Shots from the Desert

The weather is finally cooling off here, although some would argue that 100˚ isn't really all that cool. But you'd be surprised how tolerable that is, compared to our 110˚ days of a month ago. With the cooler temps, I've had a little more motivation to head out on the trails near my house. 

This park is close, and never fails to give me a good workout. 

I'm not sure what they mean when they say "Future Site" because it's already fenced in and full of trails.

And - it's mostly virgin desert land - full of weird and interesting things to see. 

Since it's near a golf course, it gives me a lifetime supply of golfballs - you'd be surprised how many balls I've found out in the middle of nowhere. 

Right before I head out, Stella gives me a guilty stare - as if to ask why she can't tag along. But it's dusty and full of thorns and other pointy things - and there is no way I'd bring her with me.

Whenever I'm out on the trails, my favorite gangster movie comes to mind. Casino has to be one of best films for showing the desert in Las Vegas. 

Who can forget Joe Pesci being dragged out to the middle of the desert, and being forced to watch his brother beaten and killed. 

When I'm out on the trails - I swear some day, I'm going to find a body out there. 

So I thought I'd share a few of the interesting things I've seen - 

like this section of vertebrae rising up out of the soil. 

Or this giant - I'm not sure what to call it. When I first saw it - I thought it was a giant pupae from some primordial caterpillar. 

Now that I've ridden past it a few times, I think it's just an abandon Sonotube, that someone left in the middle of nowhere. Time has morphed it into something else.

This tire has been there a while, as proven by the sprouted plant within. 

And - maybe this area was used as a test landing spot for helicopters. 

There are a million stories out here. Someone has marked this area during geological surveys - otherwise, why would this be out MILES from anywhere that matters.

Once in a while, I'll be riding and all of sudden - something catches my eye - the only thing I can do is slam on the brakes and check it out. 

This old can appeared to be shot so many times, an automatic weapon must have done it. 

I know where the burrowing owls live, sometimes they fly away when I ride past, but 

but mostly - they just peek their heads out and look at the crazy girl on a bike in the middle of nowhere. 

There are jackrabbits, who like to play hide-and-seek, but luckily - I haven't run into any snakes yet. 

The best part of it all is just the wide open land - no buildings, no people, just a little wind howling, and storms that brew in a distance.  This sure isn't what people picture in their heads when they think of Las Vegas, but anyone who lives here knows that there are special places to get away from the neon and the traffic.