First Snowbird adventure
I know, to many of you this sort of stuff is mundane, but to us first timers, everything is new and exciting! This is actually why we became interested in the first place. We left east central Ind...
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Been a busy few days! We hiked to see some petroglyphs and took pix of early blooming cacti called Strawberry Hedgehog. Got in some steps but always try to carry enough water for the hike. We are at 52 days, I think, with no rain. Now the dry season starts, here, so if we ain't got it by now, we ain't gonna get it! The bloom is starting to be in full swing, in time for us to leave. Next year we might plan to stay a little later, to see more of it.
Won't know about our application to camp host next winter, till summer time, so there's something to look forward to. In case I didn't mention (I don't want to go back and look) we are hosting in Idaho Rockies, this summer! What a deal! Can't wait!
Just got back from a two hour, ranger-lead hike, teaching about medicinal plants of the Sonoran desert. Very informative. There is actually a wide variety and large number of plants and animals that have adapted to dry living. Small leaves to conserve moisture, in mesquite trees, large ears, to dissapate heat in jack rabbits. Shade to act as a nursery for young plants like Saguaro cactus till they can handle full sun. (side note. Babies are NOT acclimated to full desert sun for a three hour hike. If you bring your kids, BY ALL MEANS, have sunscreen and enough water! Why does that need to be said? Because parenting has no "manual" and Common Sense is obviously in VERY short supply!) End of rant!
While we're in the "neighborhood" we plan to swing by the Grand Canyon tomorrow, on the way back to Indiana. May take us a few days to make the jaunt. All depends on weather.
We will try to keep posting on the way home, but for the first year snowbird adventure, it has been wonderful! Educational, expensive (to some extent more than we planned), a huge learning experience. We are so grateful to God for allowing us this opportunity, and blessing us with over 5,500 miles, so far of safe travel. The closest call was actually yesterday going to visit a class-mate from many moons ago, who lives north of Scottsdale. Headed north on hwy 101 and the guy in the black car next to me wanted to be in my space before I was finished using it! Six inches is entirely too close at 65 MPH! Yikes!!!
Y'all be careful out there. Watch out for the other fella, and do what you can to take care of each other. Blessings to all
Won't know about our application to camp host next winter, till summer time, so there's something to look forward to. In case I didn't mention (I don't want to go back and look) we are hosting in Idaho Rockies, this summer! What a deal! Can't wait!
Just got back from a two hour, ranger-lead hike, teaching about medicinal plants of the Sonoran desert. Very informative. There is actually a wide variety and large number of plants and animals that have adapted to dry living. Small leaves to conserve moisture, in mesquite trees, large ears, to dissapate heat in jack rabbits. Shade to act as a nursery for young plants like Saguaro cactus till they can handle full sun. (side note. Babies are NOT acclimated to full desert sun for a three hour hike. If you bring your kids, BY ALL MEANS, have sunscreen and enough water! Why does that need to be said? Because parenting has no "manual" and Common Sense is obviously in VERY short supply!) End of rant!
While we're in the "neighborhood" we plan to swing by the Grand Canyon tomorrow, on the way back to Indiana. May take us a few days to make the jaunt. All depends on weather.
We will try to keep posting on the way home, but for the first year snowbird adventure, it has been wonderful! Educational, expensive (to some extent more than we planned), a huge learning experience. We are so grateful to God for allowing us this opportunity, and blessing us with over 5,500 miles, so far of safe travel. The closest call was actually yesterday going to visit a class-mate from many moons ago, who lives north of Scottsdale. Headed north on hwy 101 and the guy in the black car next to me wanted to be in my space before I was finished using it! Six inches is entirely too close at 65 MPH! Yikes!!!
Y'all be careful out there. Watch out for the other fella, and do what you can to take care of each other. Blessings to all
