Adventure buddy Konnie and I set out to explore Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area.
We parked and headed toward the trails.
What a beautiful day for a hike!
It’s hard to believe that this is a desert.
But, those cactuses kind of give it away. Yes, it’s a desert!
We got down to the creek.
The sound of water in the desert is so peaceful.
We continued our explorations. I wondered about the name of this trail, Metate Trail.
A metate is a tool used for grinding corn. There are a lot of forms of them.
This is a souvenir version that I brought home with me from my years in Guatemala. The stone on top is called a “mano”, and this one is too large for the metate underneath.
As long as I’m sharing about Guatemala and metates, I figured I’d share this sculpture I brought home that shows how tortillas were traditionally made.
You’re welcome.
Anyway, we set off down the path and we found metates!
The people who lived here long ago found this rock and used it to grind their grains. Sometimes rocks would have a natural indentation that they would use to start. Over the years, the grinding would wear away the rock creating deeper pockets.
Konnie and I looked for cactuses to take pictures with. This one was her choice.
I picked this one.
I was surprised that this prickly pear was covered with vines. That’s not something I would expect to see in a desert.
This vine had some mighty odd looking fruits. Konnie tells me that they are wild cucumbers.
Time for another look at the mountains and then off to Cave Creek for a little sustenance at Big Earl’s Greasy Eats.
And so another concludes another outing with adventure buddy, Konnie.