Would a canyon by any other name still smell as sweet? A week ago we hiked Rose Canyon in the University City area in San Diego. In fact, Rose Canyon is not far north of Marian Bear park, which I wrote about earlier. The guide book describes this as a 2.5 mile hike (1.25 miles in, 1.25 back), but that's only if you turn around at the "suggested turning point". The trail goes on for another 2 miles after that. We went a total of 2.5 miles in, for a round trip of 5 miles. Unfortunately, we weren't quick to arrive, and walked at our usual casual pace, and as a result, we were caught out in the unexpected scorching heat that hit us last weekend. Temperatures reached nearly 100 degrees while we were still miles from our car. I exhausted the water I had brought, but fortunately not until we were almost back.


During our hike we encountered rabbits, lizards, bugs and birds. We even encountered a rogue swarm of bees. The were obviously not "africanized" because they didn't attack anyone.








Can anyone tell me what kind of bug this is below? It looked like a weird cross between a spider and a cricket.





There is a butterfly in the picture below, really. It wouldn't stay still, and my camera wouldn't focus on it. I still like the picture, though.



A spider having lunch.













Swarm! See all the little dots in the air? Bees.








Welcome shade in the heat.


After the hike, I encountered a very cooperative moth. We thought it was dead, since it hadn't moved all day, but it reacted when I touched its antenna. The little guy looks like a flying mammal, almost.