Flippin' Pancakes

Tuesday, 12th February
From Snowy mountain to arid desert in one day

The sun may be up but it's mighty cold out in them their hills.  Yep, temperature has dropped to 55F but it will be much colder in the mountains.

The lovely Mike, Helen husband (still sounds strange), is ranked number 6 in the RAF Snowboarding Team. I think that's right but I'm sure I'll be corrected if not.  So he pretty, darn good at slip, sliding down them there hills.  Today was an opportunity to impress the in-laws (nearly said outlaws, keeping to a cowboy theme).  We headed out to Mount Charleston Ski Resort.  A very impressive, picturesque drive up the road towards the summit.  After some recent snow fall everything was clean and crisp which look super under a clear blue sky.

Viva Las Vegas

Mount Charleston Ski Resort

The ski resort has 3 lifts, 4 slopes: 2 skiers, 1 nursery slope and a snowboard run.  It's easy to identify where you are in the world because there is another of those icon Las Vegas signs, only this time Elvis 'had left the house'.  After a snack lunch, Mike headed off up the lift to demonstrate how it was done.  Had to keep our eyes open as all boarders look alike at a distance, that or my eyesight isn't as good as it used to be.  A swish and a swoosh bought Mike down the slope and back to us with a big smile on his face.  The verdict was that the "snow is brilliant".  Helen now had to make the sacrifice and not go skiing with Mike.  Sorry Helen.  Leaving Mike to have fun on the slopes we headed off to the desert. Yes, I did write desert.

Here comes Mikey.  Woosh

Watch out Helen

Snowy peaks ...

and the desert.

Eddie has been chuntering about doing the Geocaching Star in the desert (GC No. available on request) for a long time.  This is possibly his reason for coming out here to Vegas.  We had warned him about scorpions, snakes and extremely venomous Black Widow Spiders but still he will insist on putting his hand in some random plant or delving deep inside a rock face.  Still a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do.  The area we were looking out is an Indian Reservation along the main road back to Vegas.

Okay, the desert is flat and dry and tough underfoot as there are many boulders, run offs for when it does rain and prickly bushes, yuccas, Joshua Trees, creosote bushes and barrel cactus to name but a few.
Okay, so I love Joshua Trees possibly because they stand out in a crowd. American Indians used the leaves for working into baskets and sandals. Then the Mormon immigrants began their way across the Colorado River and name the tree after the biblical figure, Joshua.  The trees were used for fencing and corrals  and as a source for fuel.

Joshua Tree

The Geocaching Star consists 18 caches set out in the shape of a star with the furthest point being about 800 yards from the roadside.  The Big Chief, Eddie decided that we would do 8 caches on the left hand side of the star.  Close enough to keep an eye on Helen's car and yet far enough away to get in a good walk.  The cache containers were about the size of a film canister.  Some were under boulders which were easy to spot because stones don't tend to stack them selves one on top of the other.  Others were within a yucca.  A great place for a little beastie to hide.

Checking the consellation co-ords

A walk in the park (desert) 

Can you spot the little pot?

Eight out of 18 caches isn't too bad and it does mean we completed part of the star and hopefully Eddie will now be satisfied at the achievement.

Wild life is in abundance in Vegas, and I'm not talking about the antics of those folk on the Strip slightly worse for drink.  Mr Rabbit was waiting for us when we got back home for a nice cuppa and of course its pancake day.  Phew what a day. What contrasts.  More adventures to follow.

Flopsy, Mopsy or Cottontail?