. All that's left now is a pile of wood and rocks.</span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVHdpSp5jkofsd1WNowsKJCIxnLRDSHMK0Am9BH32TU2YvVHiYNFFHmRFQIe5nqdrWRaFMoK58T104MpM1NR2xazZ_-tAI7JUK26FjXfuV5bopN1FLoDwT4XsdzxrPpkyx9H3uu301EP0n_8Dqs97h8Wz6ZMqr3iIkLeDMKPFFRERyFEWU-DYADDCcaLg/s4032/IMG_4598.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVHdpSp5jkofsd1WNowsKJCIxnLRDSHMK0Am9BH32TU2YvVHiYNFFHmRFQIe5nqdrWRaFMoK58T104MpM1NR2xazZ_-tAI7JUK26FjXfuV5bopN1FLoDwT4XsdzxrPpkyx9H3uu301EP0n_8Dqs97h8Wz6ZMqr3iIkLeDMKPFFRERyFEWU-DYADDCcaLg/w480-h640/IMG_4598.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Opposite view of the tracks, leading away from the mine.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdCWJ8rooomdc5tC8vVWpe-KlmK4YksnSUgPoPEeIYrR-bISCD9cb5Kfo8gxDBfCKX4E5TJudRerVC_2jKKzf8akoJb2vJijtZE-cB-j1LintexE4dtZd08ljB6hyKU0nVo__dsfIRU_ouebxnENfDOqXGVzGrFKLWrzvDFRBwpuMbKumm4X_5lwC2tgI/s4032/IMG_4592.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdCWJ8rooomdc5tC8vVWpe-KlmK4YksnSUgPoPEeIYrR-bISCD9cb5Kfo8gxDBfCKX4E5TJudRerVC_2jKKzf8akoJb2vJijtZE-cB-j1LintexE4dtZd08ljB6hyKU0nVo__dsfIRU_ouebxnENfDOqXGVzGrFKLWrzvDFRBwpuMbKumm4X_5lwC2tgI/w480-h640/IMG_4592.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entrance to Mymine, or what's left of it!</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0rKkkrp-Sj7auck5dFHSSIx9y7beljSz2Dik_4dMq4mO55AyUzYypAYlc47rA8kJQ8uzQGTS3-zhImp1tAkK5gkJMajxUSKTvyefkP3nKb1dipQKHYrufupdRZ2Y_SwUWdctbAWgep1PsSve6AaGRibz1Xjt9OqS-njXpCDd_Yo6CPbLinvrBWGfM-lM/s4032/IMG_4593.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0rKkkrp-Sj7auck5dFHSSIx9y7beljSz2Dik_4dMq4mO55AyUzYypAYlc47rA8kJQ8uzQGTS3-zhImp1tAkK5gkJMajxUSKTvyefkP3nKb1dipQKHYrufupdRZ2Y_SwUWdctbAWgep1PsSve6AaGRibz1Xjt9OqS-njXpCDd_Yo6CPbLinvrBWGfM-lM/w640-h480/IMG_4593.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">It looks like the mine entrance was through this trap door. I don't think I would want to try to squeeze down through that space even if it wasn't chained and locked! By the way, Mymine is really the name of this mine (I originally thought it was just something Elliot made up!). I found a BLM site that mentions the mine and said it was both a gold and silver mine. But it's not marked on a USGS topo map I consulted. Other than Elliot's blog post, I've never seen it mentioned anywhere.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhAFjvPpPPhVj1zuqrhFoZFIyZlBI4IvZ1iWmaI9zlQgV8WvTAJj3MAWQ8P3RRq17-g0z5VAwgfSHPO61pW-5XPT6SmQtJ6F9GrxLKbeLTVL-16eQO-KwwXikg0ivqytGscrYZX_hBp-rSB8zlMnVFokBm64wUNbBnRP8z4GRHi3XXgPkOZsLFKIAvosw/s4032/IMG_4595bw.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhAFjvPpPPhVj1zuqrhFoZFIyZlBI4IvZ1iWmaI9zlQgV8WvTAJj3MAWQ8P3RRq17-g0z5VAwgfSHPO61pW-5XPT6SmQtJ6F9GrxLKbeLTVL-16eQO-KwwXikg0ivqytGscrYZX_hBp-rSB8zlMnVFokBm64wUNbBnRP8z4GRHi3XXgPkOZsLFKIAvosw/w480-h640/IMG_4595bw.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMx4pa2Lb8NYF6V07g-L0NuosmZ7XpARAQe8Iw-i3W625jHj_0Q_y6GTbWG6fxRDVIj4uDhCAXCySGDXKqcZLLo1Dz0pXkLoX5pC7gc9eKEwc8bd01gEgcskpIAmaO9kMvD27SK-BBO-NchdIr01FHBrYISepMx-ifaFiTJZcizB0SBir_wzCqKJd0lxU/s4032/IMG_4608.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMx4pa2Lb8NYF6V07g-L0NuosmZ7XpARAQe8Iw-i3W625jHj_0Q_y6GTbWG6fxRDVIj4uDhCAXCySGDXKqcZLLo1Dz0pXkLoX5pC7gc9eKEwc8bd01gEgcskpIAmaO9kMvD27SK-BBO-NchdIr01FHBrYISepMx-ifaFiTJZcizB0SBir_wzCqKJd0lxU/w480-h640/IMG_4608.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguaqd8ckg94xwaKEyr8xAD3tDvxQrOLI500TDQ59p8nIi8o6kfix-tcJPfNfxwqG6hePjrIr_PxTI8PCgzEgDYsKhz9Qrn-aFBmVckXfU2zI3tocTXZDIhnhcQXCBb4emu_t8e_gB_nl5qweFs4YdULHhqYOKNodv79yfnV_4sEbYslu0IyQQFHBHuB_8/s4032/IMG_4606.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguaqd8ckg94xwaKEyr8xAD3tDvxQrOLI500TDQ59p8nIi8o6kfix-tcJPfNfxwqG6hePjrIr_PxTI8PCgzEgDYsKhz9Qrn-aFBmVckXfU2zI3tocTXZDIhnhcQXCBb4emu_t8e_gB_nl5qweFs4YdULHhqYOKNodv79yfnV_4sEbYslu0IyQQFHBHuB_8/w640-h480/IMG_4606.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's a fair amount of "vintage trash" scattered around the mine site.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4wC6Om-n47_8p80NDciXpe3grFw_DIONAYhpNgUdXVvnjDgG3bxarOedz_XNH_4M-DZRtgzAKiP8gdUM6unTx7ET9HYTVAgSh6ZeYMXGhDR1wXNhLfjSEJpcprJPA82ST0B3YGjVUBzl_XdB0YT10rnW566du3S7FEaAetG167-wjwu79JZpdbuQh5bE/s4032/IMG_4610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4wC6Om-n47_8p80NDciXpe3grFw_DIONAYhpNgUdXVvnjDgG3bxarOedz_XNH_4M-DZRtgzAKiP8gdUM6unTx7ET9HYTVAgSh6ZeYMXGhDR1wXNhLfjSEJpcprJPA82ST0B3YGjVUBzl_XdB0YT10rnW566du3S7FEaAetG167-wjwu79JZpdbuQh5bE/w640-h480/IMG_4610.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">There's a second pit site near the main mine. Not sure if this was a shallow exploratory dig or a deeper mine that the Park Service filled in. They fenced it off, so at one time it was probably deeper. Many of the details of Mymine appear to be lost to history.</span><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_EVO6oUDfvBU0bV1B_Q2Bdw7Pc66Prq5Dd07jobdS5IQzYkijEwXlHzCwaXY1m6rVG3U8Nw1QSY8dmy3Qnofl3J4xzzdd67DtyYPFxnJcWIVwyKOCMICMyQ7tnuqnbZOv-RGC9AjBi29hgY2ah4Yvl94Ll1iz4qqFlqY4gemntYoAX7KHc1Q0eWDA1tY/s4032/IMG_4612bw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_EVO6oUDfvBU0bV1B_Q2Bdw7Pc66Prq5Dd07jobdS5IQzYkijEwXlHzCwaXY1m6rVG3U8Nw1QSY8dmy3Qnofl3J4xzzdd67DtyYPFxnJcWIVwyKOCMICMyQ7tnuqnbZOv-RGC9AjBi29hgY2ah4Yvl94Ll1iz4qqFlqY4gemntYoAX7KHc1Q0eWDA1tY/w480-h640/IMG_4612bw.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0GMj5Jx6z0kxNQd0ogV78-Imm8C3DscCzoIUu3npnPEt1gaOhydHSf0UeW49KPoz0FTkyWcAxf5KQO_FNlFooQ-_b2tVPFVkqkA4LLQMVLFpzZ7TWmYQpmJ5qjoRUl1OPG9yeHpIdev1Dp_Vt9OFSiHvxP_SIkrEfnxDPymOER3G1jajzjaCDAMw7NQ/s3024/IMG_4616crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0GMj5Jx6z0kxNQd0ogV78-Imm8C3DscCzoIUu3npnPEt1gaOhydHSf0UeW49KPoz0FTkyWcAxf5KQO_FNlFooQ-_b2tVPFVkqkA4LLQMVLFpzZ7TWmYQpmJ5qjoRUl1OPG9yeHpIdev1Dp_Vt9OFSiHvxP_SIkrEfnxDPymOER3G1jajzjaCDAMw7NQ/w640-h640/IMG_4616crop.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Remains of a ground-nesting bird?</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Mymine turned out to be a very interesting site. Thanks for stopping by!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Linking with <a href="https://skyley.blogspot.com/2023/10/skywatch-friday-12-october-2023-edition.html">Skywatch Friday</a>.