A few more photos.....

Our Location: Saddle Mountain BLM, Tonopah, AZ

The last few days have been lazy days with only one outing for us. We gathered up Doug and took a ride to Winterburg for some cough/cold meds, water and propane. We managed two out of 3 with the meds and the propane (Doug needed a couple of little cylinders) but headed out to Tonopah for the water. 

 I managed to climb a small hill the other day and this is the view.

 According to the locals that is the reason for the flies.

 I believe it's either chickens or eggs production in those lovely white buildings.

 That is the Igloo way over there behind that mound.

Lots of water around in some places, one of the washes we drove through had a couple of inches of water flowing across. The Big Dog was like a young pup as he splashed through. 

 The Igloo over there in the distance. 

 That red vehicle is on Salome Hwy.

 That was the highest point I climbed.

 I just love the views, even if I'm not up very high.

Do you see the rig back there? 

I was out and about this morning, just puttering. I noticed Doug had hooked up the jeep to Miss Adventure and I watched him drive away. I doubt we will be seeing any more of her and she will be looking for new owners to share her adventures with. 

Another rig back there. 

 And more over there near the base of the hill.

 Some pretty colours are around. 

 Doug's rigs and his jeep way over there. 

Cooler today with a slight breeze and I think Riley and I will just once again rest up today. I'm hoping to get out and about tomorrow maybe and do a bit of a walk or hike. I can feel my energy level returning now. 

The last series of photos above were taken during our rainy day and stormy evening a few days ago. 

The jeep is hidden down there somewhere. 

The jeep is now hooked to Miss Adventure. Do you see Doug locking the door to the White Lion? 

Doug is now climbing into Miss Adventure. 

  They are off to the consignment place. 

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


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

Deb

 

Saguaro picture day...

Our Location: Near Tonopah, Arizona

 

A better night's sleep last night, I didn't wake up until the clock was pushing 6 AM. I'll take that without complaint. Not as cool this morning as it has been lately so we're happy about that as well. 

 

This is the most bizarre Saguaro I've ever seen.

 

Out the door for a walk around 9:30 AM had me deciding I'd stick to the roadway's running around the area and I did mostly only heading across country a time or two and not far. Today's pictures were all taken with my phone. I may actually go back with the camera another day and take some better ones but at least you get an idea. Today's pictures are all Saguaro cactus as well. 

 

I bet some of you laughed at the first picture! I did. That's the same cactus in both photos. What a difference angle makes. In the second photo I see an adult with a small child in their arms and they are pointing at something. I won't tell you what I saw in the first photo.

 I wandered around the road ways finding some interesting places to see and things to check out, I learned a bit as well. I'm always happy to learn things. Next I'll take the Dogsled for a ride back to the area that I learned the most about and see if we like it there. Maybe next time in the area we'll have a better place to park although this one is pretty good! 

 

Arthur Murray's school of dance.

 

I am feeling more like myself today and I think tomorrow I'll be back to even more of my regular feeling self. Last week I wanted to have a drink, a Vodka Cooler in fact and the arthritis medication I take in a once weekly dose does not allow me to drink. I just skipped the regular dose last week so I could have a drink. The medication makes me semi nauseous anyway and I think the lack of a top up last week made me more nauseous than usual.  So I guess I'll not be doing that any more. 

 

Can you see the heart shape?          This is the 'head' in the photo below.

 

Does my butt look big?                                                         I think I ripped something.

     

 

The sky never really showed much promise of any good weather today and the wee bit of blue sky that managed to peek out for 2 minutes was only a tease. A few raindrops fell tonight as I chatted with my dad to see how things were doing. They had 40 + cm/ 15 + inches of snow between Monday night and this morning. A couple more inches fell this afternoon after they finished clearing the other snow. Such fun stuff, moving all that white stuff.  Dad called it an old fashioned winter. He also mentioned my sister in law Barb and her sister Connie have been delayed on returning from their DR holiday since 7:30 AM this morning. They have been delayed three times and it seems the next scheduled time to leave is 3:30 AM. What a long delay and she had no explanation as to the reason or at least she didn't give one to Rick. Connie's husband Chad was to pick them up at the Sudbury airport but now with the delay Barb's son Jason will be picking them up instead. Safe flight ladies!!

 

A wart is a wart.

 

Riley baked some more cookies today, good cookies of course. She was at it when I arrived back home from my walk. I think she's becoming more settled here after a bit of anxiety earlier this winter, and the baking is helping to reach that more relaxed state. I noted she added bananas to the shopping list, so I see more banana bread in the future. That's okay, I like banana bread. 

 

Can you see her hiding her face in the right hand photo? I think she's embarrassed by all the growths.

 

So that was our day, nothing exciting but it was nice and we enjoyed it. A quiet, calm day here in our little neighbourhood. The forecast is calling for rain tonight and tomorrow so we shall see if it actually arrives. Doesn't really matter tomorrow is a day full of chores for us. Laundry, water, groceries, and a look see in a couple of stores. We are both looking forward to a day in town. 

 

If you keep moving we're going to faaaaalllllll......

 

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you had a most excellent day where ever you may be and doing what ever it is that you spent your day doing. 

