We got up to warm sunshine and started our day with breakfast on the patio.
Then Gail dumped us to go off and pamper herself ~ so Jim took us for a tutorial on desert 101. It was great.
We went to the Scottsdale McDowell Sonoran Preserve. Citizens of Scottsdale have preserved an area of the Sonora desert and McDowell Mountains where people can enjoy the beauty of the desert, hiking, biking and horseback riding.
The first area we visited this morning was the Gateway Bajada Nature Trail which gave some wonderful basic information about the vegetation and wildlife found in the desert. "A bajada is the area between the steep mountain slopes and the flat valley floor. It is formed when erosion breaks apart mountain peaks and rain washes the loose rocks and soil down to the valley below. The pile of debris that forms is called a bajada"
So come along on our tour ~
 |
| jumpin cholla cactus |
 |
| young saguaro |
 |
| prickly pear |
 |
| barrel |
 |
| mature saguaro |
 |
| mistletoe hanging on palo verde tree |
 |
| palo verde tree (green bark) |
 |
| ironwood tree |
 |
| wash |
The McDowell mountains watching over us ~
 |
| camel back mountain ~ head to right |
 |
| Thompson Peak |
 |
| Tom's thumb |
then we walked up to the trail head seeing breathtaking scenery ~
 |
| Lupine and Mexican Poppies |
 |
| Strawberry Hedgehog Blooms |
 |
| Brittlebush |
 |
| lizard |
 | ||
pack rat midden
|
Although Gail wasn't with us she was forever in our thoughts, " remember to drink your water."
It was over 80 while we were out but in the desert you don't realize you're sweating because it evaporates so quickly and you can dehydrate just as quickly.
We picked Gail up and went to lunch at the Euro Pizza Cafe in Fountain Hills where we were able to eat outside overlooking the lake waiting patiently (and sometimes not so patiently) for the fountain to spray. This fountain actually held the record for the tallest fountain in the world for over 10 years.
Next we had a 4:40 tee time so we just had time to slip into our golf shoes and head to Mountain Shadow's Golf Course.
Located in the shadows of the famous Camel Back Mountain ~ it was difficult to pay attention to the game.
Gail did a great job of capturing the "camel." It is lying down with it's head to the far right and it's one hump to the left of Lynn's head ~ see it?
It was beautiful. Not only was this course populated with golfers but also bunnies, quail, geese and swans ~ so much to see!
We managed to play 12 holes before the sun set. In the desert there is little dusk ~ the sun sets and it gets dark quickly.
CHEERS to another great day! (noticing a theme here?)
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
No comments:
Post a Comment