Here is a somewhat random selection of features we found along our various drives and explorations. These are all in the vicinity of the Grand Canyon North Rim and the adjacent Kaibab Forest.

Interesting sight by the edge of the camp road: an aspen blasted by lightning, surviving with a brutal scar to its trunk where the heat exploded the wood fibers apart in line with the grain.

We think a lot about what dangers attend camping in the forest with lightning all about. After lengthy consideration, we believe the best results (for us) will be if the lightning does the following:

• – Hits trees or rocks only
• – Does not hit us
• – Does not hit trees or rocks that are near us
• – Does not start fires that last longer than three minutes

As long as the lightning observes these constraints, we’re okay with it.

This is a yucca-like plant that is usually just a low bristle of spears. When it wants to bloom, it puts out this 8-foot-tall spike – presumably to better make uses of the desert winds to scatter its seeds?

Some of the desert flora is tiny but distinctive. Here’s a barrel-cactus-like plant – but the size of a baseball — taking advantage of the recent rains to put out some blossoms.

And a mountain-woods cottontail – – this one watching some nearby campers, maybe to try and determine friend or foe. Or perhaps just curious.

Stark shot of a burned-off area (2000), with the sun made hazy by smoke from a current forest fire.

Whatever the weather or dark of day (thunderstorm overhead), when it’s time for BBQ, the tough get going….

Ralph (and the bikes on Howie’s back) tend to collect a LOT of dust on dry dirt roads. It’s amazing how tenacious the dust is, you can’t just blow or wipe it off. It has to be rinsed – – hah! not with our precious water. We waited for rain, and later got it. Ralph got all cleaned off. But he’s a teenager at heart, and as soon as we started driving on the muddied roads, he got all cruddied up again. Kids, y’know – – – what are you gonna do?

Late afternoon, storms mostly gone through. The sky is simply gorgeous. The Cockscombs undulations go on for miles, overseen by the dark mass of Marble Point.

After a storm cell passes, the evening presents this precious gift to us, just to the right of our camp site. Life is good.