We had visitors....

Our Location: Near American Girl Mine Road, BLM, California

 

I had good intentions last night of writing this blog and as you can tell, my good intentions, well they stayed as intentions. 

 

This a photo that was on my phone, I had forgotten about it. While at Home Depot the other day I noticed this cactus. I have no idea what kind it is, I didn't look for a tag but it was the most interesting cactus I've ever seen. 

 

I'm sure it's looks are deceiving and I didn't touch it to find out. I've never seen this kind of cactus in the outdoors so I'm sure it's a hybrid of some sort but it's definitely interesting, don't you think? 

 

The last couple of days have been very nice with a surprise tossed in. We enjoy a surprise or two, keeps life exciting. 

 

 

 Friday night sunset. A ball of fire falling from the sky.

Our fading sunset is becoming another's sunrise. Causing their morning sky to lighten, while our skies darken. 

 

Walking has taken up some time for us, putzing around, reading, house keeping, you know all those things that we do that wiles away the day for all us. Yesterday morning I headed back toward those hills but didn't quite reach them. I almost did but when I realized where I was I stopped and headed back home. 

 

 A last blast of colour as it slips lower and lower beyond our horizon.

 Fading, fading, fading...

I was more interested in walking than taking pictures and so I left the big camera at home.  After I reached the power lines way back there I decided to walk one of the bigger washes. It was a bit rugged in places but not bad over all. Washes do not run in a straight line and this one curved ever so gently to the northeast bringing me very close to a feeder trail off of the left hand road on American Girl Mine Road (you recall Riley and I took that left hand road a few days ago). Last year I walked this same feeder trail to reach the western edge of the tailing pile, while the road Riley and I took the other day brought us in on the eastern edge. So at this realization I turned around and headed off back home. I have no doubt the wash I was walking would lead me back to the huge tailing pile that I posted photos of just a few days ago.  A little over 4 miles round trip took me about an hour and a half. 

 

 Very course sand back here, rocks, stones and gravel. The left side of the wash is deeper than the right. Therefore that side takes most of the water's force on it's trek through this wash.

This is the point where the bigger wash divides, those two trees are actually in the very middle of the wash. Water would flood this whole photo and some would escape on the left through a wash as deep as the one on the right. The right one is more visible because of the off road vehicle tracks. 

 

Back home I wasn't interested in lunch but as I finished a little snack I noticed a nice silver Jeep making it's way in our direction. It slowed down, it slowed down and soon it turned in. Heading outside I found Elva and Jerry Shannon climbing out of the nice silver Jeep. It was a wonderful surprise. Had I read my email I wouldn't have been surprised as Elva told me she had sent me a message but as I was not diligent in reading email, you can see why I was surprised.

 

 

 All of the photos of the wash were taken with my phone. It's pretty wide here and there is only course sand, small stones and gravel here.

 The banks are quite high, and hard to climb out of. You can see the bottom is getting more course with bigger gravel, rocks and even debris.

 

We chatted for a while, getting to know each other a bit more. Some laughs and a few stories. You know how that goes right? As we're chattering our neighbour Kay from up the wash came by looking for her cat Rascal. He's been missing for three or four days. It seems he bolted out the door before she could catch him and hasn't been seen since. We all chatted for a bit until Kay headed home and before long Elva & Jerry were also climbing in their Jeep to head out. It was a wonderful visit and we will be seeing them again before we leave the area. Thanks for stopping by Elva & Jerry, we enjoyed the visit.

 

The closer to the hills the rougher the bottom of the wash becomes. The stones are bigger, less sand, less gravel. 

You can see the force of the water, it has washed away everything except those buried deep. You can also see the fine sand deposit in the middle of the photo. I believe that has been beaten off the bigger stones and rocks as they bounce over these more deeply embedded ones.  

 

Our day wound down with a good book and a few little chores. Nothing says good living like putzing around enjoying the day. Over the past few days I've spoken with Dad, daughter Courtney, and friend Linda. All of them are in Ontario, Linda being the farthest north by a little. Snow, cold, more cold and more cold. Seems to be the order of the day. All are doing well, and wishing for the cold days of winter to be over. I can't say that I blame them. 

 

 

It's getting more difficult to walk here, less sand or small gravel. 

 

It is about this point I turn around. I've discovered where I am and where I'm heading and looking ahead, it's far too rough for me to continue today. 

 

So there you have it, our last couple of days. Hope you enjoyed your visit.

 

 

 Myself, Elva, and Riley.

 Elva, Riley and Jerry.

 

Until next time... take care, be safe, 

 

Deb