Over the hills but not far away

This weekend I had some friends on the island who have a permitted vehicle.  Since I'm still on the waiting list (stop laughing D, it could still happen, I'm young) and my opportunities to get out into the interior of the island are limited, on Saturday when they invited me to have lunch up at the airport and cruise around afterward, I jumped at the chance.

After we had lunch, we drove to El Rancho Escondido to see a new puppy (and a very loud woodpecker), out to the Shark & Little Harbor overlook, past Ben Weston, and finally stopped off to visit Pimu. Here's some of what we saw:

And apparently yesterday while I was cruising the hills of Catalina in the back of a Dodge, this rotten little rodent:

made what I consider to be a serious strategic error.  Six more weeks of winter??? Who are we kidding? I mean, grant you taking weather recommendations from a creature with a brain the size of a grape makes about as much sense as putting your faith in one of those well-coiffed talking heads on the evening news weather broadcast.  But I've had about as much of being wet and cold and wet and sniffly (and did I mention wet?) as I really need for about the next few lifetimes and I could use a chance to dry out before mushrooms sprout in my closets (or anywhere else).

And Senor Phil?  Just so we're clear - you are not wanted around here.  We do not welcome non-native species and since your breed is not endemic to the island...well, just ask the pigs how their departure was handled.  I'm just sayin'.