Neighborhood Walk

The neighborhood around the Thousand Trails is National Forest or BLM land. There is a tree here and there. Really it is desert with the Verde River running through creating a riparian area for a bird population that manages to be making noise at five in the morning when I really am not done sleeping. The noisiest seem to be the doves.

As the doves were doing the morning serenade, I finally got out of bed and looked out to see a great blue heron in the middle of the RV campground. It was a perfect photo op. Put the camera through the open window and snapped a few shots. Then I headed out of Wandrin Wagon to get closer. The heron took flight three times with me going after for more photos. Soon the heron tired of the game and flew over the trees and back to the river.





There is great boon docking atop the mesa just out side the TT park. It is National Forest area with space for lots of rigs of all sizes. There have been times I've parked there -- before my Thousand Trails membership.  Some Thousand Trails members spend their one week out of the park on the mesa. Great views to see the red hills of Sedona far off in north.

In my previous visits to this TT, my hikes through the boon docking area found road acquaintances  parked there. There were only six rigs parked there as I hiked through and didn't recognize any of them. That didn't stop me from stopping to chat with one gentleman. He was parked there on his one week out of the TT park. His winter stop is the Yuma Foothills, but it was getting too hot so he headed here for his summer hang out.

My hike continued and captured the desert flora (Prickly Poppy and Hedgehog Cactus), the views and some fauna in the case of the lady bug.

As I continued my walk and watching my steps I spotted some blue lichen on a rock. That was a first. The colors and varieties of lichen on rock often make great photos. On my explore, I found several instances of this blue lichen. Each time it seemed to be the same variety of rock. Perhaps it was, but my geology is very rusty.

So I will just enjoy the marvel and beauty of Nature and keep these memories with me in the form of photos.