lunamothkd's Journal

Loop Trail (FUTS), Wood Trail (Lake Mary Narrows), Dirt Space Before Osprey Lookout (Upper Lake Mary)

A tiny horned lizard started it all. This little cutie seemed unbothered as I walked my bike on the trail in front of it. It proceeded to catch several ants before looking at me semi-curiously as I slowly took out my camera and phone and hoped that it would not run away. I was lucky, it stayed for the photo opportunity and did not move even as I walked my bike past it a bit later.

The spiny lizard was next. I saw it dash across some pine needles in my field of vision and walked closer to get a better look. It was a bit more cautious than my horned friend but eventually found a rock that it felt comfortable on and from which it could keep an eye on me while I took pictures of it.

I was hoping that something would be blooming along the Loop Trail, but only the shoots of paintbrushes were cropping up in the area, so I circled back to the beginning of the trail to ride back to my parking spot off Lake Mary Road. Dandelions were the only thing in bloom off of EJW Powell Blvd.

I had planned to ride the Arizona Trail near Sandy's Canyon Trail next but changed my mind when I saw a mostly full parking lot before the trailhead. I decided to ride the Wood Trail instead, after which it only felt appropriate to explore along the shore of the lake, which is always full of exciting micro-surprises.

The wildlife along the lake seemed as interested in observing me as I was in observing them. The crows looked on as usual and the spiny lizard near the lake, though cautious at first, eventually sprawled out on a rock to stare at me while I crept closer and closer to take its photo.

As a fan of really tiny wildflowers, I was delighted to see the stork's bill growing near the parking lot (even though I see that it may be an invasive species). The sunset was magical and I had loads of fun.

I had a five-hour break today, but by the time I had eaten, relaxed a bit and felt ready to head out, I only had an hour to explore.

I decided to head to a spot between Lower and Upper Lake Mary where I have previously hung my hammock in the winter. On the drive there, a redtail hawk flew overhead. After parking in my chosen space and heading down to the open field, I had a brief moment of feeling like there could not possibly be anything out there to see or explore. It seemed that the scenery itself, the fluffy clouds and the view, would be the highlight of my hour. The landscape still looks mostly tan and brown and is covered with dry grasses. But, by the sound of it, I knew that the area was teeming with life; the crickets are back.

The lizards were warming themselves on rocks (which after stepping barefoot on a few rocks myself when trying to remove crawling ants from my sandals after standing near their nest too long to take pictures, I could definitely feel why...a deliciously comforting warmth radiated from the rocks under my bare feet). There were also a few tiny flowers in bloom in the area with more promising to emerge soon in a few days or a couple of weeks.

I wanted to stay much longer than I could, but my schedule (although I dawdled for longer than I knew I could and was late anyway) sadly did not permit much time for me to creep through the grass with my camera today.