Escape

I violated my usual rule about visiting the Tonto National Forest today. That rule is "never go out on weekends". It seems that most of Phoenix had the same idea. I have never seen so many campers and visitors. Given curent conditions, I can't blame them. Movies? Out. Desert Botanical Garden? Closed. Church? Uh-uh. It was a beautiful spring day so why not?

I was curious as to whether the mariposa lilies along the road to Humboldt Peak were open. They were not. But I was not disappointed. I saw an amazing cluster of Oenothera cespitosa across a steep wash and stumbled my way over to it. Deep grass and uncertain rocky footing complicated matters. It was worth the trip.

While stumbling to my goal I could not ignore the rattling of gunfire coming from one of the several unofficial firing ranges north of the Camp Creek area. Someone burned through about $1000 worth of ammunition with an automatic weapon or more likely a semiautomatic fixed with a bumpstock. Wonder what the hell they were shooting.

But crowds, gunfire and all it was a wonderful break from field work and this perch in front of my iMac.

Posted on March 23, 2020 04:49 AM by stevejones