Day 51 Beauty and the Beast

Nothing lengthens or hastens the stride like the promise of a new vista.  For this, I've been walking steadily northward, over mountainous terrain, with new views of the approaching desert at every crest.  The trees and livestock have thinned out and gotten shorter, a fog hugs the coast.  A foggy coast makes for inefficient trekking.  I've been meandering a bit inland, as dirt tracks and footpaths take me, though still close enough to hear the seabirds.  The cactus and other desert plants are fully in springtime bloom.

Among the transitional vegetation is a gorgous bright yellow flower on a neon green stem that is so perfect-looking, it almost looks fake.  Yet this plant is as diabolical as it is beautiful.  The stem is loaded with spikes that cling like Velcro.  Trying to remove the sticking stems is like trying to hold set something Velcro on a table while wearing wool mittens.  Sticky sticky sticky.  On an occasion to look down as I walk over hill and dale instead of at the promised new vista, perfect floral sprays look brilliant against my black hiking pants, covering everywhere like a print design.  The treacherous barbs break off the spiked stems and drive right through the fabric into my skin.  Beneath, it looks like a bad case of measels, yet in a lovely floral pattern.  Not too itchy, but a bit oozy as my skin acts to reject the invaders.  A bit of antibiotic cream, and everything is healing well, but the two-day encounter of the beautiful plant has left me spotty.  The further north, the fewer plants...