Friday Fitness Hike

Friday’s hike was on the North Trail in McDowell Mountain Park.  Some of us hiked out to Cedar Tank via Chuparosa, Pemberton, and other trails in the that area.

When we got to the Chuparosa Trail, Mary Lou and Virginia hiked back with Amy.  We took this photo at that intersection.  From left to right are Per, Virginia, Nick, Christina, Mary Lou, Janet, Amy (in front), Bill, and Nancy.

20140207-DSC02054-Edit-medium There are some nice looking saguaros in the area…20140207-DSC02057-Edit-medium 20140207-DSC02068-Edit-medium

I tried a different treatment for this photo.  It’s the same saguaro shown in the photo above, but the shot was taken from a different angle.20140207-DSC02078-Edit-medium

Nick, Nancy, Janet, and Bill chat while I take photos.  Per and Christina had turned back at this point.

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A hedgehog cacti:

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Bill told us that this is the nest / web of a Wolf Spider:

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Cedar Tank:

20140207-DSC02129-Edit-medium Another view of Cedar Tank.  There’s an old, rusty, bullet riddled metal tank at the right of the photo.  But that’s not Cedar Tank.  Cedar Tank is actually the depression where water collects.20140207-DSC02132-Edit-mediumWe saw a Fairy Duster in bloom:

20140207-DSC02144-Edit-2-medium But the very top of the plant was not quite in bloom:

20140207-DSC02147-Edit-medium A close up of a chuparosa blossom:20140207-DSC02159-Edit-medium Bill, Janet, and Nick examine the chuparosa plant.20140207-DSC02171-Edit-medium We came across this survey marker on the way back.  It’s perhaps 10 yards off the Chuparosa Trail.  $250 back in 1919 was quite a lot of money.  It’s equivalent to $3,500 in 2014.  20140207-DSC02180-Edit-medium