It’s 1:23 in the A of M. I’ve worked until just now on a website redesign project for a (really wonderful) enviro group, and in about five hours I’m getting up to go for a hike. But the blog, she is cajoling me. And I miss it. The last couple of weeks have been full of work of the non-blogular variety as well; the Desert Protective Council’s newsletter El Paisano got sent to the printer last week, along with a four-page thing I cowrote with Jim Andre entitled “Ten California Desert Plants That Deserve Protection Under the Endangered Species Act.”

It’s been a crazy busy few weeks, in other words. This is mainly due to having gotten somewhat behind what with the moving thing. I’m really looking forward to having a day completely off. That may happen this week, or next.

I did get some time off Sunday, though I worked late until the night once I got home from that time off. I woke up mid-morning, uncaffeinated and a little queasy and alone except for quadrupeds. (Annette was in LA over the weekend.) Not sure what to do with myself and feeling intellectually entirely unup to getting work done, I hied myself up to Joshua Tree, where I got myself a new hat to replace the battered old one I tossed during the move.

Thus accoutred I headed into the Park, found the trailhead for Pine City (where I’d hiked a bit before, as mentioned in yesterday’s video post), and walked through an absolutely gorgeous bit of desert to get to the top of a canyon just as the sun decided to go down. It was cold, and quiet, and a too-easy hike of only just under four miles round trip, maybe 200 feet in elevation gain, and I got back to the Zheep in time for this:

Next time I’m taking the real camera. Actually, “next time” is in about five hours. Time to try to sleep.

For those of you in striking distance of Palm Springs Tuesday night, I’ll be in the audience for this lecture on cacti, agaves, and yuccas. If you’re there too, say hello. I may even wear the hat.