</span></div><div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div></div>Spare Parts and Picshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17836657200014402380noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277742182540823151.post-13349413872974328542023-10-05T11:09:00.000-07:002023-10-05T11:09:01.756-07:00UFO Sighting??<div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">My granddaughter has soccer practice twice a week, and the location is right next to some hiking trails. I usually leave practice for a while to get in a little exercise. On this particular day, I took the trail to the west with a goal of seeing if it would take me down to the dam.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEionu1WugWR-LEzsEnDovug4yG9pgpNjxR40UuaYfn6YE8jy42Fqm-Fp8ci_FMlFcB60NH-gYg9WmxlMc0jAC-eRtoDVf3Z8DvJ6XA920q-FG775-QCvRrdPxq_5njKarbb4RJEAo6rwyyCtu-QTuAIu3_JJvVn9iCuNWSj1hop1sQ5lR5UN6S9x2K5y6I/s4032/20230913_012828434_iOS.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEionu1WugWR-LEzsEnDovug4yG9pgpNjxR40UuaYfn6YE8jy42Fqm-Fp8ci_FMlFcB60NH-gYg9WmxlMc0jAC-eRtoDVf3Z8DvJ6XA920q-FG775-QCvRrdPxq_5njKarbb4RJEAo6rwyyCtu-QTuAIu3_JJvVn9iCuNWSj1hop1sQ5lR5UN6S9x2K5y6I/w480-h640/20230913_012828434_iOS.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's a small stream that runs through the property to the dam.</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrx_Bz2SIeUKJb-LYNJp9uMzqUH-04gUTIf0Ozgx7wR74DVrFgYTA6e0PCAlmLLFpVwak_jjvG9qakeHL10F0K59Dm3xisq8yw5LwWJLgVu6kxqhakEtFn-WPEk0xMCDGD5wiJciBzhws-eW54c2mXIN9YPqfgmkeer-lZ1Hmtz15kvdYuXMMGhqnKoQY/s4032/20230913_012632236_iOS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrx_Bz2SIeUKJb-LYNJp9uMzqUH-04gUTIf0Ozgx7wR74DVrFgYTA6e0PCAlmLLFpVwak_jjvG9qakeHL10F0K59Dm3xisq8yw5LwWJLgVu6kxqhakEtFn-WPEk0xMCDGD5wiJciBzhws-eW54c2mXIN9YPqfgmkeer-lZ1Hmtz15kvdYuXMMGhqnKoQY/w480-h640/20230913_012632236_iOS.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Although the main trail doesn't lead to the dam, it's possible to get there. It's impressive to see the dam from this view. Look at all the detritus pushing up against the dam. The little stream must become a flowing river after heavy rain! One of the main trails leads to the top of the dam. You can actually hike/bike across the entire length of the top of the dam, which provides some nice views!</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9gsudlHd4TXevVoRuRViRudq2XjCc-EomDTa53RplKgN48mKgobqN1Aattcl21b81Y3ycuqA1w4eq7KWPN3GpzGR8ce_6RE85zCrNcl3BAyhqfbM97RZrmFmBmuUXxTG9goRQe2m_JUGiGxgBo1eLshnpAva1MKSP6G53cI88yji0KoQKOkJQ6O_HUX4/s4032/20230915_013354611_iOS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9gsudlHd4TXevVoRuRViRudq2XjCc-EomDTa53RplKgN48mKgobqN1Aattcl21b81Y3ycuqA1w4eq7KWPN3GpzGR8ce_6RE85zCrNcl3BAyhqfbM97RZrmFmBmuUXxTG9goRQe2m_JUGiGxgBo1eLshnpAva1MKSP6G53cI88yji0KoQKOkJQ6O_HUX4/w480-h640/20230915_013354611_iOS.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Some sections of the trail are wide and fenced off. The only thing I don't like about this (and similar) trails is that you have to share them with bikers. The bikers (some, not all) take these turns at breakneck speeds, and as a hiker, you take the risk of getting hit by someone speeding out of control down the trail. I've had a couple of close calls but so far have managed not to get run over.</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDJeop2wfy9NIpDpXjNacZbOOQ-3qxlgIhrSbUc4z1TDkP_nDV1QQ3_zuCGZ3MkxC53z20ElEupbdi8Wu_c18P-JHpywNaiM9cFLxSkAX4YsNCKAHOKF1P7ju_4phPBeXQCTD500CM5-VbXC7BuluozcsqyRss7e7bOAOj82jCeu6Bc2toykrwnI6LRD8/s3996/20230922_013538427_iOS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2997" data-original-width="3996" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDJeop2wfy9NIpDpXjNacZbOOQ-3qxlgIhrSbUc4z1TDkP_nDV1QQ3_zuCGZ3MkxC53z20ElEupbdi8Wu_c18P-JHpywNaiM9cFLxSkAX4YsNCKAHOKF1P7ju_4phPBeXQCTD500CM5-VbXC7BuluozcsqyRss7e7bOAOj82jCeu6Bc2toykrwnI6LRD8/w640-h480/20230922_013538427_iOS.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">One of the trails takes you by some old pump jacks, a couple of which are still pumping! These used to be all over Orange County, but you don't see them much anymore. A relic of days gone by.<br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZ0BEsHtKrGiT0OS_wFophyC9x8SZw1gehRGhA8yvSdF5Y4JFCcQc3dc_olXmtf8rPWEzpd2U68Hc-lmKvGWBPTyPOIaZxLQr_yAc6XkckX-F3gnyhI84796dG9uFspyuhm_aJVyD_OcWQiyQmq13bSJRsthCN6MZ6XNJIoeIaXPtZsvrbtej-wpo06A/s4032/20230922_014231896_iOS.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZ0BEsHtKrGiT0OS_wFophyC9x8SZw1gehRGhA8yvSdF5Y4JFCcQc3dc_olXmtf8rPWEzpd2U68Hc-lmKvGWBPTyPOIaZxLQr_yAc6XkckX-F3gnyhI84796dG9uFspyuhm_aJVyD_OcWQiyQmq13bSJRsthCN6MZ6XNJIoeIaXPtZsvrbtej-wpo06A/w640-h480/20230922_014231896_iOS.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sun is setting, so time to head back to soccer practice!</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwdKiCaKfMjlCbcETEevQ7ygY1gkl5cF0IeUMaao8PH_GFSAH40qg-rC-qd9Sp5s8wsVLDB0srVHDBdjkMZQQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">As I settle into my chair and start watching soccer practice, I hear a parent behind me ask "What's that??" About the same time, the girls on the field all come to a halt and are looking up in the sky. Kind of a surreal and comical moment, and I hear a couple of conjectures such as "UFO" and "alien". I caught a little snippet of the moment on this video (turn up the sound so you can hear the girls).</span><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRh8TALLoXodzVYIb09ZA4MDEXU4GotWXMcKT7FzecFDlfSreIaApg7qxEUChEjaSeIpRrEo8OiFzW5fznveScDAAZRCZwCUwU7a1h3MAVpZ73Yc2Obf3XIzilBJm1gxgN75g1R70l21JHE5CL1GwTUw8nCZ8tE4gYFFjgtmGEgjLw2UwdiFNYaOgtFVQ/s4032/20230915_023124506_iOS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRh8TALLoXodzVYIb09ZA4MDEXU4GotWXMcKT7FzecFDlfSreIaApg7qxEUChEjaSeIpRrEo8OiFzW5fznveScDAAZRCZwCUwU7a1h3MAVpZ73Yc2Obf3XIzilBJm1gxgN75g1R70l21JHE5CL1GwTUw8nCZ8tE4gYFFjgtmGEgjLw2UwdiFNYaOgtFVQ/w640-h480/20230915_023124506_iOS.