4/22, Saturday. I joined Friends of the Gorge for a flower hike. The hike leader Paul is very knowledgeable. He carries a field guild filled with notes and dogeared. Again, a large group, and mostly retired (both common with Friends). Paul himself is in his late 60s, retired, but in excellent shape. Today's group, overall, is quite fit, so I had a good workout. Paul is very patient, a good teacher. I enjoyed the hike very much. Weather is more or less corporative. Sunshine and shower alternates. 
Coyote Wall is a great spring flower destination. You can hike a little or a lot. There're many intersecting trails, and a few bikes. A group of us (18 total) walked almost to Catherine Creek (at least we could see Catherine Creek TH parking). On the way back, looped to Maui Falls. Maybe about 8 miles total.
As of this Saturday, desert parsley, prairie star, popcorn flower (not sure if Cryptantha or Plagiobothrys. Cannot see the yellow in the center) are everywhere, quite a few balsamroot, lupine are still in bud. Almost no grass widow or shooting starts left. Some naked broomrape, fiddleneck. Some new ones for me:
thyme-leaf buckwheat, western stoneseed, Nutall toothwort.Throughout the day, sun and rain alternates. Back in town around 4pm. Paul is heading to Yosemite for a week tomorrow.
