The Saguaro Cactus

Todays desert experience was much less exerting than yesterdays but was certainly lots of fun. We were off as a group to find the saguaro cactus that some call a fan cactus but is really a saguaro with a deformity.

Here we are all lining up getting ready to go.

Here is one of the two that is in the area, amazing crested formation on top, I read on line that they are not sure why it happens, wheter it is a lightening strike or a freezing year but it is very rare.



Dee is finding some ornament to take home for the yard.

Here is the other fan cactus we found, doesn't it look like a fist.



This area of the desert is about 10 miles north east of our park but was very beautiful, one lady saw a little snake but it slithered into a hole before we could all see it.

Otherwise it was a relaxing day, went to the local restaurant for lunch and then sat in the sun and read a book, what a life.

A walk in the desert

Well he will not ask me that question again.

Ron gets up this morning and asks me "What would you like to do today" I took him outside and pointed to a ridge off in the distance, I said, see that ridge and there is a saddle and in that saddle is a lone saguaro cactus, I would like to walk up there. His reply, you know if you walk there you still have to walk back, yep, I said lets go.

So 8:30am we set off before it gets to hot, the desert seems very dry today the only green things are the Palo Verde and the Creosote bushes.

We came across a rather large saguaro.

Ron looks little beside it, and look at the sky, it was a beautiful day.

Here is a Palo Verde , it was so very green, must have been water underneath somewhere.


When we got closer to my ridge, the terrain got a little steep but I was not put off. Up we went.

When we got the top I took a pictue looking back toward the RV Park, see it was not so far

And to prove that we got to the top, here is a picture of the lone saguaro that I wanted to reach, it was a good view all the way around but the other side looked so much more plush, so I persuaded Ron that we could go down that way and go around the little mountain we had climbed.

Well the other side was so much more green and the cactus were thriving, look at all the saguaros.

And this lovely little Cholla.

The other side of the mountain the Octillos were all dried up but this side they were lovely green, but no blossoms yet.

We saw all sorts of cactus, barrel, pricly pear etc, it was like walking in a park, look at this funny rock.

Along the way we saw a few birds and a few little lizard creatures rushing under the brushes out of our way.
We did make it home, he was a little stiff but not bad and it was such a lovely little walk, well I told you he will not ask me that question again.

The Avi and Salome

We spent a couple nice days at the Avi with our friends Burk and Sharon Roblin, the casino is right on the Colorado River and parking is free if you want to drycamp.
The beach setting is really nice.

Off to Salome for American Thanksgiving, dinner was very yummy.

Ron went off in the afternoon with a few to visit a mine way up in the desert hills.

This is the road they took in, good thing I decided the pool was the better place for me.

One of the shafts they decided to explore.

Ron under the sign that says Keep Out.

This is inside looking straight up, he said the wood was so well preserved since it is so dry and not exposed to the outside weather.

Oatman

Hello everyone, here is one of our last days at Pahrump, the weather had improved considerably so we could have our happy hour outside which was good because our group kept getting bigger. Pahrump was great we had a good time but were ready to move on down to Laughlin as soon as our coach repairs were finished.



We are parked at the parking lot at the Avi Casino just south of Laughlin, along with 40 or so more units looking for cheap campgrounds. The weather here is warmer at night so electricity is not essential and the solar panels keep everything else charged up well.

Today we took our friends Burk and Sharon Roblin from Kamloops up to Oatman and yes the donkeys greeted us right off the bat.

They really wanted to see what was in that red van, must have had a good aroma.


Here is a fellow that wanted to say hello to Burk.

And Ron would you have a tastey treat for me or at least give me a good scratch.

Oatman never changes, it is just a little town on the old route 66 and is a little cooler up there as it is stuck up in the mountains.

Here we are with all that is important route 66, the burro's, cactus and a little donkey dung.

They were having a little contest of Christmas tree decorating, a few of the stores had some Christmas decorations already up.

One of the local murals.

Ron, Burk and Sharon getting ready for the big gunfight.

One of the decorated trees, this one was all drinking containers.

The red hat society also had a nice looking tree.

Ash Meadows and Amargosa Opera House

So today our destination was the Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley Junction for a Sunday afternoon preformance. But first a wonderful detour.

Ash Meadows, National Wildlife Refuse looks pretty dry and barren here but when you come upon the Crystal Resevoir you would think it looks like heaven.

Here is Lona at the sign entering the park.



We first took a right turn out to see the Devils Hole, which was just that a hole protected for its valuable scientific research but was a nice walk in. At the bottom of the dark hole was a pool of water with Pup fish in it.

There was a really nice boardwalk out along the refuse.

When you get to the end you come across the most beautiful blue waterhole. Colors here do not do it justise it was the most beautiful blue.


Now headed toward Death Valley Junction we come across the Longstreet Casino and they had some pets.

Marta Becket is the lady who the opera house is all about. She left the east coast very early in life and found

this old opera house and knew she could bring it alive. She was a dancer and painter and in her early years preformed at the Opera house, today at her stage she tells you all about her preformances, it was very entertaining, we think she is about 86.

She personally painted the whole opera house on the inside, it took six years from 1968 to 1974.

Even the ceiling.

The inside of the opera house is painted as if it is a huge opera house with people sitting in the galleries;

After the preformance we went over to the attached hotel and had a look through some of the rooms that she had also done some paintings.

Doesn't it look just like a closet.

This room was decorated in honour of Red Skelton who stayed there many times.

We went to the attached restaurant and had the best piece of pie, oh what a wonderful day.

China Ranch and back to Death Valley

Well for all that would like to know it is chilly here in Pahrump so today we decided to go back into Death Valley where it would be warmer. We picked up Reink and Lona and headed out for the day.

Reink and Lona wanted to show us the China Ranch which is just outside Tecopa Springs California, you are travelling across the desert and then down through a canyon and into a wonderful oasis of date palm trees, so beautiful.

We had a date shake and it was the best ever.

Reink led us down the garden path out toward the date tree orchard.

There was a sign about an alligator and this is what we found.

The covers over the dates are to protect the fruit from the birds.

Here is one of the many varieties under the sheets.

Some of the first palms planted over 90 years ago.

This poor palm was still alive but very bent about.

The date farm also had a coupld pomegranet(sp) tree. A first for most of us to see.

The road out of the canyon.

Here are some of the cliff dwellings made by the miners back in the days, they are in Shoshone, CA.

Off toward Death Valley and we came across a mule train so we stopped to ask if we could take pictures and had a little chat. They were on their way to furnace creek.

A couple of the team.

This is the Badland and is 282 fet below sea level.

The Devils golfcourse

Around the Artist Drive.

On the way home we stopped at Death Valley junction and made reservations for next Sunday to see the Opera at the Amargosa Opera house, excited about that. We were now heading back to Pahrump in the dark and when we hit the high pass it started to just pour and up on top Ron battle sleet and snow, much better when we got off the hill into Pahrump.