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I try to capture it using my iPhone, but I'm a few moments too late. The "head" is already fading, but I recognize it immediately as a SpaceX launch. I've seen photos of previous launches, and they all look similar. The rockets are launched from Vandenberg AirForce Base and are visible all over Southern California. </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfNbOjwWqJZZl4zFSAIr_1JazziT-LXWcHrv3yMn0OVOGvMzMuU4cBS0AOrf2zNwxq4EpdXqT0xp0V0J3_pcsOnxSR8M7Qn9Re35QNOM14lVBm9mu5QciXWGi21rGSB2wAeOA94KqL6w12uFh-59uCu4b5xLvZM23xfJDiOhJUPbhggmu7v4DYZYKnGy0/s4032/20230915_023222175_iOS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfNbOjwWqJZZl4zFSAIr_1JazziT-LXWcHrv3yMn0OVOGvMzMuU4cBS0AOrf2zNwxq4EpdXqT0xp0V0J3_pcsOnxSR8M7Qn9Re35QNOM14lVBm9mu5QciXWGi21rGSB2wAeOA94KqL6w12uFh-59uCu4b5xLvZM23xfJDiOhJUPbhggmu7v4DYZYKnGy0/w480-h640/20230915_023222175_iOS.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">"Tail" of the SpaceX launch. What used to be a straight arching line is getting jagged as the wind currents blow it around. Soon it will totally disappear.</span><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKAoHzFVZ4ELOm5RFe831Fh-O-DXm7Sh-kRGZ_SRMufAKHJj8uAtTYTeICAZvPTFtLVcW6myvQ-UBxyGoT71De6DaiEEqCIUrXDRida8BlXIa6QjrYH2FciuBYj0Z2jjVwkImMckitKs6LYteTZ6zqAw8bDkW6UQd5YpuQ8dqdym28RrRfs0a01IFFOUk/s2949/ap_Associated%20Press.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2212" data-original-width="2949" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKAoHzFVZ4ELOm5RFe831Fh-O-DXm7Sh-kRGZ_SRMufAKHJj8uAtTYTeICAZvPTFtLVcW6myvQ-UBxyGoT71De6DaiEEqCIUrXDRida8BlXIa6QjrYH2FciuBYj0Z2jjVwkImMckitKs6LYteTZ6zqAw8bDkW6UQd5YpuQ8dqdym28RrRfs0a01IFFOUk/w640-h480/ap_Associated%20Press.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A better shot of a SpaceX launch. Photo credit: Associated Press</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Thanks for stopping by, and don't forget to look up.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">You never know what you might see!!</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Linking with <a href="https://skyley.blogspot.com/2023/10/skywatch-friday-5-october-2023-edition.html">Skywatch Friday</a>.</span></div><div><br /></div></div>Spare Parts and Picshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17836657200014402380noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277742182540823151.post-2078089335392399642023-09-28T12:42:00.000-07:002023-09-28T12:42:41.973-07:00Surprise Rock<div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">On a recent hike in Joshua Tree National Park, I happened to be in the neighborhood of Surprise Rock. It's been a <b><i>really</i></b> long time since my last post about Surprise Rock (February of 2017... wow, where has the time gone??). Before I take you to Surprise Rock, I'll show you some of the scenery in the area. It was a beautiful day to be out hiking!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0mtORIPMF35tyhrJ_c5tDz5yX83-Z0wxKp24w2uLVrE7tAH8cnj6gs74Xkk2-h_NXlf4ovqN2gU2wVTsBykAjpRdc0H-qdKh8TseF8MsJu2rpYWPma4xsIOdE4Dar4ni_eAdGT-B2gPWX_rklalw_rTHCDyl_o7rCM3cXI5FX-4uweDeek3BymoS_pfA/s5750/3B2A9108_9small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4052" data-original-width="5750" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0mtORIPMF35tyhrJ_c5tDz5yX83-Z0wxKp24w2uLVrE7tAH8cnj6gs74Xkk2-h_NXlf4ovqN2gU2wVTsBykAjpRdc0H-qdKh8TseF8MsJu2rpYWPma4xsIOdE4Dar4ni_eAdGT-B2gPWX_rklalw_rTHCDyl_o7rCM3cXI5FX-4uweDeek3BymoS_pfA/w640-h452/3B2A9108_9small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ebVksKfc7XRYnDGzy1WKtdPzP2tW2mT7v9DulLKwkjsmcjqsGwsUVS6HF8HByjHWeK3AcZbCVZkF6DJ1hH_tirzPAhKytxiOs53QLhxontk9otuD8umAuMdxCYvJkXJmmYOXbjrAQDUtTvvpfS9ItxlPHjgkfq732SaIxL5LkoCabA3DMw7E9FLoTQM/s6667/3B2A9109_10small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4445" data-original-width="6667" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ebVksKfc7XRYnDGzy1WKtdPzP2tW2mT7v9DulLKwkjsmcjqsGwsUVS6HF8HByjHWeK3AcZbCVZkF6DJ1hH_tirzPAhKytxiOs53QLhxontk9otuD8umAuMdxCYvJkXJmmYOXbjrAQDUtTvvpfS9ItxlPHjgkfq732SaIxL5LkoCabA3DMw7E9FLoTQM/w640-h426/3B2A9109_10small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">This was taken using my ultra wide angle (or perhaps fisheye is more accurate?) 12mm lens. It's fun to shoot with, and sometimes you can use the distortion to your advantage. The rocky overhang is greatly accentuated in this photo.<br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU5jHX_-tdVMcZEX9PKJMxqQG3cVa8jCeBvzToEdC-ntegQBHQXy93KimjzmWBeTbClugPtLzezNpjKq9Lsm1ruivq1t9ntS0RQcjUQZ-ftBTJupHpR4Lmn0rwzQPyb6gmmHFBVbr0IzUHwSHTn91VbApM9_NdS4xNWSyiSmvfy6z5rXI4RyvbnJqju6I/s6289/3B2A9110_11small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6289" data-original-width="4352" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU5jHX_-tdVMcZEX9PKJMxqQG3cVa8jCeBvzToEdC-ntegQBHQXy93KimjzmWBeTbClugPtLzezNpjKq9Lsm1ruivq1t9ntS0RQcjUQZ-ftBTJupHpR4Lmn0rwzQPyb6gmmHFBVbr0IzUHwSHTn91VbApM9_NdS4xNWSyiSmvfy6z5rXI4RyvbnJqju6I/w442-h640/3B2A9110_11small.jpg" width="442" /></a></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDMFBTGCM7-R1cforTd9m2PmxOKw1d4nLcXIgMMJ-ehwJo_RHKke3ImmGXtDjvNeevbbPr3vNn3LwnrpwQL1UbTGaPlzKIDQ9_gLUF9aci9XKUh1w03pGKXwTbaHJP8VrfpSseM_jthXVS2XuLgbqMjcfXc2hyZEQFP_w_IwywiFIwhm363ffEX3_-Hq0/s6720/3B2A9113_14.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDMFBTGCM7-R1cforTd9m2PmxOKw1d4nLcXIgMMJ-ehwJo_RHKke3ImmGXtDjvNeevbbPr3vNn3LwnrpwQL1UbTGaPlzKIDQ9_gLUF9aci9XKUh1w03pGKXwTbaHJP8VrfpSseM_jthXVS2XuLgbqMjcfXc2hyZEQFP_w_IwywiFIwhm363ffEX3_-Hq0/w640-h426/3B2A9113_14.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">The Red Obelisk boulder is a landmark people use out here where it's easy to get turned around. It's dead center in the photo above. Below is a closer view.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG5BBEWOmgOltsTlQ63jH5DghLDTJ04D6z191oFAfefJ9GvZny4sbmRpQScNJs9HhPlJW_FlC4xDH6NzMkIaHWKxYv5_hlGqMDJg2a-Yvzqpc3_HAhOU5hIGjgKNjYsMLv2SFcxGJdBPIEKO-GEhKOebDw0ondNv5cNpLENAgqkw1flgcAt1ebGEjOF30/s5183/3B2A9112_13.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3455" data-original-width="5183" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG5BBEWOmgOltsTlQ63jH5DghLDTJ04D6z191oFAfefJ9GvZny4sbmRpQScNJs9HhPlJW_FlC4xDH6NzMkIaHWKxYv5_hlGqMDJg2a-Yvzqpc3_HAhOU5hIGjgKNjYsMLv2SFcxGJdBPIEKO-GEhKOebDw0ondNv5cNpLENAgqkw1flgcAt1ebGEjOF30/w640-h426/3B2A9112_13.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidWM2LdFwdhyxkVJKXTrWja16KjYwb0t9y2Gk7Ekvjp1_xy8rVHPru4IhR657cuU56x0iAC8W8s-eBXHwwJVsN2rEv6xwfpkPxezm-ZBK48qdNrbxvMJV4IdMNfDhcJp1U_woH2sOk93C_H9YazLZVA-ctKQHbO4y9P9pI3wHkaTNrnwm4TCebAFkX9Eg/s5616/IMG_0184niksmall.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3744" data-original-width="5616" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidWM2LdFwdhyxkVJKXTrWja16KjYwb0t9y2Gk7Ekvjp1_xy8rVHPru4IhR657cuU56x0iAC8W8s-eBXHwwJVsN2rEv6xwfpkPxezm-ZBK48qdNrbxvMJV4IdMNfDhcJp1U_woH2sOk93C_H9YazLZVA-ctKQHbO4y9P9pI3wHkaTNrnwm4TCebAFkX9Eg/w640-h426/IMG_0184niksmall.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">The Freak Brothers rock formation with the three distinct summits is impossible to miss. The large Pinion Pin on the left is probably at least 20' tall, so this is a huge formation!</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW26iI6-eBPIqqvHYkN1Ed7GNiLTFnTdQgeO_p5r6VWQ44SBkYt3oU5gk70teETOn2MoVhy9N4jIhV78HyYBXh4AEkO09EyxTIkJjNS2FfAY3GGlxdtGc2T-CNBbBvyT6H5EawRqVDLL6Kf4J9k6GCvIeb-Jxj2sicLuxJ-1mvvnu3hZGnkxTa_hL6U-k/s5616/IMG_0169niksmall.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3744" data-original-width="5616" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW26iI6-eBPIqqvHYkN1Ed7GNiLTFnTdQgeO_p5r6VWQ44SBkYt3oU5gk70teETOn2MoVhy9N4jIhV78HyYBXh4AEkO09EyxTIkJjNS2FfAY3GGlxdtGc2T-CNBbBvyT6H5EawRqVDLL6Kf4J9k6GCvIeb-Jxj2sicLuxJ-1mvvnu3hZGnkxTa_hL6U-k/w640-h426/IMG_0169niksmall.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My friend P.T. on the right.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">The thing about Surprise Rock is it looks like a big round boulder (in an area with thousands of big round bounders) when you hike by it. As a matter of fact, I had trouble finding it again on this hike, even though I've hiked here a number of times in the past. It's not until you push through the bushes and move around the back side of the boulder that you see it's hollowed out. Then, when you look closer, your jaw will drop!</span><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP2Z7TReiWcW-WTd1GZNuh___mpBwmZypjbDl7feXw96b9pNduILo5Lp-tDfMP8d8HWOgIm3RNobvTubzZ6vnJ4wVcXcAhKwEXD-doAf81zlNn5VjCsXR2XC2oDa2lQRzImmue-V6ed3rmPUYWKLHAoUU9fWc-epTCmszDxD12C7tUCchx3VD5nCOWd3E/s6720/3B2A9121.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP2Z7TReiWcW-WTd1GZNuh___mpBwmZypjbDl7feXw96b9pNduILo5Lp-tDfMP8d8HWOgIm3RNobvTubzZ6vnJ4wVcXcAhKwEXD-doAf81zlNn5VjCsXR2XC2oDa2lQRzImmue-V6ed3rmPUYWKLHAoUU9fWc-epTCmszDxD12C7tUCchx3VD5nCOWd3E/w640-h426/3B2A9121.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbsIyoQ8p_2Rv78GZL0446UEOxQImXmvXq31yS52oQe74e4KtLxTR4FHBvMPoc_AkpOOjNGjzUGaIIchyeNrmP2ZizxqDofDSYS-DW6WQtHERxna9YGsoSCGG8578Hh8XilTvT3d2pDNDzXTW5dGCFpYDxDtF6Txwv8Yanyb5HkRP7fD7u9ht9tcwYffc/s6720/3B2A9121_lds.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbsIyoQ8p_2Rv78GZL0446UEOxQImXmvXq31yS52oQe74e4KtLxTR4FHBvMPoc_AkpOOjNGjzUGaIIchyeNrmP2ZizxqDofDSYS-DW6WQtHERxna9YGsoSCGG8578Hh8XilTvT3d2pDNDzXTW5dGCFpYDxDtF6Txwv8Yanyb5HkRP7fD7u9ht9tcwYffc/w640-h426/3B2A9121_lds.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Same photo with a little Dstretch (color enhancer).<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">The sheer number of pictographs (seen here in red) and etched petroglyphs (white or light color) is mind boggling! It's impossible not to ask yourself who made these? Why? What do they mean? I've accepted that we will never be able to answer these questions to any degree of certainty, but they are fascinating just the same. I will hazard an opinion, and that's all it is: Multiple people made these pictographs and petroglyphs over a very long period of time. Some look much more recent, and some are very faded and ancient-looking. Some are very high up on the rock and hard to see. Others are in a very low, dirt-level alcove. The longer you look and let your eyes adjust, the more you see. It's almost as if the ancients would travel this corridor on a regular basis, and add to it. Some of the more recent rock art is written directly over the top of older rock art.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg9s2diTAWMjBdE8c2bjz9F9grXVhnEacVzrBXl8_k85R30sSL6ax3mG2ioDraqtqgkt_aY8D_Eb3G8gCZUTCsK7qXFE_yQpSGOfYAt7ezpk9FYk8aBOwUnIZtla81Iu5xlvjByAM8C892I7gLfwpAnx7Bi9ZPYvzjFu9AIsDfEHkHyDB_8tX7_HNlGno/s6720/3B2A9119_yrd.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg9s2diTAWMjBdE8c2bjz9F9grXVhnEacVzrBXl8_k85R30sSL6ax3mG2ioDraqtqgkt_aY8D_Eb3G8gCZUTCsK7qXFE_yQpSGOfYAt7ezpk9FYk8aBOwUnIZtla81Iu5xlvjByAM8C892I7gLfwpAnx7Bi9ZPYvzjFu9AIsDfEHkHyDB_8tX7_HNlGno/w640-h426/3B2A9119_yrd.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">An ah ha! moment during this visit to Surprise Rock: The etched-in-the-rock petroglyphs are newer than the red dye pictographs. In the photo above, you can clearly see a petroglyph that has been etched right over the top of a red pictograph. I had always assumed the petroglyphs were older, but that's not the case here.</span><br /><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVgo2srW9AfqCZHs-U97WMFC88wWFxN4Jh4XQYtxlPeoD0jrLzVM-p5beLNcdJ3j_Rz9xqpmWXqxYKLfPDuEDvYhe23a9liPMeu6qn52EkEolOwgwoDngVliuZ_gT8FlCI89XgGAW1Qa17a_TAsymvE0p5zXIo5TB7KIL4jJUOxVVWXotVV8zDlDgCeq0/s6720/3B2A9118_yrd.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVgo2srW9AfqCZHs-U97WMFC88wWFxN4Jh4XQYtxlPeoD0jrLzVM-p5beLNcdJ3j_Rz9xqpmWXqxYKLfPDuEDvYhe23a9liPMeu6qn52EkEolOwgwoDngVliuZ_gT8FlCI89XgGAW1Qa17a_TAsymvE0p5zXIo5TB7KIL4jJUOxVVWXotVV8zDlDgCeq0/w640-h426/3B2A9118_yrd.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxksWcfoIYx9GrQEiuhfB3uKD37cJ0yJqhHSDaQZ3lR-Qc8jiM1o8c7fXE6lbzW80VFLTFmeVRKzd4y-wP_W6_LVLOEmTcKdDxMMga7Eay4YrrLS-5sRzKUxf9h2tKmI1Aie5oUnEhThmfU63dWKUOaVDeA7-jItWXf4_KV06JHZlKOSqMEUJA1YsrTCE/s6720/3B2A9122_lds.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxksWcfoIYx9GrQEiuhfB3uKD37cJ0yJqhHSDaQZ3lR-Qc8jiM1o8c7fXE6lbzW80VFLTFmeVRKzd4y-wP_W6_LVLOEmTcKdDxMMga7Eay4YrrLS-5sRzKUxf9h2tKmI1Aie5oUnEhThmfU63dWKUOaVDeA7-jItWXf4_KV06JHZlKOSqMEUJA1YsrTCE/w640-h426/3B2A9122_lds.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">On my first hike to this area, we came across a recent bighorn sheep kill. It was both fascinating and disturbing (if you're squeamish, you might want to skip the next couple photos)</span></div></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwXNEeToXrofrtRKEodr3pC32K8FuJ_7CoR2pZBypQNM9GQO3LPqPupoyZVnCR1PlZ010PRUr91T9G9z7Qmd50JLrQUpMx89m4UY18UQMBUYGo5frmATOWvnAp-UoHYZSGnDOxJ-VpZsGMouZg9BUvjUHddEgqPrUt3-nCbyCqTrXdWiNXnY6LO7eMd2U/s5616/IMG_0111niksmall.