The desert smells amazing.
I jump down from the truck and pause to breath in as deeply as I can. It rained last night, and the desert is remade. The sand is pockmarked, not a single track remains. Every plant is fit to burst and shallow pools of water fill sandstone basins. The Virgin River is running, and running clear.
I swing on my backpack and jump the gate to Area 31. Everything is still and absolute silence pervades. It is as though the entire desert is sleeping in after a late night celebrating. Behind me the sun is a molten orange globe just breaking the horizon and the distant mesas appear purple in the morning atmosphere. Today will be a cool 91F, down right pleasant in my mind after a week at 100F. I adjust the setting on my receiver and drop down over a basalt ledge, looking for critters.
gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteHave you read Abbey's "A Season in the Wilderness"? Your descriptions sound very similar.
ReplyDeleteDesert Solitaire? I have, but before I lived in the desert. I think I should read it again. I just read The Monkey Wrench Gang for the first time, though, and its very cool to have seen the things hes describing. I think I like his non-fiction a bit better :-)
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