8/23/98 12:31 PM leaving Susan lake. Took photos of giant spider.

This spider was the largest wild spider I have ever seen. I did not use a close-up lens to take this photo. If you click on the photo to look at the full sized scan, you will see a smaller spider hovering above the large spider's abdomen. I'm guessing that this is the male of the species, living commensally in his partner's web. Remains of last night's party to be seen below the recumbent couple.

Susan lake is one that the public can drive to, so, it was full of litter and well worn trails. The other lakes are mostly wild and untracked since you have to walk through miles of hot, rattler infested desert to get to them.