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3744" data-original-width="5616" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwXNEeToXrofrtRKEodr3pC32K8FuJ_7CoR2pZBypQNM9GQO3LPqPupoyZVnCR1PlZ010PRUr91T9G9z7Qmd50JLrQUpMx89m4UY18UQMBUYGo5frmATOWvnAp-UoHYZSGnDOxJ-VpZsGMouZg9BUvjUHddEgqPrUt3-nCbyCqTrXdWiNXnY6LO7eMd2U/w640-h426/IMG_0111niksmall.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">February 2017</td></tr></tbody></table></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhP5DlAgHHUFxlsoiE6OJOFyGkObo_gJUnY5S1EueruaLlFuv6bEghLSFyQZoGuV2us50xWbLG1AQUxH05WPJ7klq8Bf9I3wxFjdcamSLeGP6aFiV43LFHtCOJN-AEGuOjfpfM0_oHC7Z3hSnbD_LfHqMTwETtktCd9QTr_cs7YDALhEp3TWRVPcunaXc/s6720/3B2A9136_12.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhP5DlAgHHUFxlsoiE6OJOFyGkObo_gJUnY5S1EueruaLlFuv6bEghLSFyQZoGuV2us50xWbLG1AQUxH05WPJ7klq8Bf9I3wxFjdcamSLeGP6aFiV43LFHtCOJN-AEGuOjfpfM0_oHC7Z3hSnbD_LfHqMTwETtktCd9QTr_cs7YDALhEp3TWRVPcunaXc/w640-h426/3B2A9136_12.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">May 2023</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Not much left now, and in a slightly different location. The skull and horns appear to be gone. In February of 2017, it was a very recent kill. I remember getting the heebie geebies thinking "Am I in a mountain lion den? With it's recent kill where in might see me as a competitor for it's food??" We made a hasty retreat!</span><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Thanks for joining me on this hike. The Native American rock art in this area is fascinating!</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Linking with <a href="https://skyley.blogspot.com/2023/09/skywatch-friday-28-september-2023.html">Skywatch Friday</a>.</span></div></div>Spare Parts and Picshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17836657200014402380noreply@blogger.com47tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277742182540823151.post-70911517147767328132023-09-21T14:27:00.000-07:002023-09-21T14:27:02.524-07:00Milky Way Summer<p><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbB_6RqwvqYbBWAcwViHpPJRKvI6OuX25Cn6Dn3_DdTX6pxFzUDgICcrj9HmbylA5nqPOXIWOL9sMcia2nlaq9D_23wMZ5rXLWkBKOMcskhFDoLdphInRMNeLiaaK8rkUdMImofhxWre4LDAxnUw9sOFY6SOqMlOSvLN1LrbMTu9T-LsrGxc2S6sk7dQo/s1000/milky-way-candy-bars-36-piece-box-candy-warehouse-1.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="704" data-original-width="1000" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbB_6RqwvqYbBWAcwViHpPJRKvI6OuX25Cn6Dn3_DdTX6pxFzUDgICcrj9HmbylA5nqPOXIWOL9sMcia2nlaq9D_23wMZ5rXLWkBKOMcskhFDoLdphInRMNeLiaaK8rkUdMImofhxWre4LDAxnUw9sOFY6SOqMlOSvLN1LrbMTu9T-LsrGxc2S6sk7dQo/s320/milky-way-candy-bars-36-piece-box-candy-warehouse-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Hard for me to believe that summer is over already. Wow, that went fast! This was the summer I became re-interested in Milky Way photography (the big one in the night sky, not the candy barπ). I had dabbled in the past and knew the basics. But for some reason it never caught on until this summer. Beginning in April 2023, I went out once a month on or around the new moon for five consecutive months. Some people say the hardest thing about MW photography is finding a compelling foreground, and getting the lighting (not too bright, but not too dark) and focus just right. So here's what I came up with over the pre-summer and summer of 2023 (all photos taken in Joshua Tree National Park).</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisdpQh-n162el0e4OBlsyOfOM1SmfL-U0ON6eDLJUfkCeoFca30pgnI5M8T3g3H3iN6DFoNeagc6cTu9NHfVX3OWs8FzBl7vg3v55k7ukMJfsMo4hIWeRgkPrkD8LcUxCLwIQWb_ZHJszhoZymBtlhycpJH81uCQ41abKqqz-aIY1bedxw9Gjr-kI5YKc/s6720/3B2A8995blend1v2%20copysmall.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisdpQh-n162el0e4OBlsyOfOM1SmfL-U0ON6eDLJUfkCeoFca30pgnI5M8T3g3H3iN6DFoNeagc6cTu9NHfVX3OWs8FzBl7vg3v55k7ukMJfsMo4hIWeRgkPrkD8LcUxCLwIQWb_ZHJszhoZymBtlhycpJH81uCQ41abKqqz-aIY1bedxw9Gjr-kI5YKc/w640-h426/3B2A8995blend1v2%20copysmall.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">April 2023: Bird Skull Rock</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkUdkU0sj90qM-D3HjM2us6IUw--2e_x7ayJsA3zBTlzO0E1v82l-25QpZvVfiTBdv1S9c_eLq6rkeyUNnHuCYRGF3QrO-ei1JTtiq0xcDPr-iG0OORZLo4Rf54I3_e7tLf7RyFubbIYpvFaxao7DqaZ3ShbQMVhSCI_C-X-NVBnjkoRWyyCLZN0cLflo/s6552/3B2A9195combo%20BW%20small.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6552" data-original-width="4480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkUdkU0sj90qM-D3HjM2us6IUw--2e_x7ayJsA3zBTlzO0E1v82l-25QpZvVfiTBdv1S9c_eLq6rkeyUNnHuCYRGF3QrO-ei1JTtiq0xcDPr-iG0OORZLo4Rf54I3_e7tLf7RyFubbIYpvFaxao7DqaZ3ShbQMVhSCI_C-X-NVBnjkoRWyyCLZN0cLflo/w438-h640/3B2A9195combo%20BW%20small.jpg" width="438" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">May 2023: "Big Eyes" in B&W</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjttr-dp2ICU7cqg5B4dtjtyFzNe3xYivhZ7fUXx_Kf2LxEPmNfiZcey9VgzDUTFyf0qm2tBuLhU2i6TJeOZrM5YDUHM_lCeECa0lsNqYUmnnUd1eCrvrJeF-jMQsKOrAffValqjVC81hZkPWfaNaT4XGWx38bcXtd0Cuut5mZU-_BhIHScKvKVriKrIeM/s6720/3B2A9316-Enhanced-NR%20combo-3small.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjttr-dp2ICU7cqg5B4dtjtyFzNe3xYivhZ7fUXx_Kf2LxEPmNfiZcey9VgzDUTFyf0qm2tBuLhU2i6TJeOZrM5YDUHM_lCeECa0lsNqYUmnnUd1eCrvrJeF-jMQsKOrAffValqjVC81hZkPWfaNaT4XGWx38bcXtd0Cuut5mZU-_BhIHScKvKVriKrIeM/w640-h426/3B2A9316-Enhanced-NR%20combo-3small.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">June 2023: Rock formation along Lost Horse Road</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6jAlFaRe3e1kysygmCq1SvuRZ45uGiXfKUNC8jLh_UMdbMqrX64jX3B90pXSIPUx7de03WROjP1S40g8I1IC5Ivs_svA1wv9mFa0VeF3GBqn17SCTaPGI6jFiItsLJ1_ZtTvZrPwTnUf4dNbAC5ibLc-8VvWmS5HzTXA5womdktFp8SpbYygA6x0Ndxg/s3315/Sequator%20stack%204%20combo%20blend%20V1%20crop2%20small.