Every once in a while you get lucky with wildlife. It happened to us while taking a day trip when we walked up to an overlook and a couple already there pointed out an animal below. I put my binoculars on it, even though there was little doubt what it was and I motioned to Renita and the rest to hurry over and see what was standing sideways in the valley.
Sharon and Alan had invited us to join Nancy and Jim and make a day trip to Canyon, Lake, the Apache Trail and Tortilla Flats. Among other things they wanted us to see some possible canoe places and so Jim and Nancy picked us up and we drove to the Frey's.
It really wasn't very far from town as we passed the Elks Lodge and climbed up the Superstition Mountains. It was nice to have Jim drive and I was able to actually sight see, instead of having Renita relate to me on what I was missing. Topping it off, Alan was narrating as we had split into two cars, girls in one and boys in the other.
Before long we arrived at the Canyon Lake overlook and we looked below as high winds whipped the lake into whitecaps. I had to take off my hat as the wind threatened to blow it back to Phoenix. We got back into the car and drove down along the lake, with its campgrounds beckoning.
Continuing on we drove past the lake and Tortilla Flats where we planned on eating lunch. Our goal was to drive to a pass on the Apache Trail before returning. The road narrowed and climbed and narrowed some more. Turning into gravel it still was pretty good road by Wyoming standards and it looked like a fun place to explore.
Stopping at the first pass we walked and talked and of course Renita started to pick up some rocks. Soon she was joined by the rest of them and I shook my head as I thought about all the rocks we already have. I really didn't expect to see any wildlife as it was noon and hot and any animal with any sense would be in the shade, right?
That's when a couple pointed out the Arizona desert bighorn ram. It stood for a while and seemed to be sniffing the air. Was there a ewe nearby or was it wondering whether we were a danger? Regardless it stood there as still as a statue until before finally turning its head.
The others came over and I pointed out the sheep. It had a three quarters curl and the horns were spread out further than the bighorns we had seen in Wyoming and Utah. The horns also seemed to be more massive, almost like domestic sheep, but it was wild desert bighorn,( Renita later looked it up on her smart phone and there was no doubt).
It stood there for quite a while and we all, except Jim, got to see it with our binoculars. Trying to spot more we headed east along a ridge, but when we walked out to a vantage point the ram was gone. Heading back to the vehicles we talked of the luck in seeing such a rare animal in its natural setting.
It was a short drive back to Tortilla Flats we we had a massive hamburger crowned with a grilled pepper. The restaurant's walls were covered with dollar bills on which people had written their names and the date they had been there. I wondered how I could get people to leave dollar bills when they visit us but I guess we will stay with selling rocks.
The funniest part of the restaurant was the restrooms where the walls were painted with characters of the old west, and I had to snap some images. The girls went into a shop while I opted for a prickly pear ice cream cone and sitting in the shade with Jim and Alan.
It was a fun day and a good trip before we hooked up the fifth wheel and headed east to New Mexico. A pretty lake, a day with friends, and a desert bighorn sheep. This is what our life style is all about. Clear skies.
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