It’s been unseasonably cold in Arizona, down around freezing at night.  Today it didn’t go above 43 F (6 C) – which is bone-chilling for these parts.  My usual hiking buddy had a hot date with her kitchen and a bucket of paint, Speedy was otherwise engaged with football play-offs, but the desert was calling on this crystalline afternoon.  Someone had to answer.  Reader, it was I.

Because I was solo I chose a well-populated place to visit, the Lost Goldmine Trail (not as busy as its sister the Hieroglyphic Trail, but on a lovely Sunday, busy enough).  The first thing that happened was I encountered three Hiking Dogs, and was able to capture them for the ever-growing Hiking Dogs album.

Eddy

Stella

Sedona

The second thing that happened was that I began to see things that looked quite other than what they were.  So you tell me – what does this look like to you?

I’m not really a small cairn, I’m a______________

I’m not really a cholla, I’m a _______________________

And I’m not really another cholla, I’m a _____________

I’ll tell you my fill-in-the-blanks after you tell me yours…