Collared Lizards

Portal RV Resort
Moab, UT
June 14 & 18, 2016

This past week we did a couple of fun trails.  The first was 
Porcupine Rim. It's a moderate to difficult trail in the Sand Flats area of Moab and is a shared trail with bicycles.  It's a fun trail with tricky spots, and "epic" views.  Dee led us in a "new to us" way.  We rode past the end of Negro Bill Canyon all the way to the scenic overlook of Castle Valley with lots of twists, dips and climbs along narrow rim trails, slick rock, and ledges.   

Below is a picture of Round Mountain.  It is a volcanic plug sitting near the southern end of Castle Valley.  The LaSal Mountains and Castle Valley's Round Mountain rose up about 24 million years ago as a result of underground volcanic activity.  

 On Saturday, Strike Ravine was on the Moab Friends For Wheeling calendar.  Joe and I have only done this trail once a couple of years ago.  Strike Ravine is 9 miles that include  narrow, tippy, rocky sections which give it a difficult rating.  Dee led our group of 11 vehicles of varying sizes. Seven of us were club members with 4 guests. Of those 4, 2 were very new to wheeling in Moab.  Dee adds so much to these adventures...her enthusiasm is catching.  Not to mention her knowledge of the trail/area, her decisiveness (yes, we did have to strap a couple of jeeps out of  tricky situations), her humor, and helpfulness.  
   
There is only one named obstacle on this trail...Big Ugly.  

But there are many more places that look like the photo below with tall ledges.  Dee took this photo (thanks Dee!) of our jeep Pearl as we approached this one.  

Today was our lucky day...as we crawled along, we saw 5 collared lizards over the course of the 9 miles.  That is certainly a record for me.  I only got good pictures of three of them.  
These beauties are distinguished by two black collars around it's neck.  Adult males have bright green scales as well as tan, olive, bluish and yellow scales. 

We spotted this one in the grasses.  Collard lizards are one of only a few lizards that can run on their hind legs.

Their diet mostly consists of insects. 

Their average life span is 5-8 years and they can reach a size of 10 inches.  When the female is carrying eggs, she develops bright red splotches of color on her body.  After she lays anywhere from 1-13 eggs in early summer, the splotches disappear.  Seeing a mama with red splotches would be so awesome...I will be looking extra harder next year.

(Information on collard lizards was taken from the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum website.) 

Throughout the day we could see the south side of the LaSals.  Those are not white fluffy clouds you see, but rather as Dee pointed out, smoke from a controlled burn.

 It was a great day and we were home by 3:00 with the hottest part of the day between 4:00-5:00.  

Until next time, happy days and...

  HAPPY TRAILS!

The Fins and The Rocks

Portal RV Resort
Moab, UT
June 6 & 7, 2016

For some reason or another, last year we didn't spend any time on Fins and Things.  So when Red and Dolly asked us what trail we wanted to do, I didn't hesitate to say "the fins". Like Hell's Revenge, it is a classic 4X4 trail here with humongous views.  This was the first trail Joe and I did in our brand new stock Wrangler 3 months after we purchased it in 2013.  The purpose then was to figure out what modifications we needed...and so the journey began! 

I always love the fins !  It's still jaw-dropping...   

 As the name would imply, this trail is not all about the fins.  There are "things" to traverse as well...like gnarly climbs and sandy washes. 

Moab Rim...

and the LaSals make a beautiful backdrops.

The next day we were off to Behind The Rocks with Red and Dolly and were excited Dee joined us as well.  Our version is referred to as a "tip-toe" version because the extreme obstacles called High Dive, Up-Chuck, and Hummer Hill have go arounds and we took them. Dee drove Up-Chuck and played on Hummer Hill.  The go-arounds are difficult...this would not be a trail one should do without a buddy. 

Dee is always helpful when we tackle new obstacles.







Whee...Red led the way on this curvy section of sandy wash that had me giggling...

This is the top section of the by-pass for High Dive...Dee was the last to go down.

We made a large loop around Prostitute Rock...








...on the front side is Balcony Arch

 ...and on the back side is Picture Frame Arch where we had lunch in the shade of piñon pine trees.

After lunch Dee led for awhile as we meandered below and up-close to The Rocks.  Hummer Hill was on the way where Dee made the near vertical climb and descent.  

What fun it is to play in the sand !  Impressive sand dunes...

Behind The Rocks is an awesome trail.  We had a great time...thanks Red and Dolly, and Dee.  

The hottest part of the day here isn't until 4:00.  Dover has had fun cooling off in the doggie lake here at Portal.

With the cool morning temps, Jack gets plenty of time to play ball.  

And Sally knows just how to handle the warmer temps.  



















Until next time, happy days and...

HAPPY TRAILS !