Bird Watching w/Carol 06-04-11

There were twelve of us on the bird watching session at the Fullerton Arboretum this morning.  We totaled 25 species, all were exciting to see, but nothing new for my "life list". 

The lady in the dark shirt just to the right of center is Carol Bednar.  Directly in front of her the right arm lifting binoculars to eyes belongs to Greg our knowledgeable guide. 

My camera is inadequate to take bird images, but here are some turtles sunning themselves on the rocks with a mallard front and center paddling by.  We also saw a widgeon with its ridiculous blue "nose."  The "best" sighting were two green herons who seem to have a nest in a tree hanging over the pond.  The picture I took is just a blur - sorry.

Three little turtles and two huge carp.

 
One lovely surprise when I returned from my travels is that the jacarandas are blooming.  Such a spectacular trees with their blue-violet party dresses on.  

Afterward Carol and I had a delicious Moroccan Salad at California Pizza Kitchen and then I drove to LBeach to see the Poodle Prince.   When I realized his parents would be gone for the afternoon and evening (although close enough to run home and let him out) and all of tomorrow morning, I just brought him home with me.  We have both been napping.  I read a little, nap a little and he naps a little, checks out the windows and naps some more.  Can still hardly keep my eyes open.  Tomorrow is soon enough to unpack the suitcases.  Right?

Home again! And Friday Feet. 06-03-11

I left Corky's house in Lake Havasu City about 5:30am.  Had thought I would get away before five, but there are all kinds of last minute chores to closing up the house when nobody will be there for weeks.  There is a checklist, but it needs to be updated since there is a new A/C unit.  Of course, I have only been out there once in two years and then I didn't have the responsibility of closing things down.  Now that my muscle condition is improved I hope to take more long drives - LHC and SJBautista are about the same length. 

 
These are TIRED Friday feet.  Couldn't use the cruise control much on the way home from Tehachapi where I had lunch with Mabel and met all of her family (some I have met previously).  There was a lot of road construction and a dippy, narrow roadway, so I had to keep my foot on the pedals.  Not a lot of traffic, even outbound to Las Vegas on I-15.  Guess the economy and the price of gas cuts into every one's fun.

I am going to bed now.  I have a bird watching date with Carol at 9am and will need to be bright eyed and bushy-tailed. 

Finally - Flowers! 06-02-11

I don't think I have been on a Road Trip anytime of year or any place that I didn't see more wildflowers than I have seen this year.  Not far west of Flagstaff I started seeing these thistles along the road, so when I found an exit that seemed completely wild I pulled off to take some pictures.  There weren't a lot of other flowers, mostly thistles.  One picture that is not here is globe mallow with its bright orange flowers - either the wind or my breathing made it too out of focus to present.  

Somewhat scrawny thistles that are near the end of their blooming period.

Maybe half a dozen small daisy plants, but this overall image is so lovely.  I particularly like the curly grey stuff at the upper left - haven't a clue what it is.

There were just a few tragopogons or salsify plants. They look like enormous dandelions when they go to seed.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salsify 

Wild forget-me-nots were very unassuming, hiding under a few juniper bushes.

What a shape!  This is probably a tragopogon after the seeds have flown.

And then on westward to Lake Havasu City where there are a lot of plants in bloom.  Unfortunately the ocotillo are just about over and I couldn't find a good one to photograph. The plants below are all landscape varieties.

Blooming palm trees are rather dainty looking despite the angular leaves with their prickles.

All over town the Mexican Bird of Paradise are blooming.  It is a very common landscape plant with pyramid shaped flower heads that are 9 to 12 inches long.  This one is in Corky's backyard. 

Before they open each bud looks like a round red berry.  Look at the lovely "tails" hanging down.

 
The foliage is similar to the jacaranda, although I don't think they are related.  I have tried growing them in Placentia, but they only last a few years and then turn up their toes and die.

I am packed and ready to go in the morning.  I'm going to swing over through Tehachapi to have lunch with Mable Huseby from Washington State.  She and Mac are visiting their daughter and family for a couple weeks.  Afterward I will drive home to Placentia.  At least I did my laundry today - just have to face the big box of mail on Saturday.

Lake Havasu in the morning 06-02-11

I could sit here looking out the window all day - the lake color changes and the high, thin clouds drift over from  the opposite shore, which is in California.  But, alas, home tomorrow.

