Hart Mountain – spring delights

For too many years Hart Mountain was out of my line of travel and added just enough extra time and miles to the trip at hand that I by-passed it. This spring I made the effort to go there, just there, and was well rewarded. It is a long slog from anywhere, the roads can be quagmires, the dust invasive, the heat crushing, and the mosquitoes draining. May it always remain this way.

 

butterfly flower

Swallowtail and balsamroot

sagebrush, thunderheads

Sky drama

raptor harrier

Looked down upon by a northern harrier

Subtle layers of color and texture

hills valleys

Sagebrush landscape

glowing yellow flowers bumblebee

Bumblebee with balsamroot

Sticks and stones

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Sunrise in the town of Joshua Tree, complete with Airstream.

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Sunrise in Joshua Tree National Park. Rock on.

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Sticks and stones.

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Hiding in the rocks.

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Spectacular Joshua Tree.

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Eternal rock.

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Everything in the desert is spiky, pokey, and sharp.

 

Notes from the camper, Part 2

A bottle of designer ginger ale escaped from the refrigerator on a terrible, bumpy road. The twist off cap twisted off. In a normal place, the ginger ale-soaked carpet in the bottom of the camper would be pulled out and washed immediately. In a place that gets four meters (that is: 4 meters = 157.5 inches = 13 feet) of rain a year, this is a futile pursuit. Nothing dries. Ever.

Several days later: new place. Hosed down, washed off, scrubbed carpet hanging to dry. But,wait! There’s more. It’s raining.

And raining. And raining…

Carpet is overrated. Maybe I’ll go carpet-free until winter sets in.

Notes from the camper…

…my ridiculous food habit is causing animosity toward the refrigerator. Every time I open the door something falls out. What I most need and want seems to migrate to the very back requiring complete unpacking and repacking each time I open it. See below.

 

Two weeks later:

…Now that the temperature is regularly above 80º I have fallen in love with the propane refrigerator. See above.

The Road not Taken Enough