Out and About - Alot

-Not a problem when footing it.

With this dry summer, getting into the backcountry has been better than ever — but still not ideal. The roads remain mostly washed out, with only a few narrow access points off the dry washes allowing limited vehicle travel. And honestly, that’s a good thing. It keeps all but the most determined explorers away.

Out here, hiking reigns supreme. The remnants of those old roads make for wonderful walking paths, and I’ve been out there a lot — exploring and rediscovering the rugged badlands I knew in my youth.

Solitude — But Not Alone

During all that wandering, I noticed someone. Do you see him?

-Seems to be enthralled with the drone.

A few miles away, I spotted another solitary figure. I just had to visit him. He’s clearly been standing out here for a long, long time.

-Maybe he’s a little more disturbed by the drone than the last guy.

And when the terrain is gentler, and I’m in need of more human company, my 90+ year-old mother comes along. I love her company. I think I inherited my rock obsession from her.

-Pure rock joy.

Come and Explore With Us?

Below are a couple of 8MB, 360-degree drone images. Just click to save them, then use VLC or a compatible viewer to scale, rotate, and zoom. Explore to your heart’s content — no hiking boots required.

-Equirectangular drone image links. Click, save, and explore.

During Daylight

-Agate, botryoidal chalcedony, druzy quartz, opal-covered hills.

-An almost alien planet experience.

-Fanciful silica patterns and textures.

And at Night

-Rocky hills covered with fluorescent rocks, lichens, plants, and the occasional scorpion.

-Long-wave flashlight on a typical outcrop.

-Same outcrop glowing with aqua plants, red lichens, and vibrant green opal and yellow silicates.

-Another intriguing outcrop.

-More glowing wonders: plants, lichens, white opal, and bright yellow silicates on another outcrop.

I have more glowing images from this area here, here, and here.

I had planned to share more often this season, but I’ve been too busy having fun. ✨

Cheers, D 🪨🔥