All mortals must pay homage
Today is one of those days that reminds me why I choose to live in the desert. And why I choose to endure triple digit temps in the summer. To give you a sense of what I mean by “triple digit”, I mean when you stick your head out the door to call the dogs back inside, your eyebrows go missing. Seared clean off by the heat.
When everyone’s eyebrows grow back, say, by December, that’s when we know it’s safe to go outside again. I am always in awe of the gorgeous winter days we have here in Vegas, and today did not disappoint.
I felt it was my obligation to pay homage to the Goddess of Sunshine and Fair Weather today since she can be a real fickle bitch. Know the penalty if you don’t pay homage? The Goddess of Sunshine and Fair Weather will run away to somewhere she likes to frequent, like Hawaii, and leave behind her evil stepbrother, The God of the Freezing Whipping Wind, who likes to flatten expensive landscaping the way my toddler likes to step on bugs. Before she leaves, and she tends to leave rather suddenly, she’ll board up all your windows and doors so that next time she comes to town, you can’t pay homage even if you want to. Yes, she is vindictive, and has a sick, sick mind.
I packed up the toddler and headed out to Calico Basin, a nice little spot just outside Red Rock Canyon. If you have never been to RR, I encourage you to put it on your list of Places To Visit Before You Die. It’s that spectacular.
Today, the massive expanse of blue sky made the orange and red sandstone look brilliant, it was glowing, I tell you. From freaking within. The Goddess was NOT messing around.
Red Spring is ideal for today’s outing because it offers quick access-you don’t have to drive on the 13-mile, one way loop as in Red Rock proper- and it has plenty of picnic tables and easy trails for unreliable, pint sized hiking partners.
It also has a cool boardwalk that is really fun to run up and down at breakneck speed. I mean, um, if you’re a kid. Ahem. Two minutes after we got on the boardwalk, my son found the highest point and dropped his Matchbox truck down into the grass below. Then proceeded to have an epic tantrum until I retrieved it. Sigh. Check out his sneaky technique.
Here he imitates his momma’s technique of treading on our precious desert vegetation.
Back down to the picnic tables for some lunch.
The kid will climb on ANYTHING!
Up the trail to the slabby rocks…He kept yelling “climb this mountain mommy!” as he charged up every vertical object. He’s a freaking natural. I had to hold him back, for fear he would fly into orbit.
My favorite part was here, at this crag. After he carefully studied this hangdoggin’ climber for a few minutes, he started yelling every time the guy moved. Heh. FYI, that’s really bad etiquette, like sneezing in someone’s backswing, but hey, he’s two, and his timing was impeccable.
Ahh, the ultimate goal of every outing in a mother’s life…a napping baby.
Amen, and thank you for keeping us in your good graces, Goddess of Sunshine and Fair Weather.
