It would take months to explore Rainbow Basin and the area around Owl Canyon Campground.
But you’d have a great time! Around eight o’clock this morning the crew and I prepare for a hike. I fill up a canteen with water and hook it onto a belt loop. I don’t have one of those collapsible-dish-on-a-water-bottle thingy, meant for dogs. Instead, I put a heavy duty freezer bag in my pocket. This I can open up, fill halfway with water, and scrunch down the sides to make a bowl. I put Bridget and Spike in their harnesses, hang my camera around my neck, don my hat, and adjust my walking stick to a comfortable length. Off we go! It’s a two-mile trail.
I can see after about three-quarters of a mile, the crew is losing power.
From that point on, we take frequent breaks in shady spots. I find a rock to sit on while Bridget and Spike lie on the cool sand. I survey the rocks, looking for the desert tortoise. No luck. I survey the rocks, looking for rattlesnakes. Luck. (I didn’t see any.)
I set up the water “dish” for Bridget and Spike. They act like it’s a trap, refusing to drink out of it. Instead, three orange butterflies appear out of nowhere, take a sip, and flutter on up the trail.
Colored rocks are everywhere.
There are pink, coral, green, several shades of purple, aqua, blue, white with black specks, black with white specks, striped rocks, well, you get the idea. Lots of interesting rocks. Of course, if you take one, they cut off your hand.
The walking stick is invaluable.
At several places, crossing gullies or going up and down steep banks, I easily could’ve twisted an ankle if it weren’t for the walking stick.
At about a mile I turn us around for home.
We don’t get home until about eleven o’clock. (We walk very slowly and look at stuff.) I cook up a hearty lunch for us. For me I cook chicken sausage. For the crew I cook a chicken hot dog for them to share.
After lunch, I take a bath and wash my hair.
Bridget and Spike fall asleep in their pen. I have to smile at their motionless bodies. The hike really knocked them out. The weather is perfect. Blue sky, warm breeze. I doze off in my lounge chair.
I love living in this desert stillness.
The campground has been empty since Francois and Joan left yesterday. It’s like I’m renting an entire campground for $3 a night. I live in an enormous outdoor house and all these shelters are my various outdoor rooms. I have several toilets from which to choose, three playgrounds, and many tables at which to dine!
The slideshow is a collection of photos taken in Rainbow Basin, around the campground, and on hikes in the area. You can see how the time of day changes the color of the rocks.
No sign of Buddy, the pit bull, today. Next time I see Ranger Jim, I’ll inquire about Buddy.
rvsue
rvsue and her canine crew 