I am in the last motel room in a while so figured I'd take advantage of the free WiFi and upload some more photos. This morning was spent testing the peak performance of a '95 Jeep Cherokee through the mountain passes of central Arizona (and overtaking a late model Camaro in the twisties no less...sucker). I experienced sun, cloud, rain, sleet, snow and ice pellets all within an hour or two, and passed though a variety of desert types. I did snap a few photos along the way, none stellar but they do give an idea of the landscape. Southwest of Flagstaff I passed through the Red Rock region of the state, adorned with (obviously) pinkish-red rock outcroppings as far as the eye can see.
Red Rock region, Arizona
Down off that mountain and up the next, the desert becomes much more shrubby and even, and the rock becomes grayer, especially when it rains.
Montane Desert in Rain
I stopped at a rest stop just north of Phoenix to look for birds. Did see Lesser Goldfinch and Vermillion Flycatcher (a real highlight for me, and a shining beacon for all those that have ever struggled with flycatcher identification), but no pics. Speaking of beacons though, I did see this wonderful sign:
My Favourite Sign
Sadly, I did not see any of these lovely creatures (not that I expected to), but there was a glimmer of hope in the form of this little fellow. Photo sucks (was not expecting to see him), but good enough for ID.
Ornate Tree Lizard (Urosaurus ornatus) - cropped
In the afternoon, I spent a while trying to accomplish some necessary shopping in Phoenix (a far larger city than I had imagined), and set out for Blythe, CA. I stopped to take one quick shot of the real desert (Saguaro cacti and all).
West of Phoenix, Arizona
Anyway, I will be reporting for work tomorrow and not sure when I'll be able to post again. I will upload more when I get a chance!
Kyle
great pics, chief - i want to be where you are D
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