California, Palm Springs - Tahquitz Canyon

Mike, Aimee and the kids left at 4am on Saturday and were home, in Edmonton, by 8:30pm on Sunday. They were greeted by snow and freezing temperatures. Chris and I relaxed, swam and enjoyed the peace and quiet for a day.

Then we went out for a pedicure and to get lunch. Beside the Mexican restaurant we spied this Roadrunner.

The restaurant owner confessed that he fed it "occasionally" but it obviously lived in the scrubby, empty lot next door.

The next day we felt in need of some exercise, outside of our daily 1.6km walk around the neighbourhood.

We drove out to Tahquitz Canyon

an area owned and operated by the Agua Caliente Band, which meant we had to pay to walk the trail. Smart business people they manage their resources well.

From the visitors centre you can see across the valley. We watched a short video on the Legend of the canyon. Tahquitz was given healing powers by the Creator but abused them and was banished to live in the canyon and prey on peoples souls.

The canyon has steep sides

and the running water keeps

flora at its base green with the occasional hit of colour. There were a surprising number of hummingbirds.

We had started our hike at about noon. Not smart in this climate but we took it slow and drank lots of water. That dark speck on the left is Chris.

We passed a woman who said she had seen 3 Big Horned sheep ahead, so we kept scouring the sides of the canyon. We knew from seeing them at the Living Desert that they blend very well with the rocks. Even in their enclosure they were difficult to see.

We were able to spot some, way up on the cliff face, because of their white bums.

If it hadn't been for that splash of white they would have been impossible to see.

We watched them for a while, 6 to 8 of them, clambering and grazing. So far away that my photos are blurry.

A mile in was the waterfall

and Chris took off her socks and shoes and waded. It was numbingly cold.

We walked back down with the canyon in cool shadow now.

It took way less time to walk back; downhill and much cooler, looking forward to a swim when we got back to the house.