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3315" data-original-width="2251" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6jAlFaRe3e1kysygmCq1SvuRZ45uGiXfKUNC8jLh_UMdbMqrX64jX3B90pXSIPUx7de03WROjP1S40g8I1IC5Ivs_svA1wv9mFa0VeF3GBqn17SCTaPGI6jFiItsLJ1_ZtTvZrPwTnUf4dNbAC5ibLc-8VvWmS5HzTXA5womdktFp8SpbYygA6x0Ndxg/w434-h640/Sequator%20stack%204%20combo%20blend%20V1%20crop2%20small.jpg" width="434" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">July 2023: "The Big Belch!" (Geology Tour Road)</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJqxlNCLybQvIqi9HpR_0ESg0RT6KHH0HKAsZkYXMaV18ESfmPbZPoGW9g5ai46F9SjRbDHZ1kyasHboWNRISue2zPHvqZhSRYxjOlJDS3nefLy-9cqLqKzZ4Q7dGMUxfkbY9AfUC5m_KN2cRqUBX9L6e7zpdysVd9Y8YyYkvEpNznTZjz9RecOD2d9lU/s6720/3B2A9615-Enhanced-NR%20Perseids%20small.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6720" data-original-width="4480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJqxlNCLybQvIqi9HpR_0ESg0RT6KHH0HKAsZkYXMaV18ESfmPbZPoGW9g5ai46F9SjRbDHZ1kyasHboWNRISue2zPHvqZhSRYxjOlJDS3nefLy-9cqLqKzZ4Q7dGMUxfkbY9AfUC5m_KN2cRqUBX9L6e7zpdysVd9Y8YyYkvEpNznTZjz9RecOD2d9lU/w426-h640/3B2A9615-Enhanced-NR%20Perseids%20small.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">August 2023: Old Pump House (bonus points for Perseid meteors!)</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">There you have it. These five photos represent a tremendous amount of time and effort, but if I had the chance, I would do it all again. My night photography skills have gotten much better, and summer nights under the desert stars are absolutely magical!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Thanks for stopping by!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;">Linking with <a href="https://skyley.blogspot.com/2023/09/skywatch-friday-21-september-2023.html">Skywatch Friday</a>.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW_zLmkp7YMp9OEktOKcWCMXLbZToAQ8I5re31rYVMoDx1m5PnunbASjHhsgGhlKDzwnh_TgKje_D28eWsoIqPbPkD1tXoZC608sLmmXhyCtUdZWnXP7QGU5ioviH-KsimAoJTr9zO6pjPwpOdwONWxqdqYee5gk5EE1reRdhn534y7XCgCBAIcb-_ulU/s1656/Untitled-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1656" data-original-width="1656" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW_zLmkp7YMp9OEktOKcWCMXLbZToAQ8I5re31rYVMoDx1m5PnunbASjHhsgGhlKDzwnh_TgKje_D28eWsoIqPbPkD1tXoZC608sLmmXhyCtUdZWnXP7QGU5ioviH-KsimAoJTr9zO6pjPwpOdwONWxqdqYee5gk5EE1reRdhn534y7XCgCBAIcb-_ulU/w200-h200/Untitled-1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p></p>Spare Parts and Picshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17836657200014402380noreply@blogger.com50tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277742182540823151.post-31236113656312101232023-09-14T12:02:00.002-07:002023-09-14T12:02:54.476-07:00Milky Way Over Quail Springs Pump House<div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I've hiked out to the Quail Springs pump house before (most recently <a href="https://sparepartsandpics.blogspot.com/search?q=pump+house">HERE</a>), but never at night. As a matter of fact, I don't think I've ever seen a night photograph of the pump house, and I <i>know</i> I've never seen a photo of the pump house under the Milky Way. Not many people know about the location so it doesn't get many visitors, and the number of night visitors is probably... well, let's see... zero! Anyway, the idea hit me when I was trying to think of possible interesting foregrounds for the Milky Way, and the pump house seemed to check all the boxes. The view of the pump house is to the south (as is the MW), so we can check off that box. The location should be plenty dark, and it's about 2 miles to the nearest road (so no interference from car headlights: Check βοΈ). The elevation is nearly 4000', so that would help a little with the hot summer desert temperature.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu-gNUKBxFk7dFBw5W5EEr0DElvF-ihOPHhhBHe-NSEVmP_EFBEGyyUbArQwsBF-5-jIH4RvQYnGtk98N1EtZp5OKsAh4ne3NtmmEOyPtRGJj7Fip8UtZBrqHLvGypsmzF23WXCX-WWH37OfwHxuQ7YuG6-QpUcuZojSaOaDsZZUhsPA7dyOr-ATo5SOs/s6720/3B2A9540small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu-gNUKBxFk7dFBw5W5EEr0DElvF-ihOPHhhBHe-NSEVmP_EFBEGyyUbArQwsBF-5-jIH4RvQYnGtk98N1EtZp5OKsAh4ne3NtmmEOyPtRGJj7Fip8UtZBrqHLvGypsmzF23WXCX-WWH37OfwHxuQ7YuG6-QpUcuZojSaOaDsZZUhsPA7dyOr-ATo5SOs/w640-h426/3B2A9540small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">On the hike out to the pump house, you pass by this old rusty relic, which is pretty cool! You are also not far from <a href="https://sparepartsandpics.blogspot.com/2022/11/samuelsons-rocks-on-cloudy-day.html">Samuelson's Rocks</a>. Close to the rusty car is a collapsed cabin, so lots to see out in this area if you know where to look.</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim0W99iHu23GHS0oUaOBCeGQZCLOZXERsDXrXMhLyOe9LzPwf__xySzbCfTFF6xZ0qTaCwxxaTSYEbj0MgZqIm14xxECmjM-v1gLWt7rMgH_MFSx7r-GAVnIyi__Q_pFFS05JbkpMqj9SsaxT6c_nGZ9u2oL8pP93PseGFs6TwqBFlMBPCNprjIAuwaGQ/s6720/3B2A9541.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim0W99iHu23GHS0oUaOBCeGQZCLOZXERsDXrXMhLyOe9LzPwf__xySzbCfTFF6xZ0qTaCwxxaTSYEbj0MgZqIm14xxECmjM-v1gLWt7rMgH_MFSx7r-GAVnIyi__Q_pFFS05JbkpMqj9SsaxT6c_nGZ9u2oL8pP93PseGFs6TwqBFlMBPCNprjIAuwaGQ/w640-h426/3B2A9541.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFUZqVwFNtHy6S1BnmVHsaMEsrKf7Fu7jsOiwzOfkeX3YIOXOGYj9f1pvl0Eo_qvhy8SRWBKXQkEikCPj4fawMlTTV-zui-zia8gAjY7GNiI_FwP3b_OVyxWCydexTwteseh9wpHAwRIYlFzuIcEkc5D-8XLDi0ModT65vdqkjh1iKN4IHZOHTvIboDB8/s6720/3B2A9543.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFUZqVwFNtHy6S1BnmVHsaMEsrKf7Fu7jsOiwzOfkeX3YIOXOGYj9f1pvl0Eo_qvhy8SRWBKXQkEikCPj4fawMlTTV-zui-zia8gAjY7GNiI_FwP3b_OVyxWCydexTwteseh9wpHAwRIYlFzuIcEkc5D-8XLDi0ModT65vdqkjh1iKN4IHZOHTvIboDB8/w640-h426/3B2A9543.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">This cabin was unique in that it had a basement or cellar. It's noticeably cooler down here! Now it's just a snake den. No, just kidding, but I do look very carefully before proceeding in. Because of the rusty cars close proximity to the cabin, they very likely had the same owner. But I've never been able to find any information about the owner of this cabin. </span><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNdvD5pxbS0VZYaUl7FOyN-plHGwrtio-lzdRKrd9seEVUHR_I5TrUDleB1ONvzmZabDBgg_wGanKpoTMUCxYwSQkxc_MSkh4e7YR6nEt-wIiuRmrLvNAf1x_eY4HpH3G9TY7AywfryZjpkb0f-TuFvXTVckfmtMJEoUDVtowWjzULTvVQdfdP9pbwWw/s6720/3B2A9546.