Sunday, February 01, 2009

Brenda Quartzsite Adventure



We took the motorhome out for a few days to nearby Brenda, AZ. We have stayed there before when we wanted to explore Quartzsite but had never traveled on any of the desert trails. This was our trip to do that. We were very glad to be in a 4-wheel-drive vehicle since parts of this Ramsey Mine Road went through washes which had quite a few large rocks to crawl over. This is a photo of the mine entrance, my longest lens was used to get this photo without endangering myself or trespassing as the signs warn against.

We saw a desert scene emerging from the winter drabness with Teddy Bear Chollas very healthy looking and the Ocotillas were leafing out with new growth. When the cholla was backlit they looked so soft and fuzzy, like they were neon....but we have learned that you don't get anywhere near them since they have earned their nicknames of "jumping" cholla. I can still remember how painful it was to brush against one and having one of the balls of thorns in my foot.

The panoramic shot was stitched together from 10 photos, I loved seeing those distant mountains behind all the foreground desert. As always, you can click on the photo to make it larger and see more detail.

When in Quartzsite we visited a few of the rock/gem shops and vendors. I found way too many things I loved and bought stones and findings for making some necklaces and earrings. It was a fun day!

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