Windy day here in Southern California....

 

Our Location: 

North of MM 4, Ogibly Road, Winterhaven, California

 

A morning walk in the cool air had me wishing I'd put on a heavier hoodie and wore my jeans, but alas I was in shorts and a light hoodie. Can you say shiver? Yes I did for over half of my walk. Now why didn't I turn around and get something heavier you might ask, and if you want to know I thought it would warm up faster but the wind wasn't having any of that and it's been pretty much out of the south all day. Temps are cold for a south wind folks! 

 

Noticed this very green growth in the bottom of a wash today.

 

Very pointy seed pods on there.

 

Stopped to visit Doug for few minutes on my way home and later in the day I went over to see how he was doing his little project, ended up helping some but not really much help as the end result today didn't work. I think we're trying again tomorrow. So we shall see how that little nugget goes. 

 

This pod is partially open.

 

Also found in a wash. Looks like an old gas can, still has the small metal handle and cap.

Dark clouds have been blowing in since mid afternoon and it feels like rain in the air, almost damp. I went out to snap a few photos and even with jeans and a heavy hoodie on I'm still feeling the chill. Brrrrrrr....... 

 

Mesquite pods.

A call north to chat with Don & Joan, but Don wasn't available, although Joan and Evelyn chatted for a few minutes. Miss Evelyn broke her wrist and isn't supposed to do ANYTHING at all for two weeks before they decide if she needs surgery. She lives alone and has a cat, so it may be a challenge for her. We wish her well!!

 

This flowery little cluster was also in a wash, not sure if it's dying or coming to life, but I think the former.

 

So that's it for the day, not much exciting. We were invited to happy hour next door, to the east of us, Doug is to the west.  Rigs have been coming for days and at last count there are at least 6 with more coming. According to the lady that popped up at the door, more Canadians than Americans right now but soon that will equal out or change. 

The sun's rays threw the clouds.

 

For our US readers, Old Glory in the sun's rays.  Thanks Doug for the view.

The dark clouds are coming from the north but the wind is out of the south.

 

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed your visit. 

 

Until next time...

 

Take care, be safe, 

 

Deb

 

 

A rainy day in southern California....

 

Our Location: 

North of MM 4, Ogilby Road, Winterhaven, California

 

An overcast morning and truly no sunshine all day. Rain drops, but nothing that would be considered a good rain, just enough to make everything wet and keep a person inside. I did manage a walk earlier and so today's photos were taken then.

 

I saw this dolphin this morning, he was swimming in the sand!!

The extent of the sun this morning on my walk.

Even the Cargo Muchacho Mtns are bleak.

The force of water moves everything, even someone's small mat.

 

The nice Canadian couple with the trouble yesterday have since gotten it resolved and are happy once again. A few minutes chat with them this morning on my way home from walking had us comparing notes on things such as dumping, water, garbage etc. They use a Speedway or a Speedy on 4th Avenue. Everything is free, dump, water and garbage.  He fixed the electrical problem and she found out that the Verizon store didn't charge her enough and so the account was listed as NO FUNDS. The girl at the store had under charged her $1.49, but no one would tell her that on the phone.

 

The arroyo is very wide.

Something made a den by digging a hole above in the ground but the water has washed it away.

A better idea of what the water can do in the sandy areas away from the foot of the mountains.

You can see the arroyo is different heights on the bottom.

 

I chatted with my sister last night for a while, just to touch base and see how things are going. Seems all is going well. 

 

The Canadian gent made this for his wife a few years ago on Valentine's Day.

Water is a life necessity but also a death drink at the same time.

This ocotillo looks so scruffy and I've never seen such a thing.

It looks like it's sending new shoots everywhere at the roots and at the branch endings higher up.

 

Thanks for stopping in, I hope you enjoyed your visit. 

 

 

You can see where the water dripped off the Dogsled.

Yep, rain on the window!

 

Until next time..

 

Take care, be safe, 

 

Deb

 

 

More of yesterday's photos......

 

 

Our Location: 

North of MM 4, Ogilby Road, California

 

A nice night but a bit cool this morning due to the little bit of breeze, once again from the north. No plans today and so I'll share with you some more of yesterday's photos but I must warn you, they aren't of views but more of the ground that makes up the desert floor and the mountains. A few from today as well. 

 

The arroyo walls were getting higher and higher as I went closer to the mountains.

This is what greeted me when I climbed out of the arroyo.

Of course there are more 'on end' features here too, just like Saddle Mountain.

