We’re packing up to move on this morning and we have a long drive ahead, so just a quick note for the history books. We were torn about whether to go for a second bike ride in the park or take a longer hike, but were swayed by the weather forecast. With a fairly strong northwest wind predicted, we liked the idea of biking southeast across Pinto Basin Road, getting blown up the gradual slope and then coasting back into the face of the wind.
It’s a fine enough ride really, but a bit of a letdown after yesterday’s. Pinto Basin is a broad, open expanse - an alluvial fan, I think - that just doesn’t have the drama of the route through the park’s higher, rocky country to the north. Not quite monotonous, but on the edge of that perhaps. We’ve been to this park three times now and we’ve ridden this route teach time because it’s lower elevation and quieterq; but if we ever return I think we’ll skip this and take a hike up in the rocks instead.
We start our ride at the Cholla Garden, and the site of my worst cholla attack, back in 2012. How long do teddy bear chollas live, anyway? One of these cute rascals could have been the one that jumped me.
Bill ShaneyfeltToo bad this year has been so dry. Hedgehogs have wonderful blooms!
https://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?query_src=photos_index&rel-taxon=begins+with&where-taxon=Echinocereus+engelmannii Reply to this comment 3 years ago
Once you’re on the floor of the basin, there’s not much vegetation beyond the creosote and an occasional stunted yucca. It’s quite hazy this morning, not nearly as clear as yesterday. We found the right day to bike to Keys View.
Jen Rahn"Mum's the word!", Rachael said.
So long as this mask's on my head.
She may try to speak
Through face cover so chic
But she sounds like her mouth's full of bread! Reply to this comment 3 years ago
Scott AndersonTo Jen RahnSo I’m going to start a contest with myself to see how often one of my photos merits a poetic response. I was pretty confident on this one. Reply to this comment 3 years ago
At the furthest point of the ride we’ve risen above the basin and into the rugged high country again. It’s quite scenic here, with more varied vegetation.
Bill ShaneyfeltMakes me want to go look for fossils or other interesting rocks. Contact zones just seem so interesting. Reply to this comment 3 years ago
Rachael got ahead of me for awhile, but then waited for me so she could include me in the day’s video. I stopped again almost immediately though to check out this blossoming shrub lining the road, so she gave up on me and rode the rest of the way back on her own.
Mohave yucca is more prevalent and robust up here above the basin. At the bottom there are just scattered, scrawny individuals barely eking out an existence.
Back at the Cholla Garden. You can’t see it from this shot, but it’s quite congested now. The parking lot is full, and cars are queued up waiting to get in. Definitely better to visit the park during the week.
This gives you a good idea of how vicious these plants are. Look at those loose buds lying around, waiting for a chance to latch on to an unwary thigh or ankle. And these are no joke - the barbs have hooked ends, and don’t pull out neatly with tweezers like some cholla thorns do. They have to be ripped out.
marilyn swettHi Scott - I love the light shining through these cholla. In fact, I've been so intrigued with the rides you've done in Borrego Spring and Joshua Tree that we're planning to go to both on a trip we're working on for the fall, on the way to Arizona from Idaho. We'll be in California in late October which looks like nice temps. We did want to also go to Death Valley but the timing isn't right as temps are still very high for most of October. We might just drive through there and call it good for this year. Reply to this comment 3 years ago
Scott AndersonTo marilyn swettI’m not sure Rachael would agree with this, but I’d go back to Borrego Springs before Death Valley. As incredible as DV is, I think the cycling is better as BS.
And, as long as you’re in the neighborhood, you should really swing by Saint George. It might be the best of all of them. Stay tuned. Reply to this comment 3 years ago