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNdvD5pxbS0VZYaUl7FOyN-plHGwrtio-lzdRKrd9seEVUHR_I5TrUDleB1ONvzmZabDBgg_wGanKpoTMUCxYwSQkxc_MSkh4e7YR6nEt-wIiuRmrLvNAf1x_eY4HpH3G9TY7AywfryZjpkb0f-TuFvXTVckfmtMJEoUDVtowWjzULTvVQdfdP9pbwWw/w640-h426/3B2A9546.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">This cabin had a totally bitchen front porch, and the whole area has a very nice feel to it, with lovely desert views. Desert living at its finest! There's a very faint road that leads from the cabin to the pump house. It's likely the owner(s) of this house drove the old jalopy up to the pump house for water.</span><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-UwVLa1jdmYmvYkFaa8FBXFWHvShidiA6MzkGB7VyL0iRAb3aAwdhYaMu_M69L1uuTK6TNzUuL5g7h19Yeo1g-dotE26P2h8GTDIhcPGk23xMlj5mqdjHPqhp96amaITKs83hI_VW3gwPGFfAezMLfPQkCjYCdZ7SkHfwalwBd19CCRNtRNUKSJLLDR8/s4480/3B2A9542%20crop.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="4480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-UwVLa1jdmYmvYkFaa8FBXFWHvShidiA6MzkGB7VyL0iRAb3aAwdhYaMu_M69L1uuTK6TNzUuL5g7h19Yeo1g-dotE26P2h8GTDIhcPGk23xMlj5mqdjHPqhp96amaITKs83hI_VW3gwPGFfAezMLfPQkCjYCdZ7SkHfwalwBd19CCRNtRNUKSJLLDR8/w640-h640/3B2A9542%20crop.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I've heard it said that the old timers would use whatever they could find (usually an old piece of tin from a can) to cover up holes in cabin walls, especially where there was knot in the wood that would allow air to blow in. Here's proof!</span><br /><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Lxd10wIZzXkJGDR2-y6zVG3p4QIGjIkmzUlnRRU4HPr5HwF3RmzHt6csG4SL01drtIS9Xt9SqLBN1t-9LGs0kwy6Cbs9dVQ135YJndpFX_1WtbRtpx3NEz3AH1rxG3K484cKtm3gy5Sve6SYyqIy7FrvMt-N8qCV0bk6UWvg9BIbVCsdgKyhnv_KnyU/s6720/3B2A9547small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Lxd10wIZzXkJGDR2-y6zVG3p4QIGjIkmzUlnRRU4HPr5HwF3RmzHt6csG4SL01drtIS9Xt9SqLBN1t-9LGs0kwy6Cbs9dVQ135YJndpFX_1WtbRtpx3NEz3AH1rxG3K484cKtm3gy5Sve6SYyqIy7FrvMt-N8qCV0bk6UWvg9BIbVCsdgKyhnv_KnyU/w640-h426/3B2A9547small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">It's about 6:30PM when I get to the pump house. That gives me about an hour until sunset, and plenty of time to look around and get my camera and tripod set up.</span></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2e5sfjArE4bierthV41T3r6ruIewuwADevbyCPpTWBX1Qm3ZOe9P7vvCiE4V2uZzMHql887AlUjU-tTzngwn1vsJ5-YJBT4ftHmr4fL7dgii3hEjPOxQUrWpsKGl1guWwZ8Cuz2nvnIpu-js1U-z37Po82fGlOXbS21-zDdhrTGLT18izgkqZ9OdzzYA/s5148/3B2A9548smallcrop.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5148" data-original-width="3777" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2e5sfjArE4bierthV41T3r6ruIewuwADevbyCPpTWBX1Qm3ZOe9P7vvCiE4V2uZzMHql887AlUjU-tTzngwn1vsJ5-YJBT4ftHmr4fL7dgii3hEjPOxQUrWpsKGl1guWwZ8Cuz2nvnIpu-js1U-z37Po82fGlOXbS21-zDdhrTGLT18izgkqZ9OdzzYA/w470-h640/3B2A9548smallcrop.jpg" width="470" /></a></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwxeBoPGYC5s6gTnXk2AXsOQ7Il83_t33ZLyWLSepqdnQamgEVrkZorRJxcYas1xRLp1w8Fric3hVfGyWpSbQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">The old pump still works, which is amazing to me! On this visit, it took a lot of pumping for just a trickle of water. I kept at it until the trough was about half full. I'm guessing the local critters will appreciate it! Interesting side note: Almost the moment I pumped out a trickle of water, the bees went crazy!</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0OduLj9I5ke-Rnbgi6r0MY4ICRkQsVQv4SbIVi5IcOZL_Scbd_wv0bopJcnUQuY3at-oAzZ105TDrHz1klKkXkDfOl3iS4LlaTiCpgiPXGSaR23qM_0xPGaENevWDFZziPPGUpPLpCdSwwIPxNmK8uGRsW3xaRPCbpdlkORRRn_60WFs-IwdYNdOq9jc/s4032/20230812_022257534_iOS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0OduLj9I5ke-Rnbgi6r0MY4ICRkQsVQv4SbIVi5IcOZL_Scbd_wv0bopJcnUQuY3at-oAzZ105TDrHz1klKkXkDfOl3iS4LlaTiCpgiPXGSaR23qM_0xPGaENevWDFZziPPGUpPLpCdSwwIPxNmK8uGRsW3xaRPCbpdlkORRRn_60WFs-IwdYNdOq9jc/w480-h640/20230812_022257534_iOS.jpg" width="480" /></a></div></div><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRyiB040TC1yIpZpRvaiEcpOOeZGopyZ4_szLHB6K9tJiSbH21RIuuH_fMukzs_0dRbnjYvyeiVEIpnSI888FN08oi7UnpH0wFZO60bR0mrtc8saT6cEcGLu6a2000SxmU6VWRwO2-sP2rOkgN4zTyCUrvb6z2CwPjTpd5w5HsnECh-fNlmMJFJ6suPOY/s6720/3B2A9558bwsmall.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRyiB040TC1yIpZpRvaiEcpOOeZGopyZ4_szLHB6K9tJiSbH21RIuuH_fMukzs_0dRbnjYvyeiVEIpnSI888FN08oi7UnpH0wFZO60bR0mrtc8saT6cEcGLu6a2000SxmU6VWRwO2-sP2rOkgN4zTyCUrvb6z2CwPjTpd5w5HsnECh-fNlmMJFJ6suPOY/w640-h426/3B2A9558bwsmall.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Killing time, waiting for the Milky Way to rise.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZBE34bsX_DpjfYWq3TX5UqGS3QO3Xds1GDzscISjE7OJTCjY5BBLOfZSOJubIJ9T-OaFdtN1nqKFQbSBTmeuhzli-yHU2EYDnVXxkmIuHkQQbQzLANZKNAib3AhPiFjibBFzxBDCF_y4sxLMPTP_0LpumheJ6N_HROKNU5KeJCr82Q2AzIy5KxKW9Zhk/s6720/3B2A9566small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZBE34bsX_DpjfYWq3TX5UqGS3QO3Xds1GDzscISjE7OJTCjY5BBLOfZSOJubIJ9T-OaFdtN1nqKFQbSBTmeuhzli-yHU2EYDnVXxkmIuHkQQbQzLANZKNAib3AhPiFjibBFzxBDCF_y4sxLMPTP_0LpumheJ6N_HROKNU5KeJCr82Q2AzIy5KxKW9Zhk/w640-h426/3B2A9566small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKvY_X8_6ncUG9I6YBh2GNNIuRS-XMSs-gnjUl9KHxi2Kxy2P_3qLgdnGPD39CbfTPp9b25t3hnEalxeVMCL2kxKzJsjlPUuhPXLagTDbfkk2eC5kCmem1X_669Q-LQ23fzwvu0Cb52iaNo4RjB0_st_zipsO-qul1yj1duMfeNbZF5ge5J5a4Ezka7hY/s6720/3B2A9568small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKvY_X8_6ncUG9I6YBh2GNNIuRS-XMSs-gnjUl9KHxi2Kxy2P_3qLgdnGPD39CbfTPp9b25t3hnEalxeVMCL2kxKzJsjlPUuhPXLagTDbfkk2eC5kCmem1X_669Q-LQ23fzwvu0Cb52iaNo4RjB0_st_zipsO-qul1yj1duMfeNbZF5ge5J5a4Ezka7hY/w640-h426/3B2A9568small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVkUE2JVo2VRIYOrS7SpG5PVpBx09j5U3zAyEpUPxTc95ugfNQqOy51MbC7YO2JPKG8WhSsYw6J6psM4ryZdYMy64vMIy1e0osnQ8zZnH-CbJfFUhP7u0ogdbiUi-wmJURD5M26wl88tDkDu8pgU_EHTy3xi97wdrx6FOktwBEpkxOLcwURZahBdTJs6I/s6399/3B2A9575%20crop.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3758" data-original-width="6399" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVkUE2JVo2VRIYOrS7SpG5PVpBx09j5U3zAyEpUPxTc95ugfNQqOy51MbC7YO2JPKG8WhSsYw6J6psM4ryZdYMy64vMIy1e0osnQ8zZnH-CbJfFUhP7u0ogdbiUi-wmJURD5M26wl88tDkDu8pgU_EHTy3xi97wdrx6FOktwBEpkxOLcwURZahBdTJs6I/w640-h376/3B2A9575%20crop.