SOUTH WESTERN DESERTS-JOSHUA TREE DESERT

JT DESERT IS AT THE OVERLAP OF THE COLORADO AND MOJAVE DESERTS. THE ELEVATION RISES TO OVER 2500M PROVIDING INTERESTING STRATIFICATIONS OF PLANTS.I HAD A PENPAL OVER 45 YEARS AGO WHOSE FATHER WAS HEAD RANGER HERE. SO IT WAS SOMETHING OF A PILGRIMAGE TO COME HERE.TEMPS IN THE HIGH 3O C'S ,DRY AND SOME FABULOUS CAMPING SPOTS.

THE AWNING HAS BEEN A GODSEND.

ROCK PILES CAUSED BY WATER AND HEAT EROSION OF THE PLUTONISC GRANITE. A ROCK CLIMBERS PARADISE.

LOOKING OVER THE SAN ANDREAS FAULT TO THE SAN JACINTO MOUNTAINS WHERE WE CAMPED THE NEXT NIGHT.PALM SPRINGS TO THE RIGHT.

THE JOSHUA TREE IT IS ACTUALLY A YUCCA WHICH IS A MONOCOT (GRASS).IN THE SOUTH WE HAD SEEN ONLY UPTO 1-2M HERE AT THE IDEAL PART OF THEIR RANGE THEY FORM FORESTS UPTO
15M!!

ALTHOUGH A GRASS THEY FORM A WOODY SKELETON,SHALLOW ROOTS THOUGH MAKE THEM VULNERABLE TO STORM DAMAGE.

THIS ALSO IN ITS IDEAL; RANGE IS THE TEDDY-BEAR CACTUS CHOLLA (CHOY-YA).ITS TEDDY BEAR APPEARANCE PRODUCED BY MILLIONS OF SMALL DEADLY SPINES THAT BREAK-OFF EASILY.

THE CACUS WREN MAKES ITS NEST IN AMONG THE BRANCHES AN IDEAL HIDEAWAY FROM DANGER!!

THE OCOTILLO CACTUS ALSO REACHES HUGE HEIGHTS HERE COMPARED TO FURTHER SOUTH IN IT'S RANGE.

DESERTS AND SOME OT THE ANIMALS THAT INHABIT THEM

THE SAGUARO (SA WAARO)CACTUS IS THE DOMINANT SPECIES IN THE AREA WHERE THE SONORAN AND CHIHUAHUA DESERTS MEET ACROSS ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO.SUCH A DIVERSE RANGE OF STRANGE ADAPTATIONS TO SURVIVE EXTREME HEAT AND BRIEF MONSOON RAINS IN JULY.

GERMINATION IS VERY POOR AND THE PLANTS ONLY GROW TO ABOUT 6INCHES AFTER 10 YEARS.FLOWERING STARTS AT 50 YEARS THESE SPECIMENS ARE 100'S YEARS OLD.

FLOWERS LAST A DAY AND ARE POLLINATED BY DOVES AND BATS.

FRUITS DEVELOP QUICKLY.

THE RIPE FRUIT GORGED ON BY BIRDS AND BATS AND HUMANS(MAKE A FINE JAM) AND ALL MANNER OF ANIMALS WHEN THEY FALL TO THE GROUND.

DOVES NEST ON TOP.

ORGAN PIPE CACTUS PREDOMINANTLY IN THE SOUTH OF THE RANGE ON MEXICAN BORDER THEY EXTEND WAY DOWN INTO CHIHUAHUA.

TURKEY VULTURES ROAM THE SKIES.

MEXICAN LONG NOSED BAT.

WOODPECKERS MAKE NESTS FOR THEMSELVES AND OTHER BIRDS AS WELL TAKE OVER THE OLD NESTS.

WESTERN DIAMONDBACKED RATTLE SNAKE.AT SONORAN DESERT MUSEUM.85% OF THE VICTIMS OF SNAKE BITES FIT A VERY NARROW STEREOTYPE.MALE,AGED BETWEEN 18 AND 35,INTOXICATED AND TATTOOED!!

AT LEAST 20 HUMMINGBIRD SPECIES.

GILOMONSTER (HEELO) A SLUGGISH LIZARD ABOUT 1 METRE LONG. THE ONLY LIZARD WITH A POISONOUS BITE . IT LATCHES ON TO PREY AND PUMPS THE POISON FROM ITS SALIVARY GLANDS.

OUR FAVOURITE.THE ROADRUNNER OFTEN SEEN WITH A LIZARD OR SNAKE FROM ITS MOUTH. IT IS A CUCKOO AND CAN REACH 40KM PER HR.FASTER THAN MOST OF MY RACEHORSES!!

AMAZING BLACKTAILED JACKRABBIT. HUGE EARS TO KEEP IT COOL.

THESE DESERT SQUIRRELS HAVE THE ABILITY TO DRINK WATER 1.5 TIMES SALTIER THAN SEAWATER!!

CARLSBAD CAVERNS

WE HAVE VISITED A HUGE NUMBER OF "COMMERCIAL" CAVES AROUND THE WORLD. FOR ITS SHEER SCALE AND DIVERSITY IT IS MIND-BOGGLING AND GREATER THAN ANYTHING I EXPECTED.A TRUE NATURAL WONDER OF THE WORLD. VERY DIFFICULT TO PHOTOGRAPH TO SHOW SCALE.I HAVEN'T BOTHERED TO LABEL STALACTITES,STALAGMITES,COLUMNS,PEARLS,DRAPERIES,SODA STRAWS,FLOWSTONES,PEARLS,LILYPADS,POPCORN,RIMSTONE DAMS AND HELICTITES COLLECTIVELY CALLED SPELEOTHEMS-HAVE A GO AT MATCHING!!