Dogging It

DAY EIGHTY FOUR

I didn't have much time to hike today so I decided to just go close to home. Since it was a perfect day, weather-wise, I brought the dog along. She has become quite the little hiker. When I get the leash off of the shelf, she starts jumping up and down and scratching at the door. That dog loves to hike.

We went to the top of the La Quinta Cove to the parking area adjacent to the intersection of Calle Tecate and Avenida Ramirez. I guess a lot of people walk their dogs here because they have these little doggie doo bags. You know, I understand the idea behind these but I kind of hate them. Environmentally speaking, it's really probably better to let your dog's doo dry out in the desert than to put it in a bag and send it to the landfill. Just kick it off the trail. Oh well. I've carried a bag of my own poo on Mount Rainier so I guess hauling a bag of dog doo is not the worst thing in the world.

After following a road, you get to a couple of trails going up a little hill.

But they both go to the same place so it doesn't matter which one you take.

There are not many flowers left up here but this Ocotillo is still blooming beautifully.

We get to a place where we can't go any further so I'll have to come back without Kahlua to see where else this trail goes.

We head down this road to.....

Some big water tanks. It's warm and Kahlua doesn't really know how to drink from a water bottle so I walk around to see if there's some kind of spigot but have no luck. Time to head home anyway.

On the way back, I spot this Silver Cholla (Opuntia echinocarpa) blooming. This is actually the first of these I have seen this spring.

It has a beautiful green flower.

I can't say this was really a great hike for me but to Kahlua it might have well been the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and Yosemite rolled into one. She's not really particular; she just loves to go along.

I guess that's one reason why dogs are man's best friend.