Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Storm Canyon / Vallecito - ABDSP

A hike out into Storm Canyon before the Perseid Meteor Shower. Temperatures on my truck thermometer showed a high of 110 degrees. The humidity was thick.

Big thunderstorm clouds over the south part of the canyon, you can see Monument and Garnet Peaks off in the distance. I did get rained on and saw many lightning strikes. This is a 360 degree panorama photo.
Storm Canyon near Troutman Mtn in Vallecito looking towards Garnet and Monument Peaks

Found 2 old Coke bottles. Based on some research I did I believe they are probably from the early 1970's, bottle evolution #14. On one side is the name in script and on the other is only the word Coke. They are the 6.5 ounce bottles.



There was a nice rock shelter with a single mortero out in front
Rock Shelter with a single mortero in front

Descending an unnamed small peak I saw some morteros at the base of the ridge
Morteros at the base of the hill

I love finding bony scat, here is a great find! Probably coyote
Fascinating scat, notice what looks like an entire limb with the joint and what looks like whiskers

Here is a zoomed in shot, notice what looks like an entire limb with the joint and what looks like a couple of black whiskers poking out above to the right
Fascinating scat, notice what looks like an entire limb with the joint and what looks like whiskers

The question nobody seems to be able to answer every time I ask is why do animals always crap in the holes in rocks or right on rocks obviously out of the way? This scat is beginning to take on the same colors as the rock around it
This scat in a mortero started to take on the same color changes as the rocks themselves

Rock Art comes in a variety forms, here is an example of a very controversial form known as a Yoni. You can decide for yourself, Yoni or not
Yoni? You decide

Other forms are more widely accepted, modern or pre-historic
Modern Rock Art

He looked like he was painted blue at some point so I DStretched him


Something a little more authentic



I think this a Burrowing Owl burrow but I am no expert. For size reference you could probably roll a softball down this hole
Burrowing Owl burrow I believe. For size reference you could roll a softball easily down the hole.

Can't go hike in the desert without finding some mylar balloons, this was a 5 balloon wreck in the cactus
5 Ballon Mess

Total Mylar balloons this trip - (7)

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Monday, August 13, 2012

Perseids Meteor Shower August 2012

Took a trip out to Blair Valley in the Anza Borego Desert State Park to watch the Perseids Meteor shower. It put on a good show, I saw probably 50 or more meteors.

Perseid Meteor Shower and the Milky Way
Perseid Meteor Shower and the Milky Way. The Pleiades Star Cluster is in the lower right
Perseid Meteor Shower and the Milky Way. Meteor in lower right corner just above Ghost Mountain
Two airplanes in the top left and right corners and a meteor in the center inside the Milky Way
Someone shot off a single firework during the meteor show. An airplane is off to the left

A 12 hour time lapse video