I’ve often called it the “cruel mountain.” It’s got a few stiff inclines and it’s fairly depressing to have a 3year old lap you….a couple of times. Also, that asphalt is a lot more slippery than it looks. Still, the scenery is lovely and so it makes for a challenging yet beautiful walk.

There is a mountain tower at the top and I suspect the people of the “hood” took it over as a exercise destination. The owners of the mountain don’t seem to mind.

I am amazed at the wildlife we’ve seen there. This mountain is just across the road from our house, but I only see the jackrabbits and rattlesnakes there. Trust me, I’m okay without having the rattlesnakes in my backyard and you know as soon as I typed that a female rattlesnake laid a clutch of eggs under our jungle gym and will raise her brood before I can say that ‘I’ve never seen a rattlesnake in my back yard’ again.

In addition to rattlers, we’ve seen these guys. I don’t know what they are, they’ve got just a touch of red. Maybe a king snake?

Here’s a glamor shot.

When we walk in the dark, I take a flashlight because I don’t want to step on anything. I saw a lizard someone else had stepped on, not pretty.
Here’s a scorpion.

This is actually a centipede. He was zipping around in my light circle about a million miles a second, I’m surprised I got at least one somewhat clear shot. I’ve never seen a centipede like this. It’s got all these long, crazy legs and I think I heard it ask me for another shot of espresso?

This whip scorpion was so small, I almost didn’t see it and I didn’t know what it was until I did a google image search. Incredible and creepy isn’t it? But what I didn’t notice until I took this image into my editor was the teeny tiny scorpion beside it! I suspect that we interrupted some sort of circle of life struggle here. Scary to think that we couldn’t see the little scorpion, makes me not want to stand still next time we walk the mountain in the dark.

One day we found this trail of green, gloppy drips. They led all the way up the mountain…

I figure it was an alien wounded from a recent saucer crash. Or it could have been a chupacabra who had just emerged victorious from a “to the death” jaws and claws match with a werewolf. Either way, we were not deterred and followed the spots even though it most certainly meant we would be greeted with a cruel and excruciating death with extreme nomming of our bones. However, there was nothing but the gate that mocks us with the promise of the danger of radiation from the tower which we disregard as well. If we ever come up missing, you’ll know where to point the authorities to.

Look! It’s the elusive, rarely seen, poop-bag-rabbit! Shhh….you don’t want to startle it.

Speaking of poop bags;

It’s amazing how many people bag their dog’s poop and then leave the bag behind. I always think they’re planning on picking it up when they come back down off the mountain, but then those bags are still there the next week. I think there’s a disconnect here somewhere? You bagged it and that’s the important thing after all…

Look at this GORGEOUS sunset! It’s love, I tell you.

Here is our entire mountain walk compressed down into under 4 minutes. You can enjoy it without running out of oxygen or having a righteous muscle cramp. You also won’t have to see certain people pass you like a jillion times as they easily jog up and down the mountain like the freaky freaking show-offs they really are. Fitness my ass!