Dutchman 104 in Bloom

  We had never been on the Dutchman 104 trail before this year.  Now we have been on it 3 times.  The first trip was a a part of the Miners needle marathon we did with Neil Havers.  We were taken with the grand vistas in what seemed like a hidden valley.  The second time out we went with our usual Monday hiking group, Barb, Sue and Chewie.  The flowers were really starting to make a statement on this trip and we followed it up with a return visit a few days later with Gary, Margo, Jan and Mark.  Each trip the blooms were more plentiful.  This will definitely become part of our regular hiking outings.

Using technology to identify the flora can be problem when the mountains block the signal.  No signal.  No problem.  Go old school.  

Walking along the trail we heard a constant buzzing.  The flowers and the bees were out in full force. 

The fairy duster was almost at the end of its bloom but the poppies and lupins were just getting into form.

A victim of a fire some years back this saguaro was struggling to stay erect.

The bees are so busy flitting from flower to flower it is hard to catch them stationary for even a few seconds.   

The grand vistas are still amazing with a hint of colour on the desert floor. 

 

The ocotillo look like dead sticks and then the leaves start appearing, first red, then turning to green and then covered in red flowers.  

Our hikes going forward will be restricted to Boyce Thompson and the Riparian Preserve plus a trip to Tempe Festival of the Arts and lunch in Fountain Hills.  I'll start working on those tonight but right now its just too hot sitting in our Az room.  Time to grab a cold drink and head out to find some shade and a breeze.