ANOTHER DESERT RIDE

A yellow sulfur butterfly lands in the hedgehog cactus.
Desert Globe Mallow, growing wild in the desert.

Teddy Bear Cholla look so cuddly...not so! But pretty just the same!

A memorial to a miner found deep in the desert.

The "sights" point to his mine.

PAUL'S DESERT FLOWERS

WOW, gorgeous!

Paul didn't cheat. He found gorgeous cactus flowers growing wild in the desert.



Prickly pear blossoms.

Hedgehog cactus blossom.

Hedgehog blossoms with yellow creosote blossoms in background.

ARIZONA FLORA AND FAUNA

A cute little ground squirrel at Dripping Springs.
A flower garden untouched by man.

Yellow Brittle Bush with an Ocotillo cactus peeking out behind.

A beautiful spreading Ocotillo in bloom.

Closeup of Ocotillo blossom.

MULE DEER IN THE DESERT

A turkey vulture flies overhead.
Three mule deer, sneaking away from us.

Look at the size of those ears!!

Mom and youngster.

Mule deer and red barrel cactus.

Seeing wildlife in the desert is always very exciting. These are the first mule deer I have seen. They are beautiful, with gigantic "mule" ears and dark belly lines. They were the highlight of today's ride in the RZR.

DRIPPING SPRINGS

Large petrogliph at Dripping Springs, a wonderful destination.
Paul checks out the mysterious cave like crevice that water drips down from. In this desert, it is quite a phenomenon.

A new (to us) stone cabin, discovered after being detoured by a mining operation.
Mary is thinking: "hmmm, a roof, new curtains....just a bit of furniture and we'd have our new home in the desert!" haha...the dogs would love it here.

Paul is happy with the discovery.

A fixer upper.