More Carlsbad Wall Murals
Below are a couple more wall murals that I saw on my walk through the Barrio/Carlsbad Village area of Carlsbad. There are still several more to find and view on another trip!
Hiking
Mill Creek in Forest Falls
Mill Creek in Forest Falls is a mere trickle this time of year but during spring snowmelt that chair would have provided a front row seat to some fast moving water.
Caruthers Canyon in Mojave National Preserve
Caruthers Canyon in the Mojave National Preserve was the perfect spot to pitch my “swag” for the night while traversing the Mojave Road. The swag is extremely popular in Australia and has many devotees now in the U.S. as well.
Links: Hiking in Mojave Preserve
Lava Tubes in Mojave National Preserve
The lava tubes off Aiken Mine Road in the Mojave National Preserve are a great place to explore and are only a short hike from the parking area. Three separate beams of light were shining through from above ground on the day I visited.
Links: Lava tubes
San Onofre State Beach
Idyllwild Historical Society Museum
While in Idyllwild this past weekend I visited the Idyllwild Historical Society Museum and enjoyed their climbing display shown here. It lists every climbing route developed for Tahquitz Rock since 1936. The 5.8 route from 1937 was the most difficult in the U.S. at that time.
Links: Museum website
Exploring the Desert
This pic is from a few weeks ago when we were out looking for wildflowers in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area. We had just turned off of the 78 onto Buttes Pass Road that goes to The Slot and Hawk Canyon.
Links: The Slot Hawk Canyon Desert Lily
Beavertail Cactus Flower
This pic shows a closeup of a beavertail cactus flower from Desert Garden in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park (on the way to Coyote Canyon). Photo credit goes to Jack Springer who was with me on this outing.
Links: previous related post
Trona Pinnacles
This past weekend I attended The Adventure Portal’s “Run to the Sun” event at Trona Pinnacles near Ridgecrest. Over 100 groups of overlanding enthusiasts were on hand to make new friends, learn new skills at three excellent training seminars, and explore the interesting topography. This pic shows the area where I was camped as seen through a hole in one of the rock formations known as “the portal”.
Links: The Adventure Portal
Rattlesnake!
While recently hiking the Clevenger Canyon South Trail, I came across this rather large rattlesnake coiled in the middle of the trail. I was looking upward toward a large boulder in the distance and did not see the snake until that chilling telltale rattling sound reached my ears. From that point forward I kept my eyes on the trail ahead! This was but one of three snakes we saw on this hike, but was by far the largest and most dangerous.
Links: Clevenger Canyon South Trail
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