 

Do not adjust your head, he's really leaning.

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

 

There is always one slacker among the bunch.

 

Deb

 

 

 

Another hike today....

Our Location: Near Tonopah, Arizona

I slept late this morning, not waking until almost 8 AM but still not feeling the quite up to par. Oh well eventually it'll pass. 

Doesn't this look like a great place to call home for a while?

I'm on the southeast side of yesterday's climb. That big top knot is where the hole in the rock is that I was hoping to get to yesterday.

We chatted about things to do and decided not to do any of them today. Who says two women can't make a decision? We also decided we'd put off any decisions until tomorrow about what to do tomorrow. Two executive decisions in one morning is a first for Riley and I. We are on a roll. 

If you look way off to the right of that white looking area you'll see a little white dot. The Igloo is that little dot.

Yep, I've made it around the edge of the hillside and now I'm heading west again.

Around 9:30 AM Riley headed out for her walk, I was a minute or two behind her as I was tying up my hikers when she left. We went in opposite directions naturally. She toward a more easily walked path while I started back toward the green of the hillsides I explored yesterday. There was an area I wanted to check out today. 

It's a long way down there as you can see by the Saguaros.

Amazing view isn't it? Like the ground is off kilter. 

Cross country, I even crossed the fence and kept on moving. I can tell you that the washes or arroyos are much deeper over here on this side of things than where we were before. One must almost hunt down a passage each time through them as they are often steep sided and deep with no discernible trail down or up. I think the wall of water coming down these areas must be much faster and a great deal more forceful. It is the only explanation I can think of for the depth of them. 

The dead end plateau is up there to the left of the rocky top on the left.

  

Can you see the glitter in the eyes of the serpent?

Eventually I passed the side of the hill that I explored yesterday and continued along the until I found a place that looked inviting before I headed up the side of the hill. I wanted to explore the south east side of this spot and so I followed what looked like a path but that I think may be a goat path not a foot path as it looped around the southeast of the hill. It kept going and so did I until it seemed to just stop. Hm....now I wonder where it went? Oh well, I just kept going, making my own pathway as I mountain goated it around the edge of the hillside. Before long I ended up where I wanted to be, on the back side of the front side.

 

It's a very long way down with many dips, humps and bumps between me and the bottom.

I have no hope of even trying to get up any of those slopes.

I found myself looking at the same area that I had looked down at from the dead end plateau. Except I was looking into it instead of out of it. What a difference from this side. There are so many things to see and check out and I think I may actually go back there again another time with another thought in mind. I noticed what looks like a trail that I would like to follow at least for a while, however that's for another day. 

Pretty impressive from this side, don't ya think?

The colours are amazing.

I scrambled up and around a number of places thinking I could crest the top but it was not to be, I seemed to be on an island of rock that didn't offer any easy passage to the crest. Instead I had to scramble back down the same side I'd just climbed and hoof it back along the bottom edge through dips, gullies, washes, arroyos and water ways. 

I would like to get up there but I don't think it'll happen. Too steep.

I noticed this blimp as I was heading home.

I did not see another living soul except a bird, a hawk I think, way up high in the sky circling on the wind currents looking for brunch. Not another living thing moved with in my sight. Although I did hear lots of flies.

 

This gives you an idea of how steep the sides are that I've been climbing the last few days.

 

A family outing.

I hustled back toward the Igloo but once again was slowed by the many detours to find ways through the deeper washes or arroyos before I came up a road way. Now I'd been on this roadway before but I wanted to know where it left the main road along the power lines, so I followed it. Sure enough it came out approximately where I had thought and I simply continued along the road way snapping photos of various Saguaros. 

A side view. The hole from yesterday. I made it to the sitting man's up turned toes on the right. You do see the man and his feet right?

This Saguaro has had it's main trunk broken off and the arms are sprouting around it but you can see how the inside has skinned over the pulp inside to protect it and keep the Saguaro living.

Before long I was crossing the fence line and arriving back at the Igloo. Time was 12:30 PM. My three hour hike hadn't made me feel any worse but I think it may have actually made me feel a bit better. I had more energy and was anxious to be back outside for a while. 

For those that do yoga. This Saguaro is doing the 'downward facing dog' pose.

The green hue of the desert is caused by this. GRASS is growing everywhere.

It was a couple of hours later that I actually managed to get back outside and my errand was the Weber. It was lunch time and I was happy to be doing something that we haven't done for a while. BBQ. A nice ham steak and some grilled potatoes were on the menu today, along with some stuffing. Our salads from shortly after noon thirty were long gone and so it was time to eat. 

Note the hole under the large arm. Wonder what made such a thing?

Reminds me of the gymnasts or cheerleaders that climb up making a pyramid. 

After that I spent some time doing a few putzy things and reading my book before I sat down to edit today's photos and then do this post. The days are seeming to whiz by so fast here. It's amazing how they do that. 

It's hard to believe all this life is supported by ONE trunk.

Don't ya wonder what could have made this guy so beaten and scarred?

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you had a spectacular day where ever you may be and doing what you may have been doing. 

Tall and stately.

Home sweet home.

 

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

 

Deb