The Smoke Creek country is one of my favorite haunts, introduced to me at an early age by my grandmother Margaret Purdy, a rockhound, among other things. When I worked out in the woods logging with my father, the desert was a nice escape from the trees. It is magical to me, since the lighting changes the character of the countryside, so in many ways, it always has a new feel to it. While it is fairly desolate these days, that was not the case a 100 years ago. I have several posts in the works about some unique historical aspects, since its history is largely ignored.
Finally, it has been ten weeks since the hip surgery and six weeks of weight bearing on my right leg, I am getting around, without a walker! However, with help from friends over the last few weeks, has allowed me to get out and about and take some photographs of historic sites to share in the near future.
Depending on weather, the long delayed Inspiration Tour may become a reality shortly.
So wonderful to hear that you are doing well! And I have to agree, I love the Smoke Creek desert as well; as much as I love the woods, the desert is nothing short of magic.