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTU-OwLdauxaSMtpuBuOd3BznSBxVCsCD0t8nmeds_9QeJhVuwkNGj3iFrrOj0js57BITTxmAXlTKGgoobllx-uvVTwCHE9YpbIOLtMa2MIDn59Ds0ja07kAA_N6pw3TTFSr4Avb5ywTGOkzG4ootkWTZEQsM0xta7qgaztShtAVI6Yie0Df9f5Uq_hdk/s6720/3B2A9581.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTU-OwLdauxaSMtpuBuOd3BznSBxVCsCD0t8nmeds_9QeJhVuwkNGj3iFrrOj0js57BITTxmAXlTKGgoobllx-uvVTwCHE9YpbIOLtMa2MIDn59Ds0ja07kAA_N6pw3TTFSr4Avb5ywTGOkzG4ootkWTZEQsM0xta7qgaztShtAVI6Yie0Df9f5Uq_hdk/w640-h426/3B2A9581.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpiZJA-z9Lk5Mh_tG6bSkNEnvV3J_0Q56mWt3MyNr_l9rFqmj0w-N6cO0etcvxXxuA7HxCyEl0yVoJqvqme_IA1_q9p7a0sHydZI6jHiEzErbBP9tAPygIIwMb5nL7GHTZPihkwHojebH-MmxRP5lY1SevniMH30OkxYmOibt7-rIb3I-W2iIRArkI24M/s4480/3B2A9584small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="4480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpiZJA-z9Lk5Mh_tG6bSkNEnvV3J_0Q56mWt3MyNr_l9rFqmj0w-N6cO0etcvxXxuA7HxCyEl0yVoJqvqme_IA1_q9p7a0sHydZI6jHiEzErbBP9tAPygIIwMb5nL7GHTZPihkwHojebH-MmxRP5lY1SevniMH30OkxYmOibt7-rIb3I-W2iIRArkI24M/w640-h640/3B2A9584small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqtowfFx6ULtRgUYEUamh9IkznN0yI-rRZLRHY2r8Dcf8_DwZEf-Ae6bkFF3ibu3-RQVCAza_q-7pKEmlfV-6mnzyqj6O-6kdLqhRmzFvZpVx_X4F3AdiGxjfODaaikPs_-MXVDpzKRRa8qFXVAqWGdOOmBL_5X6yW0V049rShNVkMXzg9Bshj1dyYxkc/s6720/3B2A9587small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4480" data-original-width="6720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqtowfFx6ULtRgUYEUamh9IkznN0yI-rRZLRHY2r8Dcf8_DwZEf-Ae6bkFF3ibu3-RQVCAza_q-7pKEmlfV-6mnzyqj6O-6kdLqhRmzFvZpVx_X4F3AdiGxjfODaaikPs_-MXVDpzKRRa8qFXVAqWGdOOmBL_5X6yW0V049rShNVkMXzg9Bshj1dyYxkc/w640-h426/3B2A9587small.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_9sP6SO0__M2-ekENw-6qEmZntCEVffYlqU2aACGo_762ylmeJFWAk5cXwiIQ8zgRO7wPvvqBzhH7gARrGES6QPbFgD5Vy0yaAVSx7QV7LaeC2snwXuhhU32MDCbjIzwnhbjOyQ5OohWlcSJpDC7U8MJCoqhQQJnK-Jiiiqo4k9egPbAIM1CvP-58qdI/s4032/20230812_024506489_iOSsmall.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_9sP6SO0__M2-ekENw-6qEmZntCEVffYlqU2aACGo_762ylmeJFWAk5cXwiIQ8zgRO7wPvvqBzhH7gARrGES6QPbFgD5Vy0yaAVSx7QV7LaeC2snwXuhhU32MDCbjIzwnhbjOyQ5OohWlcSJpDC7U8MJCoqhQQJnK-Jiiiqo4k9egPbAIM1CvP-58qdI/w640-h480/20230812_024506489_iOSsmall.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Until finally, it was dark enough and the MW was in the right position...</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQUKeiviR3LZWjSwlz1b_JPfp-qB13LwRMR4JNd5L3MA5SKjhKXwRDbFh3hHw9qkfouDmuarFuitkM8p2XIzL6Svt8kpsWTgKZPLARBOmSSorQfLdOSQJaJ355oaf7TnMBAv0GyZwqddm47mss04WpnsAaPY3l8VltXxtkwCWORCsvEePLIRTr5GCOB4Y/s6720/3B2A9592%20combo%20HDRsmall.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6720" data-original-width="4480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQUKeiviR3LZWjSwlz1b_JPfp-qB13LwRMR4JNd5L3MA5SKjhKXwRDbFh3hHw9qkfouDmuarFuitkM8p2XIzL6Svt8kpsWTgKZPLARBOmSSorQfLdOSQJaJ355oaf7TnMBAv0GyZwqddm47mss04WpnsAaPY3l8VltXxtkwCWORCsvEePLIRTr5GCOB4Y/w426-h640/3B2A9592%20combo%20HDRsmall.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">It's so much fun being out in the desert at night under all these stars! Totally quiet with just the occasional yip of a coyote. The above photo is actually 10 photos that are "stacked" to reduce noise (since you have to crank up the ISO for these MW photos). My plan was to go out at night for more photos the night after this photo was taken to (hopefully) capture the Perseid meteors. Long story, but the camera settings were incorrect (read: User error) and after taking around 300 photos, I got nothing. So I decided to go back to my pump house photos, brighten them up a little, and see if I could spot any meteors.</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu86B75OfN3vPAR7XynXPu1UIVxUaVRuTC3zdcQ1466VCkqq9Sy4ntG9Pb3sORn4RundcSXHe3tDq0cIU674FCV1bjZGGwx2c4wcTcs4Sgtd93dr4z7Xd5vTaHkVCdhmJBpDEJN2kraRXvhku4suRHaCpTtpnbXJzq8t1gLkHVn7DRKhJTrl1khRnr_fk/s6720/3B2A9615-Enhanced-NR%20Perseids%20small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6720" data-original-width="4480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu86B75OfN3vPAR7XynXPu1UIVxUaVRuTC3zdcQ1466VCkqq9Sy4ntG9Pb3sORn4RundcSXHe3tDq0cIU674FCV1bjZGGwx2c4wcTcs4Sgtd93dr4z7Xd5vTaHkVCdhmJBpDEJN2kraRXvhku4suRHaCpTtpnbXJzq8t1gLkHVn7DRKhJTrl1khRnr_fk/w426-h640/3B2A9615-Enhanced-NR%20Perseids%20small.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Darn if I didn't capture some!! Out of the 10 photos I took (10 second exposure, ISO 8000), 3 or 4 had faint meteors that could be seen. I combined them into this single image. What a nice bonus to have on my MW photos!</span><br /><div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR1aqy6UinXK1sGWLfwcMKgCxQt2OImdH-byVUqoxcDfeCboSmv3SSsmAcS4UoWzDrUEnScmC8t1WzUdH0DoPOEGKLrdJPtEOx03ngBQ73O238VCzDHvtXa3m6PBFbqWwYzlyxiAtu9n-dSnn5e148jqHkB3tOSR0TxSblf-0ofDZachBX8aWctFZ97bk/s3589/20230812_050759210_iOS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3589" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR1aqy6UinXK1sGWLfwcMKgCxQt2OImdH-byVUqoxcDfeCboSmv3SSsmAcS4UoWzDrUEnScmC8t1WzUdH0DoPOEGKLrdJPtEOx03ngBQ73O238VCzDHvtXa3m6PBFbqWwYzlyxiAtu9n-dSnn5e148jqHkB3tOSR0TxSblf-0ofDZachBX8aWctFZ97bk/w540-h640/20230812_050759210_iOS.jpg" width="540" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">There's only one challenging part to this hike, and that's hiking open desert using headlamp and phone navigation to get back to the car. The above photo shows you exactly what it looks like. No mountains or landmarks of any kind; just a patch of light from the headlamp. If my phone navigation would malfunction or my battery died, I would have to just sit down and wait for first light. There's just no way of navigating without GPS, unless you're one of those people who know how to navigate using the stars! Anyway, all went well, my trusty phone app guided me right back to my car, and it was a wonderful night to be out taking pictures in the desert!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Thanks for stopping by, and stay healthy!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Linking with <a href="https://skyley.blogspot.com/2023/09/skywatch-friday-14-september-2023.html">Skywatch Friday</a>.</span></div></div>Spare Parts and Picshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17836657200014402380noreply@blogger.com39