Wildflowers 2010

It's Spring in southern California and my mind turns toward wildflowers.  Desert USA's wildflower reports for California look promising.  If the region can avoid hot, dessicating winds in the next two weeks, the hills will put up the best wildflower show since 2005.

The picture above was taken in 2005 (see how Iris has grown!) on an alluvial fan near Salisbury pass, the southern entrance to Death Valley.   The flower show has already started, and will move northward and upslope in the coming weeks.  Do not delay.  Make your travel plans NOW.  Hotels and campgrounds book up quickly, and for good reason.  If you can't get a room near the national parks, you can try Las Vegas.  The area in the picture above is a two hour drive from Vegas, an easy day trip.

The Theodore Payne Foundation Wildflower Hotline is a great resource for wildflower news*.  Desert USA is another great resource for wildflower news for the entire southwest US, and for travel information in general.  My past wildflower posts demonstrate my obsession. 

If you are lucky, perhaps the earth will shake. Yes, there will likely be aftershocks.  But, keep in mind, that quakes along this fault actually increase the strain along the east-west faults near LA.  So, it might be more dangerous to stay in town than to head out to the desert.  ;-) * Thanks to Brent for reminding me of the Payne Foundation website.