Monday, December 20, 2010

Tarantula!


I was going to post sunshine, snow and spiders, but i thought 'tarantula' maybe is more captivating.
Sorry, no photo of this spider, you have to take my word for it. The camera often didn't work, remember the horse kick.

I think it is still November 4.
It's around Jemez Springs.
The desert is hot, the red mountain shines brightly. And into the mountain are all these canyons. I think you can only go on a guided tour into such red canyon. Hmmm i forgot, if it was a money issue or the idea of being a tourist, or if we just wanted to be alone with the spider.
Away from any canyon we just climb the sidehill towards the red. The rock here is sand color, i suggest going parallel to the road, staying low, but we climb higher and higher, this man's on a mission. I start to fear we never reach canyons or red rock, "we are past the layer of red for sure now. " And i am sure my 'guide' doesn't know either.
Suddenly the land breaks open, we look down in the reddest deep canyon to be.
As the water has made these canyons, we climb into it lowering our self one terrace. A chamber of smooth rock. Peering over the edge we wonder what is below, we do see water in the pool on a deeper terrace.
Now when you look at the photo, we decide to go the other side, where it is possible, and follow the rim that you see. That all is a most beautiful hike on it's own, When we reach the bottom, we walk in. The water sculptured amazing rocks, the canyon narrower and narrower, at places a metre wide, it's dark and rather scary as the walls are higher and higher. surprisingly fast we reach the place underneath the terraces, " lets try to climb up!"
"No!" says the spider, who sat down beside her.
Indeed right at the end there sits a tarantula!



4 comments:

christopher said...

Lovely...of course some make pets of tarantulas because for all their fearsome looks they are intelligent and rather gentle in most circumstances, and while their mandibles hurt, they are not poisonous should they bite after all, at least not to human sized creatures.

aria said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
aria said...

wow... great picture as well as story!

Jos said...

Really incredible pictures Joz, and I love the commentary too. Quite an adventure you've been having of late. Safely back home in the snow on time for the festive season. I hope you have a lovely Christmas Joz, and I wish all good things for you in 2011. xx Jos