I’ve taken up walking during my lunch hour as a way of getting in better shape and getting in touch with my inner “desert tortoise.” I love the desert. I relish the feel of the sun on my back, the sand between my toes, and the solitude of walking alone in the outdoors. Just 5 minutes above my studio is the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve, a wilderness habitat for desert creatures such as the Desert Tortoise. On my walk today I actually saw a little tortoise which is a fairly rare occurance. He was basking on a sandstone rock right in the center of the trail. He didn’t seem to mind my shooting a quick photo before continuing on my way. As I looked back I was a little relieved to see him sauntering away from the trail to a safer location.
An added bonuse of walking the desert right now is discovering the spring wildflowers. Lots of white, yellow, and purple, but during the past week the cactus have begun blooming. It’s not hard to spot them with their brilliant red blossoms.