Holbrook, AZ - Lake Havasu City, AZ 06-01-11

I left early this morning after the in motel breakfast at 6:30am - REALLY early for me.  But I was awake and felt the need to be on my way.  I arrived in Havasu not long after Noon and promptly went to sleep again for a long, greatly needed nap.  I have been working on pictures and trying to catch up with e-mail and making arrangements for meeting Mabel Huseby on Friday before I return to Placentia.   It seems that the nap wasn't nearly long enough, so I am just posting this one picture and it is off to bed.  I did see some wild flowers today at a high elevation - at last!  I wondered if they were just not going to bloom this year.  More on that tomorrow.

 
This bronze Indian is greeting the dawn in front of the Holiday Inn Express in Holbrook.

On the Road - Santa Rosa, NM - Holbrook, AZ 05-31-11

When I woke up in the wee hours this morning this truck was parked right outside my second floor window - if it had been any closer I could have just stepped out on its roof.  I Googled Puratos, just curious to see what a company with such an elegant truck had to offer. 

http://www.puratos.us/about/default.aspx

This is about a 10am view of the view along I-40 in New Mexico.  Not a lot to look at.

And then there are a few juniper trees.

And more of the same, with more distant trees.  It is a rather uninteresting offering, but then there is all that sky!

I stopped in Albuquerque to find a USPost Office or a FedEx so I could mail a package - I found FedEx first and also a Starbuck's near the University..  I've always been impressed with the adobe colored cement used in the abutments and overpasses and ...  Very distinctive.

They have also introduced various outdoor art related to the local culture.  These two sculptures have the designs cut all the way through and appear to be wired for night viewing also.  They are along an on ramp to I-40.

Forty or more years ago when I first traveled extensively in the Southwest there was a lot more cavalier attitude to what happen when the road was under construction.  In NMexico and, to some extent, in AZ they just ran a grader around the affected area and one drove on dirty, rocks, mud or whatever popped up.   The "modern" way is not a lot better.  I felt as though there wouldn't be enough space for me to get through as this detour off the road become more and more narrow.  But the big trucks fit, so surely must I.

 

The yellow line on the left is normally the line marking the shoulder and just to the right of that is a strip of those teeth shuddering ridges meant to awaken drowsy drivers.   To avoid those I was right on the white line and feared I would scrap the guard-rail.  The speed limit said 55 - HA!  I was going about 35 and the trucker behind me was probably cursing me out.  I don't get scared whilst driving usually, but this raised my heart rate a bit.  

 
Soon after Albuquerque the highway rose up even higher and rock mesas and just piles appeared.  Thankfully, there was little wind, but lots of traffic in stretches, more than I have seen on this entire trip except for the Denver area.   I drove on to Holbrook, AZ, where I have stayed before.  I had hoped to do a marathon drive and be in Lake Havasu City tonight, but I only drove 363 miles today.  I seem to run out of energy very easily.  My back aches, my butt aches, my hands hurt - I have to stop somewhere and walk around, doing some squats and stretches. I don't know if the car seat has something to do with it or not.  It is probably just my ageing body.  I have only been in motel pools three times along the way and don't think it is very helpful.  First of all the pools are not hot enough, and secondly, at five feet they are not deep enough for the most helpful exercises which require floating vertically in the water.  Additionally, there is no railing to hang onto to do the squats and jumping jacks and "scissors" (or whatever the therapists call that).  So, I have done what I can, including just "water walking" and then spent a bit of time in the hot tub/jacuzzi.  I'll be glad to get home just so I can go to aqua therapy! 

On the Road - Liberal, KS - Santa Rosa, NM 05-30-11

It is 4am on May 31st and I am in Santa Rosa, NM.  As much as I love road trips and enjoy the wide, wide open sky in the Southwest, it was a hard day.  For whatever reason, I was feeling sort of puny yesterday and it was so windy it took all my attention and strength to stay on the road.  Mostly it was a quartering wind from the SSW, but shifting to a headwind - willy-nilly.  My gas consumption didn't ever get over 18.something and I usually run 25+ on the open road.  Of course, it wasn't an Interstate highway.  US54 follows the RR tracks from somewhere near Wichita to Tucumcari, NM, and is mostly one lane each direction with no added passing lanes.   Not much traffic, but lots of wind.  

Which is why, I suppose, there is so much of this sort of scenery.  Not much can grow for lack of rainfall and continuous wind.

Not a lot of trees and those that withstand the wind are biased in its favor

The very small "settlements" (too small to even call towns) can be seen from a great distance because the grain elevators are far-and-away the tallest things to be seen.  And how crisp and blue the sky was.

These arches are the shadow of the pipe running horizontally.  My timing with the sun was perfect, eh?  I was so intrigued I had to stop, go back and park across the highway to take this picture. 

Not many miles further the topsoil was blowing across the highway and speeds were down to about 40mph.

In a few miles the wind was still blowing, but the land had not been tilled and stayed where it belonged.



