Searcher: April 2013

It has been a long time since I posted on this blog. Been too busy enjoying myself in the desert and visiting with friends we made from last winter. So good to see them again this year. We just parted this past weekend with us going south and they heading north to Colorado. We will eventually turn east and north but want to soak up as much sun and warmth as possible before we do that.

We left our favorite camping spot which we fondly call 18 Wheeler Hill because a semi pulled in here last winter and gave everyone camping here all kinds of crazy ideas as to what he might be up to. One group called the Sheriff and the California Patrol. Both agencies showed up, broke the man's window just as he came walking out of the mountains wearing a purple back pack. He was rock hounding during his mandatory 36 hours of rest from driving! All our imaginations were quickly dashed. He dumped out his "contraband" at the feet of the police. No drugs, just large rocks which he cuts or slices and polishes to inlay into coffee tables and other pieces of furniture.

No 18 Wheeler this year but this area is one of the greatest for rock hounding and hiking. There are relatively shallow canyons and huge washes that are dry this time of year and are great places to find Agate and Jasper, Quartz and sometimes Rattlesnakes. Many snakes were sighted this year but none by this writer......darn. Always had the camera ready but all I got were lizards and bugs and butterflies. The absolute best quality of this home away from home was quiet. Only bird song and an occasional jet overhead. No highway noise, no hum of high power wires and no TV. It was truly amazing watching the desert come alive after a couple days of good soaking rain. The ground became like green velvet and just a couple of weeks ago all the cacti and other desert bushes began to bloom. This was the first time we have seen so many things blooming.

We did leave our "home" a few times for other camping spots. My next favorite would be down at Telephone Cove on Lake Mohave (think Reservoir). We made friends with people and ducks!!! Beautiful place on the water with few people.

Yesterday we left the Mohave Desert to enter the Sonoran. We are just south of Wickenberg, Az in (hopefully) Bureau of Land Mangement territory......if our map is correct! Lots of Ocotilla, Saguaro (my all time favorite cactus); Teddy Bear Cholla, Jumping Cholla (I came home today from a hike limping) One of the Cholla thorns went right through the sole of my hiking boot into my foot and Richard had to pull it out with pliers!! This area is a little higher in elevation making it a bit cooler which is a nice break from the high 90's of the past couple of weeks.

We will move on tomorrow but for this day and night we are resting in the surrounding desert.