John & Pat's Other Interests 

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The tranquil peace and quiet of the desert is a real change of pace. The clear starry nights and the desert sunsets are awesome.  We both like the desert, with it's ghost towns and its critters; snakes, lizards, scorpions and spiders.  My wife is not so keen about the insect critters.  I enjoy exploring the local desert area and have taken many pictures, some of which appear on this web site.

I have explored many of our local back roads.  I've found most of the roads to be passable but very rough in places. I recommend 4-Wheel drive and even then I've got stuck a few times in the soft sand.  So far I've managed to dig myself out.  You should always carry a shovel, water to drink and let someone know where your going, and when you will be back.  I've been out exploring all day and never seen another vehicle.  I always carry a cell phone.

We see Rabbits, Quail, Roadrunners, Ground Squirrels and an assortment of small birds using our bird bath.  Even the Roadrunner will get up and drink from it. We also have Red Tailed Hawks, Vultures and Crows flying overhead.   Around the house, there is a family of night desert geckos (seen in the summer time) and a few scorpions. There is also one Western Fence lizard that lives in an old TV set on the back patio along with a couple of other smaller lizards scurrying around.  We have seen one Tarantula and a couple of snakes by the house (Racers), and several Banded Desert Geckos that squeak when molested.  The Banded Geckos, also seen in the summer months, are usually found inside the sprinkler boxes where it is cool.  I've also found them in the garage hibernating during the winter.