I could see this guy from quite a distance - he towers (maybe 25 feet) in front of an abandoned restaurant/club in one of those "settlements".

 He seems to be mostly metal as his parts are rusting away (not from the moisture that was available today).  There are murals on the outside of the building that depict a typical movie West.

These towering horses are in front of the Holiday Inn Express in Dalhart, TX.  I think it was good planning to have them standing on their tails or the wind would surely have taken them away.  Lights at lower right to give adequate illumination at night. 

All along the RR tracks there was maintenance going on.  Strange machines on wheels whose use I cannot imagine.  But also crews of men working in the heat (in the 90's) and wind.

In the past when I have driven US54 there were wildflowers this time of year.  I was musing on this when I started seeing pale pink clumps such as the one at lower left.  I think it must be a type of penstemon, but that is just a guess.  It doesn't immediately pop up when I Google it.

 

I was overcome by curiosity and finally found a gated ranch road that I could pull into far enough to be off the highway.  I left my hat in the car or it would definitely be in Canada by now.  It was a struggle to even open the door.  I did get some in situ images, but also picked a few stems to examine out of the wind.  Aren't they sweet in a medicine bottle in the hand grip of my driver's side door?  Almost as good as a VW Bug!

 When I checked in at the motel here in Santa Rosa, where I have stayed before, I was too tired to do much of anything.  So, I put on my nightie and went to bed - by which time it was about 8pm - and slept until 1:08am.  So, I have been up about three and a half hours and it is time to get some more sleep.  I'll have a long day on I-40 tomorrow and hope to reach Lake Havasu where I will stay at Corky's house.  He and his parents and guests will be leaving rather early today to return home, but I'm sure they will have some leftovers in the frig for me.  I may just sleep for 24 hours and be on my way on Thursday, but I may spend the 24 hours working on all the pictures I have taken in the last two weeks.  .

Heading Home 05-29-11

I took an entire photo card of scenery today, but got a lot of 'the inside of my purse' sort of thing.  Don't know why - not paying attention.  It was a long day from Carbondale to Liberal, Kansas.  I left Ruth Powers' at 9am and arrived at the Holiday Inn Express in Liberal at 6pm, 104F and a wind so strong I had a hard time opening my car door.  I turned the car around and then the wind ripped the door out of my hand.  As tired as I was I got in the motel pool with about ten kids and did as many exercises as I could.  There were five little girls (8 or 9 years old) who were doing cannon balls into the pool.  I laughed at myself when the thought popped up that young women didn't do such things when I was that age.  Not decorous.  I'm turning into my grandmother!   After a long shower and a delicious dinner of focaccia bread and left over beer baked chicken (thanks to Ruth and Charlies Powers) I had a little nap and started working on the pictures.  But, I fear, I am too tired to finish them.  So, I am just giving you the first couple hundred miles! 
Click pictures to enlarge.

The corn is coming up well now, though some fields are partially flooded due to the heavy rains.

When I first drove in Kansas I couldn't figure out what the yellow/black diagonal stripes mean.  They indicate a culvert or other sharp drop off along the verge of the road.   These are real country roads, narrow and 'dippy' and sometimes not in good repair.

Not too many miles from Carbondale I came to these flags whipping wildly in the wind.  It was a cemetery with a double row of flags posted for Memorial Day.  There was a single row of flags on the opposite side of the road - another cemetery.  I had to turn in and take some pictures.

Isn't this great?  The wind was from the perfect direction.

I saw a number of cemeteries along the way today and all were be-flagged, but none as much as this one.  The leaning stone on the front right was from before the Civil War. 

Hundreds of herds of cows munching in the pastures and sometimes groups of horses.  Didn't see any sheep or goats. 

 Meadows of green sprinkled with daisies.

 
I took the Kansas Turnpike toward Wichita (that is the toll ($4.50) ticket on my dash and, amazingly, I found the same Starbuck;s where I stopped four years ago.  It was a fluke, my memory was only jogged when I pulled into the parking lot.  I stopped just west of Wichita at a Do-it-yourself carwash - I just couldn't stand the road grime and baked bugs that had been collecting since I left California.  It only cost $3 in quarters and the exercise was good for me.  I was going to towel it dry, but by the time I had done the outside of the windows the wind had dried almost every drop from the body of the car. 
As I said above, I have more pictures from today's journey, but I am out of steam and need to go to bed.  I did stop in Greenburg, which had been almost obliterated by a tornado just a few days before my 2007 trip and caused a detour of all traffic north to US50.  It is a memory I am never going to forget, all that debris spread across the countryside and in the shredded trees.  There are some old buildings surviving in Greenburg, I'll show some pictures in a photo album later.