Cactus - Anza Borrego Desert

These attractive-looking cacti were everywhere in Plum Canyon in Anza-Borrego Desert. The ends appear to break off a lot and fall to the ground. Kind of makes you want to kick them, which I was warned by a friend not to do. So i just gently touched one little ball lying on the ground with the tip of my shoe and the thorns penetrated immediately into the rubber at the end of my sneaker. And they couldn't be pulled out either! These must be the sharpest barbs out there! They even stuck to my camera bag when I accidently brushed against one. So here's a reason to wear good shoes in the desert, and not to walk around carelessly looking for the next shot.