The Obligatory Picture Post

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Our first full day in Vegas was spent outside of Vegas, at Red Rock Canyon. Like everything out there in the desert, it was beautiful....





and a touch chilly....


Possibly the only neon Motel 6 sign in the known universe. Only in Vegas.


And of course the obligatory Vegas by night pic - this one's for you Geewits.

Joshua Tree kicks major ass. I could've spent weeks there.


Of course it's not all Joshua Trees (which aren't trees at all actually, they're a variety of Yucca).

There's Ocotillo, which isn't a cactus, but a decidious bush that gets leaves whenever there's enough water. Otherwise it stays dormant. Nothing is what it seems in the desert.


And Cholla, the famed Teddy Bear cactus, 'cause it's so cuddly, dontcha know. It sorta is though isn't it? Except when you brush against it the puffs "jump" onto you and the spines are nasty and painful to extract because they're barbed... Yup. Nothing is what it seems.

Have you hugged a cholla today?

Skull rock.

More rocks

Old machinery from Lost Horse mine. Legend has it that the guy who found this gold mine was looking for his horse. The place is a couple of miles from the beginning of the trail. Guy shoulda maybe tethered his horse better?? Between the 1890s and 1930 it produced something like 9000 ounces of gold. I have no idea whether that's good or not...

And, surprise, yet more rocks. Can you tell I have a thing for rocks?à

The panoramic Palm Springs Aerial Tram takes you to the top of San Jacinto mountain where, surpise! it's winter!!! Well actually it's more like Quebec in mid-april, but it'll do for the Californians who flock there with their children so they can have the experience of snow over Christmas, sleds and all. Me? Meh, been there, done that, read the book, seen the movie, bought the tshirt and use it now as a rag. The huge pines were pretty damn cool though.



A glass scuplture in the permanent collection of the Palm Springs museum. Cool as anything. I want this.

and a detail of the sculpture.

Bernard, one of the numerous tikis at our hotel in Palm Springs.


San Clemente, last day and Pete the pelican who would sit on the pier and wait for a fish to go by, dive off, eat his fish and fly back to his perch. He was one serious dude. And wet. He was wet.