Hiked Palm Canyon Today

[Motogiro]

Lisa and I caged out tot e Anza Borrego Desert today and did a littlle hike we like to do to the Palm Oasis through Palm Canyon. It's not a long hike but we had to work on a few spots to get there because of recent rains. Most of the trail is very easy. This area is famous for it's big horn sheep and you have to be aware out here because of mountain lions. I've been as close as 20 feet to big horn bucks but I let them sniff me out and make the decision to come close.
The trail head is is not far from where many of us ride Montezuma Valley Road.

Great weather and hiking today!

We got to see a bee hive up in the rocks. Check out the layers! We were well away from it!

Palm Oasis

Motohiker

Coming back to civilization out of Palm Canyon.

vvvvv Video of a little water fall on the trail vvvvv
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOwOha9vV-k]Palm Canyon - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Red Wazp]

Nice pics Cliff but if we come down this winter don't think for a minute that hiking will be part of the riding plan!

 

[Erci]

Beautiful stuff, Cliff! Great way to spend the day.. thanks for sharing :thumbup:

 

[Humperdinkel]

Looks like a fascinating place Cliff & that palm oasis is pretty cool :thumbup: What about wildlife ?? Did you encounter any snakes or cool stuff like that ?? Or you know , just the odd everyday mountain lion :BLAA:

 

[Motogiro]

Looks like a fascinating place Cliff & that palm oasis is pretty cool :thumbup: What about wildlife ?? Did you encounter any snakes or cool stuff like that ?? Or you know , just the odd everyday mountain lion :BLAA:

Didn't run into any wild life except little hummingbirds and those bees. We have Africanized bees here so you have to be careful but I imagine this hive wasn't cuz I think we were close enough we would have been in trouble. I've run into Diamond back rattlers a few times and caught one once. I learned a lot really fast that day! Ended up with venom on my forearms and I was hot and sweaty so it was starting to get to me could feel this strange tingling sensation.

I love creatures a get like a kid. Lisa always says, "Yer gonna git bit!" Been lucky so far except for the bee stings.

 

[Erci]

Ended up with venom on my forearms and I was hot and sweaty so it was starting to get to me could feel this strange tingling sensation.

Did you get anti-venom shot??

 

[Motogiro]

Did you get anti-venom shot??

No. I ran into the building I was outside of and washed really well with dish soap and it stopped tingling. You don't realize how powerful that stuff is until you get bit or get it on your skin. When you play with one of these for the first time you'd better be lucky and learn really fast. When you pin one of these down the articulation of the head is amazing and it can shoot the venom from it's fangs meaning it can blind an attacker instantly. Amazing creature! How I got involved with the snake was a group of coworkers were going out to crush it's head with a 2x4 after it was discovered rattling at one of the worker taking out trash by a dumpster. We were able to save it instead. It was really at risk from us. So we teamed up, captured and relocated it.

 

[Red Wazp]

Was he a handsome devil like this one?

 

[Motogiro]

Yup! a 15 0r 16 button about 5 feet long. I never knew this but when we had it pinned down and it was really pissed it turned black as the diamonds on it's back!

 

[chomorro]

You are a brave one Motohiker

 

[Dave.TX]

The pics of the Anza Borrego desert are making me homesick. I'll be out there next month! Shooo, I've seen a few diamondback rattlers over the years, both in CA and TX. Anza Borrego is awesome in the springtime for a week or two when everything is in bloom. Half the reason I drive out to CA instead of fly is to see the desert, I love it! The scorpions in CA are bigger than the dinky ones we have in TX. Problem is the dinky ones here get in your house and sneak up on you much easier. Glad you were able to have fun and stay safe.

 

[Dave.TX]

I can remember camping at Agua Caliente park back in the 80's. Cool place.

 

[Motogiro]

You are a brave one Motohiker

LOL! I'm a little brave. I grew up in a big family and developed quick reflexes when evading a fork when trying to sneak an extra morsel from a brother's plate. The rest is sheer stupidity and luck.
When are we gonna ride Bro!

The pics of the Anza Borrego desert are making me homesick. I'll be out there next month! Shooo, I've seen a few diamondback rattlers over the years, both in CA and TX. Anza Borrego is awesome in the springtime for a week or two when everything is in bloom. Half the reason I drive out to CA instead of fly is to see the desert, I love it! The scorpions in CA are bigger than the dinky ones we have in TX. Problem is the dinky ones here get in your house and sneak up on you much easier. Glad you were able to have fun and stay safe.

We will definitely get together. You have my number.
I haven't had any contact with scorpions yet! Just saw a dead one that got wrapped up in a rug from a trade show exhibit years ago. Would love to see one live in real life. I understand they fluoresce under UV light. So Maybe I'll take a black light with me the next time I'm out camping in the desert which is pretty much the only camping I do out here. Joshua Tree/High Desert and Anza Borrego.
See you soon!

 

[Red Wazp]

Yup! a 15 0r 16 button about 5 feet long. I never knew this but when we had it pinned down and it was really pissed it turned black as the diamonds on it's back!

rattlesnake &"pinned down" should never be used in the same sentence

 

[Humperdinkel]

Was he a handsome devil like this one?

Thats a pretty snake :thumbup: