It has been nearly a week (still in Silver View RV Resort in Bullhead City, AZ) since the last entry which might make you think we have been falling behind on the blog, but not so. What we have done is to become immersed in the snowbird lifestyle. People winter here for the climate (and maybe, the casinos) but little else. Joani has researched extensively all options in the area and we are in a location that has very few natural attractions.
So, we have followed the locals lead and made the most of our outdoor recliners. We have spent a lot of time enjoying the fresh air and sunshine, reading and waiting for spring. We wave as neighbors walk by or sometimes stop to chat for a few minutes. I don't think this is exactly what we had in mind when we decided to travel, so hopefully, we will find more to do at our next stop.
One of the very few hikes in the area was through Grapevine Canyon. It was about 15 miles from camp and only the last two miles were a gravel road. We were in need of some good exercise and this hike did not disappoint!
Just a quarter mile through a wash to the entrance of Grapevine Canyon.
There were a lot of rocks covered with petroglyphs hundreds of years old. I wondered if teenage Indians long ago were marking their territory with gang signs or if maybe it was the equivalent of high school seniors declaring the "Class of 520 AD" to be the best.
A placard tells us, "Grapevine Canyon Spirit Mountain Southern Nevada ."
There was no clearly marked trail and we often found ourselves wondering if we had reached the end. Then we would climb over some big rocky area and find a way to continue on. There were a few places where we followed low paths through thick grapevines for 20 or 30 yards. They seemed more like game trails than hiking trails. It was probably good that the grapes had not leafed out yet or it would have been more like tunneling than hiking.
Ready to burst into bloom?
A barrel cactus skeleton.
A mile or so from the car we sat for a few minutes and enjoyed the absolute silence of the desert. An occasional bird call or the gentle breeze rustling the foliage only added to the tranquility we experienced there. Although there were maybe ten cars in the parking area, no one ventured as far into the valley as we did, so we were utterly alone - it was certainly worth the effort.
You feel like you are far removed from civilization, and then you see this...
We saw a splash of red and were intrigued!
We were fooled by a prankster. Overspray is a dead give away!
Ouch! My knee bumped a cholla cactus, but it could have been worse!
Back at the entrance, the petroglyphs deserved further examination.
David spotted this rock high on the hill.
I think this climb at the end of our hike is the reason I was so stiff the next morning!
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