Saturday, January 9, 2016

Hungry Hummingbirds


A busy morning at the birdfeeder.  I love to watch the hummingbirds while I drink my morning coffee, a great way to start the day.  Tap on the link below to join me!




 

Friday, January 8, 2016

Luigi Canyon




One thing about camping on the beach during Christmas and New Years is that one tends not to get too hung up on the commercialism that seems to have taken over during the holidays (not to say we don't miss the festivities with family and friends).  During the last week of 2015 a few of us from the beach enjoyed what turned out to be not such a leisurely hike up Luigi Canyon, located not far from our camp.  It was a fun afternoon with friends and a great way to get some exercise and wear-off some of the calories associated with the holiday festivities.


Near the the beginning of the canyon the walls there is not much water,


 the walls are steeply cut into the mountains,


and there is a quite a bit of vegetation on the floor.


The walls become narrow and the water starts to pool but it is evident that at one time the water ran fast and furious.


The banks of the canyon are so steep that in most places you have to wade through the water and it does get a little deep.


On a side chute, off the main canyon, I take a look up at Ken and decide maybe I won't go any farther up.


Mandy stands in the water waiting for us to 'hurry up...lets go', she was with us all the way and enjoyed the hike and the swimming.


Amazingly enough, deep into the canyon vegetation still grows and the water is soooo clear, and luckily not too cold because we ended up walking in the water for quite a distance.


Near the top end of the canyon we stopped for lunch in an area that opened up and was nice and warm and sunny.


Nestled on a large rock in the water a rattlesnake coiled himself into a ball trying to keep warm.  Most snakes are down by now around here and there are only a few frogs to eat in the canyon...he does look a little skinny!  He is probably asking himself how the heck he got himself in this predicament in the first place???


The water is sooo clear (did I mention that already?) and not as cold as I would have thought.  The wetness on the walls is from water seeping out of cracks and is actually warm.


Like I said, sometimes you just have to walk through the water...no option, unless you are spiderman.


It is crazy where and how some vegetation grows.  This fig tree was hanging to the wall of the canyon by its roots and reaching for the sun above with all its might...until the next hurricane comes and water rages down the canyon taking everything in its path with it.


One of the nice thing about the hike in Luigi Canyon is the fact that you can walk up the canyon and return along a ridge trail so you are warm and dry by the time you get back to your vehicle. You can walk both ways in water if you choose, or not at all.


Little burrows hang out along the rim trail.  This is a ranch and we also saw cows and horses along the way.  The area where we parked our car is also a camp for Big Horn Sheep hunters, a hunt in the Gigantes will put you back about $60,000 to $70,000 US...craziness.


The view from above, looking back into the Gigante Mountians and to the start of the canyon...somewhere up there.