 

On my way home this is the bottom of the same arroyo a bit further along the way.

I wonder how tall these mountains once were before the water and weather knocked them down?

Soft rock, easily broken and cracked. Love the colours.

A nice Canadian couple from British Columbia are in the rig just up the way. Of German decent with a somewhat heavy accent, she told me they have been coming here for about 20 years and have never seen it so empty. They developed an electrical problem when he accidentally forgot to pull the chord from the socket when they hooked up the truck for some reason. This morning they woke up to no power of any kind. To make it even more wonderful, the Verizon phone she had just loaded for the upcoming month wasn't working. I offered the use of my phone but she was put through to 4 different departments and finally just gave up  saying they would have to go into Yuma to straighten it out. Late this afternoon they pulled out to dump, get water and deal with the phone issue. They have returned about an hour ago and are once again set up. I'm guessing they have fixed whatever they could. 

 

Whether wind, water or animal I don't know but something has made these holes. Not very deep nor very big.

Over time water has worn this pathway in the soft rocks.

You can see where it's cutting a path down threw the rocks.

 

Water kills many things and wears away life!

Okay so a couple of views from on high.

Here I am standing on the highest point I climbed yesterday looking into the area behind.

The big black mound, for perspective that's a rig and very tall power poles over there beside it.

So other than a walk and a chat, nothing exciting happened today. We like it when it's quiet and unexciting. We even pulled out the BBQ, only the second time on this journey, to make lunch. It was pretty good, even if I say so myself. Can you tell I was the cook today? 

 

Sunset, Dec 1, Ogilby Road, California

I did nothing to this photo, my phone took this picture as is.

Riley and I walked along this on our morning walk.

 

It got wider and deeper as we went along.

For reference Riley is just under 5'11" tall.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed your visit. 

 

Until next time...

 

Take care, be safe, 

 

Deb

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More of yesterday's photos.

 

Our Location: 

Saddle Mountain BLM, Tonopah, Arizona

 

I finally shut the window around 2:30 am last night as a very coolish breeze was blowing straight from the window over my bed. This morning the outside temps were still in the mid 50's/13C, very comfortable indeed. 

 

Everything is up or down hill, nothing is flat and lots of ocotillo living and dead.

The rocks truly are almost a rusty colour. Again it's uphill. 

 

I didn't go any higher. I did go past that lone saguaro over there but couldn't get around the corner. It just kept going.

This morning instead of going off hiking on my own, Riley and I walked in a loop along the roads here, we covered 2.5 miles/4 km with very little climbing involved. It worked for both of us, it pushed her a little farther than she would go on her own and kept me from going farther than I should. 

 

 

It was up and down, over and through, big steps, little steps but always careful steps.

Very rolly little pebbles and stones.

My hiking boots grip pretty well on that clean flat stone.

A text from Doug this morning, we aren't expecting him today. 

 

Phoenix is over that way, as are the Superstition Mountains. I wonder if I could see them from here?

I could have gone higher with a little more effort.

Nothing is flat, you can see the lines down there.

Chatted with dad last night for about a half hour. Not a lot of news but it's nice to touch base and hear how things are going. 

 

I walked over there to the ledge a bit right and lower than middle of the photo.

That white spot way off is the Igloo.

If you look closely that thin whitish line is the trail I walked.

 

The temps today aren't as high as yesterday, we are in the mid 70's/24C with a good breeze. A slight fly problem makes it difficult to sit outside for longer than an hour but yet walking they seem to be missing. No complaints of course but it's interesting. 

 

 

I zoomed in with my phone to give you an idea of how steep and rocky it is.

I don't believe that would be an easy climb and I would worry about snakes right now.

The cave is up there, the guard sits to the right.

Today's photos were taken yesterday on my hike with my phone. I hope you enjoy them. 

 

I am standing above the ledges I wanted to climb on, but can't reach from here. Home is out there to the left of center.

It would be fun to try!

One day I would have liked to climb up there, but I won't.

Thanks for stopping by. 

 

The ledges are down there!!

The way down from my failed attempt to reach those ledges.

Close to home, across that fence is where we usually park when we're here.

 

Until next time...

 

Small blooms on a tiny cactus.

They blend well, don't they?

 

I love the colours of the Ocotillo as it comes into green.

Amazing how the photo above and this one are from the same Ocotillo.

Take care, be safe, 

 

 

Still very picky even though it's not in the best of health.

Now how does this happen?

Amazing how it's all still green and alive.

 

Deb