Desert Spring Flower ride 03/14/09

[dirt dame 586]

It was a nice overcast day this morning when Jeff and I decided to go check out the desert and see if there were very many flowers blooming out there right now. There weren't as many as last year, but there were some and we had a great day of trail riding. It was warmer than the weather prediction said it was going to be, but very pleasant and breezy. Of course the dez was filled with flower fanatics all frolicking around in whatever blooms they could find, so the back country traffic was a bit heavy in all the popular spots. It was a good day to have a dual sport bike instead of an auto, so we could squeeze past all the clogged spots.

Jeff was checking out his freshly repaired 530 and I had my TE with the much welded left radiator. I can report that both of our bikes performed up to snuff for the day. We made a big loop starting and ending at Tamerisk Grove camp ground, covering Grapevine, Jasper, Coyote creek and other parts of AB. A great ride with no mishaps.

Some yeller flowers....

I don't know what the heck these are...other than red.

Jeff ran into some trouble

of the prickle pickle kind....

Shifter adjustment time...

[bruceh 0]

I don't know what the heck these are...other than red.

Those are chuparosa. Hummingbirds love them.

[tntmo 948]

Good show!

My wife and I went out to check out Coyote Creek today also, not on two wheels but in the Honda Pilot. I saw some dual sporters out there, may have been you.

My Boy Scout troop wanted to camp at Sheep Canyon and I had never been out there so I went to inspect it first. I don't think we'll be camping there, too much off roading to get there and the other parents wouldn't want to do it. The Honda did remarkably well and I found out that my wife is pretty adventurous and a decent off-roader.

Some of the desert flora/fauna.

Stream crossing #1

The trail ahead, lots of FJ Cruisers out today.

Stream crossing #2

Video of my wife going through stream #2

Here's where I told her to turn around, she was ready to keep going!

Video of going back through stream #2

[dirt dame 586]

I don't know what the heck these are...other than red.

Those are chuparosa. Hummingbirds love them.

I had noticed a hummingbird perched nearby. I tried to casually get close enough to take a picture of him, but he zipped away.

[roostingu 0]

another great ride and some flowers too