February 4th

Kirk and Nancy were on the trails early this morning, before the sun came over the mountain.  I’m not sure what the low was last night, but the car was covered in frost.

They hiked a trail with a little altitude, and took cacti pictures, while a resident Coyote paced them along the trail.  Birds bagged today included the Phainopepla (think black cedar waxwing), Lesser Gold Finch, the Vermillion Flycatcher, Gambel’s Quail, and the Ladder Backed Woodpecker.

While they were off adventuring, I took the Runner for a couple of mile pavement jaunt.  On the pavement, no problemo.  It will go much faster than I care to fall off of it.  It was a great morning, still, and bright, and crisp.  It’s hard to tell how far away those mountains are, because the air is so clear.

Nancy found her first lizard of the trip, unconcernedly sun basking on the corner of the washroom/shower building.  She thinks it’s a spiny lizard of some sort.

Kirk put on a lot of miles today, and was heat treating himself the rest of the day; lay in the sun until he was pink and panting, lay in the shade until cooled, then repeat as necessary.  And it was necessary all afternoon. (I tried to catch him in full repose, but he’s too fast to take that test).

Got the mini-Radian out and new battery charged and velcroed, bound to the Radian DX5e transmitter, and ready to fly.  Waiting for the heat of the day to pass; if I can lose it to a thermal at the Saint’s field (thanks again, Bruce, Shelley, and Victor), imagine what could happen in southern Arizona.  Then again, I now have a full-range radio.

Since our next park, Organ Pipe National Monument, has plenty of room, we extended our stay here in Catalina SP another day; now leaving Saturday morning.  We were sitting out in the evening, watching the red afterglow of sunset, behind the large saguaro on the horizon, just like in all the old cowboy flicks.  Nancy noticed an owl sitting on the top of one, and id’d it as a Great Horned Owl, just as it flew off to consume some unfortunate.