A week with the boys

and a weekend in the desert...

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SPC Ice

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The Lizard Wizard

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Lizard Wizard with Staff

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In the gorge of the Lizard Wizard

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Desert Monkeyflower (Mimulus bigelovii)

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Coyote Melon (Cucurbita palmata)

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Barrel cactus

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Ghost Flower (Mohavea confertiflora)

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(blue) Wild Heliotrope (Phacelia distans), (white) Fremont pincushion (Chaenactis fremontii)

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Chuparosa or sucking rose (Beloperone californica) and SPC

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Wishbone bush (Mirabilis bigelovii)

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Chuparose (red), Wild Heliotrope (blue), Desert Chicory (white)

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This year had some of the best wildflower carpets I've seen

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When I was out with Janna in mid February there was a little egg in this nest. Hopefully the little bird is flying about now...

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Lizard Wizard basking on a rock

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(Center) Coyote melon. The dead white vines are last years growth.

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Lizard Wizard just after breathing fire!

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Two blooming Agaves!

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Blooming Agave base

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Lizard Wizard is hungry!

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Carpets of little yellow flowers

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approximate 3" diameter. This was about as tall as I am (6'). Looks like asparagus...

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Agave in bloom

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Lizard Wizard has found a rare and unusual plant!

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Hedgehog or Calico Cactus (Echinocereus engelmannii)

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Hedgehog or Calico Cactus (Echinocereus engelmannii)

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Can you spot the resting rabbit?

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White Sage pre-bloom

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Canterbury Bells

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Palm tree (snuffleupagus)

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First aid

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Lizard Wizard takes 5 for a beer

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Lets climb trees!

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Jump!

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Tried to climb higher but there is no footing

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I need to grab the branchs a little higher and then I'm set

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Lizard Wizard of the Palms

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unidentified blue flowering succulent bush

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Not the greatest rope swing

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Try again

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Future staff of the Lizard Wizard

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Dan and Sean camping out n the rock altar

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Beer time?

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If you could see the shadow you could tell it was indeed beer-o'clock

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Checker Fiddleneck (Amsinckia tessellata).

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Checker Fiddleneck and Wild Heliotrope

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Lizard Wizard searches for the secret of the Snuffleupagus

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Apparently the "lock" setting on the mouth piece should actually be engaged when system is no in use.

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Apple time

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mmmmm...

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Crazy Lizard Wizard Hand magic

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Lizard Wizard wonders why they are standing in the sun

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Lizard Wizard wants to share the shade

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Lizard Wizard is baffled.

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Lizard Wizard asks for his staff

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Lizard Wizard casts "summon peps to the shade"

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Lizard Wizard fails the spell

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wild tobacco

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small mudslide from recent rains.

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Harder to see in a photograph, Lizard Wizard noticed an animal path through the bushes.

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Damp soil!

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Lizard Wizard with Desert Monkeyflowers

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Lizard Wizard approaches the rock altar

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Lizard Wizard inspects the shade of the rock altar

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View from the rock altar looking east down Indian Gorge

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Offerings "left" at the altar......

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Lizard Wizard disposes of the offerings

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From a different perspective

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I noticed that on one side of the trail the flowers were all yellow...

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and on the other side the flowers were all white. No idea why.

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Lizard Wizard finds ice!

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Structure of an ant hill

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Lizard Wizard

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Little tufts that looks like rabbits...

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New green on the large tree just at the end of the gorge

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Lizard Wizard's fallen comrade

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Lizard Wizard's fallen comrade

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cozy barrel cactus

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Lizard Wizard finds the sacred Datura plant

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The color of the display really messed with my camera's idea of white balance

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Notice the large rock placed under the front tire. Good thinking Lizard Wizard.

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17" display

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Moon with faint halo and Orion to the left.

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packing up.

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Brittlebush (Encelia farinosa)

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chuparosa

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Desert Monkeyflower

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Desert Monkeyflower

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Hedgehog cactus

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little baby Ocotillo

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Ocotillo

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tracks

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SPC at the wheel

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Always makes you wonder if the real world is really worth it...

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I can't remember the exact quote from Sean, but it was something about the occasional need of arrows to point you back home...

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